Tuesday’s Champions League Matchday Five predictions, odds and betting tips: Benfica can stop the rot at ailing Ajax
Where to watch Tuesday’s Champions League matches
Ajax vs Benfica
TNT Sports 3, 5.45pm
Galatasaray vs Union Saint-Gilloise
TNT Sports 4, 5.45pm
Bodo/Glimt vs Juventus
TNT Sports 5, 8pm
Borussia Dortmund vs Villarreal
TNT Sports 4, 8pm
Napoli vs Qarabag
TNT Sports 6, 8pm
Slavia Prague vs Athletic Bilbao
TNT Sports 7, 8pm
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Best bets
Benfica
2pts 10-11 Coral, Ladbrokes
Both teams to score & over 2.5 goals in Dortmund vs Villarreal
2pts 21-20 general
Draw in Bodo/Glimt vs Juventus
1pt 11-4 bet365
Champions League matchday five predictions
There are six Champions League matches not featuring an English side also to enjoy on Tuesday, with Ajax and Benfica bidding to end their losing runs in the competition when they square-up in Amsterdam and Juventus aiming to negate chilly temperatures away at Bodo/Glimt.
Ajax vs Benfica
Jose Mourinho ripped into his Benfica players for their attitude as they required two late goals to see off third-tier Atletico CP in the Taca de Portugal on Friday and after four defeats from as many Champions League fixtures they are desperate for victory at Ajax.
However, the Eagles have offered more resilience in Europe than their Eredivisie hosts, who have also lost all four outing and conceded 14 goals, which includes shipping five to Chelsea and four to Marseille.
Ajax sacked head coach John Heitinga on the back of a 3-0 defeat at home to Galatasaray on matchday four and the change has done little to shift their focus as they have responded with 2-1 league defeats against Utrecht and Excelsior.
Mourinho’s recent rant should have Benfica switched on at the Johan Cruyff Arena, where Ajax have lost four of their last six matches.
Galatasaray vs Union Saint-Gilloise
Having recorded Champions League home wins over Liverpool and Bodo/Glimt, Super Lig leaders Galatasaray are unsurprisingly odds-on to get the better of Union Saint-Gilloise.
The Belgian visitors did spring a surprise at PSV on matchday one but they have lost their subsequent three European outings, going down 4-0 at home to Newcastle and Inter and being outclassed 3-1 at Atletico Madrid. Gala’s attacking riches should shine.
Bodo/Glimt vs Juventus
Bodo/Glimt and Juventus are two of nine teams in the Champions League still seeking their first victory in this season’s competition and they may still be scratching their heads after this clash in the Arctic Circle.
The Old Lady have become draw specialists, sharing the spoils in eight of their last 13 matches which includes three of their four Champions League assignments against Dortmund, Villarreal and Sporting.
Freezing conditions on an artificial pitch makes things tougher for Juve and they could be frustrated by last season’s Europa League semi-finalists Glimt, who have lost only one of their last 11 home games and held Tottenham to a 2-2 draw on matchday two.
Dortmund vs Villarreal
Dortmund has been the place to go in search of excitement in this season’s Champions League as their four matches have featured 24 goals which includes a chaotic 4-4 draw with Juventus.
The German entertainers go into this clash with Villarreal after of sharing the spoils in a six-goal thriller with Stuttgart in the Bundesliga. Both teams have scored in all four of their European encounters and all of those games produced at least five goals.
Expect more drama against Villarreal, who sit third behind only Real Madrid and Barcelona in La Liga following nine wins in 13 outings.
Napoli vs Qarabag
Napoli are a short price to make the most of home advantage against Azerbaijani champions Qarabag and it is easy to see why given that they made it 17 Serie A games unbeaten at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium with Saturday’s 3-1 success over Atalanta.
Qarabag, having drawn 2-2 with Chelsea in Europe after wins over Benfica and Copenhagen, carry a threat but Napoli are still expected to justify skinny quotes.
Slavia Prague vs Athletic Bilbao
Since drawing 2-2 at home to Bodo/Glimt, Slavia Prague have been unable to find the net in three Champions League outings while Athletic Bilbao have fired blanks in four of their last seven matches after Saturday’s 4-0 no-show at Barcelona.
That makes this a trappy affair as the La Liga visitors are favourites despite having claimed only one draw from their last seven away games.
Read more on the Champions League:
Chelsea vs Barcelona predictions | Marseille vs Newcastle predictions | Manchester City vs Bayer Leverkusen predictions
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