The final set of group stage fixtures for Champions League 2021/22.
Some teams will be heart broken, so teams will survive and some teams have already qualified for the knockout phase.
All your tips and best bets for every game on Thursday morning.
Zenit vs. Chelsea
december 9th 4:45am
Top spot in Group H is on offer for Chelsea for when it plays Zenit St Petersburg in Russia on Thursday morning.
The defending European champion stormed to the top of the ground when thumping Juventus at Stamford Bridge and a win here will guarantee its first place finish.
Zenit, meanwhile, will be hoping Juventus can hold off last place Malmo in order to find its way into the Europa League playoff games.
This game is not a situation where Thomas Tuchel will rest a host of players.
With an ‘easier fixture’ in the knockout stage on the cards if it can knock off Zenit.
Prediction: Zenit 1 Chelsea 2
Suggested Bets: Over 2.5 goals at $1.73
Juventus vs. Malmo
december 9th 4:45am
Juventus will be all guns blazing in Turin when last-place Malmo heads over to Allianz Stadium.
The Old Lady were left baffled after a 4-0 defeat against Chelsea in their most recent Champions League fixture and cost themselves top spot in the group.
Juventus will need to better Chelsea’s result against Zenit if it is a hope of reclaiming first place.
It might very well occur, with the trip to Russia never an easy one.
Juventus has already pummelled Malmo in the group with a 3-0 victory thanks to goals from Alex Sandro, Paulo Dybala and Alvaro Morata.
The Juventus squad is much stronger in every department and they should have no problems in securing a routine win with a similar scoreline to when these teams last met.
Prediction: Juventus 4 Malmo 0
Suggested Bets: First goal scorer Alvaro Morata at $3.4
manchester united vs. bsc young boys
december 9th 7:00am
Manchester United will attempt to continue its mid-season revival when it faces BSC Young Boys at Old Trafford.
It has been a year of rough waters for the Red Devils, but the hope of a big Champions League campaign still beckons as they currently hold down top spot -a game clear – in Group F.
A draw will be enough for United to go through, but they will be wary of what the Swiss team is capable of having already lost to them earlier in the group stage.
Sometimes all you need is one man to lift the standard and turn the season around.
United now have two of them; new coach Ralf Rangnick and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Prediction: Manchester United 2 BSC Young Boys 0
Suggested Bets: C. Ronaldo first goal scorer at $3.10
benfica vs. dynamo kyiv
december 9th 7:00am
Benfica faces a must win clash against Dynamo and the chance to knockout Barcelona of the Champions League.
After holding the Blaugrana to a goalless draw at Camp Nou last month, the Portuguese giants need only win and hope that Barcelona do not better their result to claim second place and seal a route into the knockout rounds behind Bayern Munich.
The defensive woes in the last month, however, are what will worry Benfica fans.
Benfica has not kept a clean sheet in five at the Estadio da Luz – but Dynamo Kiev are only playing for pride.
It shapes as a big opportunity for Benfica coach Jorge Jesus to find some much needed form and a positive result for a restless fan base.
Prediction: Benfica 2 Dynamo Kyiv 1
Suggested Bets: Over 2.5 goals at $1.66
Bayern Munich vs. Barcelona
december 9th 7:00am
Barcelona will learn its Champions League fate this season when it heads to Germany for its final group stage match against Bayern Munich.
Blaugrana have so much more on the line than what Bayern do.
Julian Nagelsmann’s side is already guaranteed to finish first, while Barcelona are in a two-way fight with Benfica for second place.
The motivation for Barcelona to win is obviously sky high, but the team is low on confidence and sit seventh in La Liga, which is almost unheard of.
Even if Bayern does field a weakened team, it is still hard to see how Xavi and his crew find a way to turn their form around against one of the best in Europe.
Prediction: Bayern Munich 2 Barcelona 1
Suggested Bets: Bayern Munich head to head at $1.75
Red Bull Salzburg vs. sevilla
december 9th 7:00am
The top two spots in Group G are still on offer when Red Bull Salzburg faces Sevilla.
With only three points separating first from last in the group, both teams will know a win gives them a huge chance of qualifying for the round of 16.
Red Bull Salzburg have the advantage of being at home for this game, but a relentless winter fixture schedule now appears to be taking its toll on this youthful Salzburg outfit who has been knocked off its perch at the top of Group G following back-to-back defeats to Wolfsburg and Lille in November.
Sevilla, meanwhile, kept its hopes of a knockout berth alive with a 2-0 win when Wolfsburg paid a visit to the Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan.
If Sevilla can nab all three points in Salzburg it will guarantee itself a place in the knockout phase.
The winning momentum of its Champions League form reads better than what we have seen from the home team in recent weeks.
Prediction: Red Bull Salzburg 1 Sevilla 2
Suggested Bets: Sevilla head to head at $2.35
atalanta vs. villareal
december 9th 7:00am
It is a very simple set of circumstances for both Atalanta and Villareal when the pair meet each other for their final group stage clash.
Whichever team wins this battle puts itself into the knockout phase of the Champions League.
Villareal currently sits in second spot of Group F and a solitary point ahead of Atalanta who is third.
Any result – a draw or win – will suffice for Unai Emery’s men, but Atalanta will be hunting down a win in front of their home fans.
Atalanta’s record in the Champions League in recent season has been fantastic given the stature of the club and its domestic form has been strong again this season.
It has a dangerous front half consisting of Ruslan Malinovskyi, who was impressive against Napoli on the weekeend and might have done enough to secure a starting role in attack alongside Duvan Zapata and Mario Pasalic.
Prediction: Atalanta 1 Villareal 0
Suggested Bets: Atalanta head to head at $1.72
wolfsburg vs. Lille
december 9th 7:00am
In what will be a bid to hold onto to top spot of Group G, Lille makes it way across the German border for an all-important final fixture against Wolfsburg.
The visitors are one point clear at the top of the rankings ahead, while Wolfsburg are still in with a chance of a top-two finish despite sitting last in the group.
It looks advantage Lille on paper with Wolfsburg in complete disarray with injuries savaging its squad.
Admir Mehmedi, William, Xaver Schlager and Bartosz Bialek remain absent from the squad, while forward Lukas Nmecha serves a suspension for an accumulation of yellow cards.
Lille can make this a successful trip away by taking advantage of a flattened Wolfsburg team.
Prediction: Wolfsburg 1 Lille 3
Suggested Bets: Lille head to head at $3.10
