⛅️ UCL forecast: Potter's magic, Napoli on a roll, Rangers head to Anfield | OneFootball

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Alex Mott·4 October 2022

⛅️ UCL forecast: Potter's magic, Napoli on a roll, Rangers head to Anfield

Article image:⛅️ UCL forecast: Potter's magic, Napoli on a roll, Rangers head to Anfield

The Champions League season continues apace with the matchday number three this week.

Here’s what to expect from an intriguing set of fixtures.


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💪 Game of the week

Chelsea v Milan

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Chelsea host Milan with these two European heavyweights playing each other for only the sixth time in their entire history.

The last time these two played against each other was back in 1999 when Fikayo Tomori was just two years old.

The former Blues graduate returns to Stamford Bridge for the first time since leaving west London last year having impressed during his brief time in the Italian fashion capital.

Tomori has been a rock at the back for the Rossoneri but it’s Rafael Leão who Graham Potter’s side will need to watch in attack with the Portugal international having hit a rich vein of form so far this term.

Chelsea are still winless from their first two games of the group stage and will desperately need something from this match if they are to qualify to the knockout stages.

📊 Fun fact: Milan’s only win over Chelsea was back in 1966 in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup – the precursor to the Uefa Cup.

🔮 Our prediction: Chelsea 1-2 Milan


🤔 Too close to call

Ajax v Napoli

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Group A continues to live up to its pre-tournament billing as one of the more compelling in this season’s Champions League.

And in Ajax and Napoli we have two sides facing off who have started their respective campaigns playing some thrilling stuff.

The Dutch side are currently second in the Eredivisie having won six from eight, scoring 23 goals, but lost against table-toppers AZ two weeks ago.

The Partenopei meanwhile are joint-top of Serie A and in Kvicha Kvaratskhelia have unearthed one of Europe’s most promising young forwards.

Two attacking sides, going hammer and tongs, this should be a compelling watch.

📊 Fun fact: Ajax and Napoli have only faced each other once before, with Ajax coming out on top 4-1 in an Inter-Cities Fairs Cup clash back in 1970.

🔮 Our prediction: Ajax 2-2 Napoli


😨 Potential upset

Liverpool v Rangers

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Rangers starred in last season’s Europa League, beating some of Europe’s grandest clubs to reach the final in Sevilla.

Their Champions League campaign this time however, has been pretty underwhelming.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side were trounced away at Ajax and humbled at home to Napoli in the first two games.

Now though, they travel to Anfield looking to get one over a currently beleaguered Liverpool side.

Jürgen Klopp’s men have looked defensively brittle over recent months and will have to prepare for a Gers outfit who will use the occasion to take their performance to the next level.

📊 Fun fact: This is the first ever meeting between Liverpool and Rangers in any competition.

🔮 Our prediction: Liverpool 1-1 Rangers


🤩 Star man

Robert Lewandowski

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When a player moves from one club to another, there’s supposed to be a bedding in period.

Even more so when you’ve been at your previous side for a decade and are joining an institution that has been mired in controversy in recent years.

What Robert Lewandowski is doing at Barcelona then, is remarkable.

His start to life at Camp Nou has been nothing short of astonishing and shows just how good a striker he continues to be at the ripe old age of 34.

It’s now 12 goals in all competitions for the Poland international including three in two so far in the Champions League.

Barcelona go to Inter this week looking to keep pace with Bayern Munich at the top of Group C.