Champions League Matchday 2 started off with a bang as Real Madrid mad quick work of their trip to Kazakhstan, downing Kairat 5-0. But the headline of the day was Liverpool falling in Istanbul to Galatasaray 1-0, making a second straight loss for Jurgen Klopp’s team. Chelsea spent another game picking up a red card, their third in four matches, but still managed to hold off Jose Mourinho and Benfica on the managers return to Stamford Bridge.
On Wednesday, the attention pivots to two teams who came from behind to win over the weekend — Barcelona and Arsenal. The Gunners scored two late goals at Newcastle United and will now target their second win of the league phase when they take on Olympiacos, while Barcelona host reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain in Matchday 2’s most anticipated match. The game in Barcelona is as high-profile as it gets, both sides target winning the whole thing this season, making this an early test of each side’s mettle.
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The CBS Sports team offers their expert picks and predictions. Take a look below.
Wednesday
Game of the day: Barcelona vs. PSG
Player to watch: Lamine Yamal, Barcelona: To put it mildly, there are a few options here. This is the final that the neutrals wanted last season rerun for the league phase, after all. And what a joy it will be to see Yamal on the pitch after he returned from injury against Real Sociedad at the weekend. It didn’t take long for him to make an impact then, delivering the assist for Robert Lewandowski‘s winner. If we have learned anything from the early years of his career so far, he might just do the same this week. — James Benge
Man of the match: Achraf Hakimi, PSG — The Moroccan winger can shine against Barcelona on Wednesday, as the French giants are likely to benefit from the spaces left by the Spanish team when they attack. As we can likely expect a lot goals in this game, Hakimi is one of those players who can take advantage of this tactical situation. He’s still looking for his first goal of the season, and these are the kinds of matches that showcase his qualities.. — Francesco Porzio
Prediction: Barcelona 2, Paris Saint-Germain 2 – This could have been a very exciting Champions League final four months ago but in this case, this fixture just may be better late than never. Reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain may be without Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Demblee but they still pack plenty of attacking punch, which is remarkable given that Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is also questionable, while Lamine Yamal seems destined to live up to the occasion for Barcelona. A draw seems fitting at this early stage of the season between two top-tier sides who are willing and able to make this one of the league phase’s most entertaining matches. — Pardeep Cattry
Best bet: Lamine Yamal to have 2+ shots on target (+130): Lamine Yamal is box office viewing. If you can get it, it’s worth laddering his shots from outside the box, as Yamal hasn’t met a shot that he doesn’t like, and he has the vision and ability to put them all on frame. If PSG keeper Lucas Chevalier isn’t on his game, Yamal will end up scoring a goal, but with Raphinha missing out, the Barcelona man will have plenty of opportunities to rip shots in this one.
— Charles Booth
Game of the day: Arsenal vs. Olympiacos
Player to watch: Martin Odegaard, Arsenal: It has been a frustrating start to the season for the Arsenal captain, who suffered two separate shoulder injuries in the first four games of the season, but his brief cameo away to Newcastle was a sign of his enduring quality. The slide rule pass that found Myles-Lewis Skelly behind the backline was a particular joy as Odegaard immediately got Arsenal playing at a higher tempo. Now he will need to do the same for himself with a good run of minutes at the Emirates. — James Benge
Man of the match: Viktor Gyokeres, Arsenal: After scoring three goals in the opening six Premier League matches, the former Sporting CP striker is now looking to score also his first European goal with the Gunners. The home game against Olympiacos is the perfect opportunity to make that happen and show why Mikel Arteta wanted to sign him even before the summer when he joined the English team. — Francesco Porzio
Prediction: Arsenal 3, Olympiacos 0 – Arsenal have spent millions on quality depth in the pursuit of winning major trophies, so expect to see a high-impact performance on Wednesday regardless of who Mikel Arteta selects for the starting lineup. The Gunners may be known for their defense-first tendencies but in games where they are the clear favorites, they have been unflinching in their ability to run up the score so a lopsided win feels likely as they target two wins in two to start the league phase. — Pardeep Cattry
Best bet: Arsenal to win 1-0, 2-0, or 3-0 (+150): The Gunners have showcased that they again have one of the best defenses in the world during the young season, and welcoming Olympiacos to their home, it’s hard to see them conceding a goal. That focus on defense has seen Arsenal not run up the score as much as they could in matches so far this season, which is where this is a match that could cap out at them scoring three goals in a comfortable home victory.
— Charles Booth
