ALEX CROOK PREVIEW: Champions League Midweek

The Champions League is back with a bang as England’s finest begin their bids for European glory with some tasty opening matchups against La Liga clubs, writes ALEX CROOK.

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🇪🇸 ATHLETIC BILBAO V ARSENAL 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿
Tuesday, 5.45pm

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Arsenal will be aiming to continue their encouraging start to the domestic season when they travel to Bilbao for the first time in their history on Tuesday teatime.

The Gunners have won three of their first four Premier League games, and the only goal they have conceded was in the unlucky 1-0 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield.

That defensive steel will give Mikel Arteta reason to believe last season’s semi-finalists can open their bid for a first-ever Champions League trophy with a positive result.

Bilbao are a tough not to crack at their atmospheric San Mames home, but were thrashed by Manchester United over two legs in last season’s Europa League.

While Arsenal are without captain Martin Odegaard and talisman Bukayo Saka, the hosts are likely to miss their main man, Nico Williams, also injured, much more.

I am expecting Arsenal to make it six wins in their last six visits to Spanish soil with Arteta once again prioritising being solid at the back.

Arsenal to win and under 2.5 goals in the game, and Viktor Gyokeres, who got plenty of goals in this competition last season, to score at any time returns 3.62/1 as a build-a-bet with starsports.bet.

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🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR V VILLARREAL 🇪🇸
Tuesday, 8pm

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Spurs have been a lot more difficult to score against in the opening weeks of Frank’s reign than they were under the gung-ho Ange Postecoglou, and with Villarreal expected to play quite cautiously, this is unlikely to throw up a goal fest.

The visitors also have a miserable record against English opponents, and you can back Tottenham to win and both teams not to score at 5/2 with starsports.bet.

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 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 LIVERPOOL V ATLETICO MADRID 🇪🇸
Wednesday, 8pm

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Wednesday night throws up a fascinating tie between Premier League champions Liverpool and Atletico Madrid at Anfield.

The Reds may have started their title defence with four straight wins, but have ridden their luck in all of those games, not least against Burnley on Sunday when they got out of jail courtesy of a stoppage-time Mo Salah penalty.

Atleti would usually be the type of side to pounce on any early-season sluggishness, but Diego Simeone’s men have won only one of their opening four La Liga games.

The visitors are also likely to be missing former Manchester City Julian Alvarez due to injury, and he would have been my idea of an anytime goalscorer bet.

Dominik Szoboszlai has had his shooting boots on in the opening weeks of the campaign, scoring a blistering free-kick winner against Arsenal and coming close to another screamer at Turf Moor.

I am going to combine a Liverpool win with Szoboszlai scoring at any time at around 4/1 with starsports.bet.

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🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 NEWCASTLE V BARCELONA 🇪🇸
Thursday, 8pm

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The one sure bet of the week is that St James Park will be rocking on Thursday night when Newcastle take on Spanish giants Barcelona.

This is a fixture that evokes memories of Tino Asprilla’s famous hat-trick from the mid-90s against the Catalans that cemented his place in Toon folklore.

Newcastle warmed up for the game their fans have been salivating about since the League phase draw was made with a morale-boosting first win of the season at home to Wolves on Saturday.

Record signing Nick Woltemade’s debut goal was enough to seal the points, but Eddie Howe’s men were far from convincing.

In contrast, Barca thrashed Valencia 6-0 with the evergreen Robert Lewandowski helping himself to a brace.

Raphina also scored twice in that game and the former Leeds star has been a revelation since the start of last season.

With no Lamine Yamal, there is extra pressure on Raphina, but I would back the Brazilian to deliver in what promises to be an entertaining encounter.

My build-a-bet for this one is Barcelona to win, Raphina to score and over 3.5 goals at 6.37/1 with starsports.bet

You can also combine all four of my team selections Arsenal, Tottenham, Liverpool and Barcelona to win at a special price of 18/1 with starsports.bet in the ‘Alex Acca!’

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2⃣ NEXT BEST Liverpool to win and Dominik Szoboszlai to score at any time 1pt at 4/1 with starsports.bet
📊 BUILD-A-BET Arsenal to win, under 2.5 goals in the game and Viktor Gyokeres to score at any time 1pt at 3.62/1 with starsports.bet
📊 BUILD-A-BET Barcelona to win, Raphina to score and over 3.5 goals 1pt at 6.37/1 with starsports.bet
🚀ALEX ACCA Arsenal, Tottenham, Liverpool and Barcelona to win 1pt at 16/1, boosted from 11/1 (⭐️ ? CLICK TO BET NOW)

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ALEX CROOK P&L (SEP 2025): -10.07 points

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