Soccer predictions, best bets today: Betting tips, expert picks for games on Tuesday, October 25

European football returns this week as the Champions League records its final two group stage matches.

Teams will be desperate to secure lucrative places in the Champions League knockout stage, needing to finish top-two in their group to reach the next stage.

On Tuesday, Chelsea and AC Milan are both fighting for their Champions League lives on the road, while PSG can punch a ticket to the knockout stage with a positive result at home. Shakhtar Donetsk and RB Leipzig are also in action as they look to jockey for positioning, and Juventus need a miracle to advance.

Outside of European continental football, the English Championship features a pair of teams in play, including third-place Burnley who could jump into an automatic qualifying spot with a win over seventh-placed Norwich City.

In South America, there are a pair of matches in the Argentine league plus two more in the Brazilian Serie A, including leaders Palmeiras who are closing in on securing the 2022 league title. The Parakeets are holding a 10-point lead with five matches remaining, and a win would take them 13 points clear of Internacional. Palmeiras are playing Copa Libertadores finalists

RB Leipzig vs. Real Madrid prediction, best bet

• Best Bet: Real Madrid to win
• Odds: +155 (Caesars)
• Prediction (Win/Draw): Real Madrid

Literally every single aspect of this game points to an RB Leipzig result. Real Madrid, who have already secured advancement to the knockout stage rendering this match essentially meaningless, are missing Karim Benzema, Luka Modric, and Federico Valverde, and will likely sit Thibaut Courtois who has dealt with back issues recently. RB Leipzig are on a seven-match unbeaten streak across all competitions and have not lost at home since the 5-3 defeat to Bayern Munich in the German Super Cup in August. So why the heck pick Real Madrid? I was stunned to see the odds in this match. Even given all the aforementioned facts, Real Madrid are still Real Madrid, one of the most popular teams on the planet, facing a side sitting eighth in the Bundesliga table. You’re giving me the second-best team in Europe right now as very nearly plus-odds road underdogs? I will take that every single time. I still think RB Leipzig could absolutely get a result, but there’s too much value to pass up Los Blancos here. — Kyle Bonn

PSG vs. Maccabi Haifa prediction, best bet

• Best Bet: 1st half — Under 1.5 goals
• Odds: -120
• Best Bet: Maccabi Haifa +2.5 goal handicap
• Odds: -105
• Prediction (Win/Draw): PSG

PSG may have clobbered relegation-threatened Ajaccio over the weekend, but that doesn’t mean all their attacking woes are solved. Against a Maccabi Haifa team that took a 1-1 score to the 70th minute in Israel, PSG will be missing Marco Verratti and Nuno Mendes. The Parisians create a wealth of chances but have been flummoxed in front of net in recent weeks, and while they should eventually secure a result at home, it could definitely take some time, and it won’t be by a massive margin. — Kyle Bonn

Bayern Munich vs. Viktoria Plzen prediction, best bet

• Best Bet: Jamal Musiala anytime scorer
• Odds: +115
• Prediction (Win/Draw): Bayern win

The most interesting angle in a match that is expected to be lopsided is the anytime scorer market, where there are six Bayern players listed at less than even money. Attacking midfielder Jamal Musiala is not one of them and that’s value. He has scored in six of the 11 matches in which he has played for Bayern (and two of the matches he didn’t score were cameos off the bench). Given this will be a game with few spaces for Bayern, the edge goes to players who can create their own shot or make the ghosting run from midfield. Musiala excels at both. — Simon Borg

https://www.sportsinteraction.com/soccer/european-club/champions-league-betting/bayern-munich-v-fc-viktoria-plzen-10-04-2022-84-2930893/

Eintracht Frankfurt vs Tottenham prediction, best bet

• Best Bet: Over 2.5 total goals
• Odds: -135
• Prediction (Win/Draw): Tottenham

A combination of Tottenham’s counterattacking prowess and Eintracht’s desperation to come away with a home win should see goals exchanged between two talented attacks. Mario Gotze is out for Eintracht, but they still have enough firepower to cause issues for an uncharacteristically leaky Spurs backline (nine goals conceded in their last six matches on 7.2 xG). Despite the recent stats, Spurs are capable of locking things down defensively which is the reason both teams to score at -155 is less attractive. — Simon Borg

Yesterday’s picks

Simon had a big day, as Sampdoria and Getafe both came through for profitable selections. Getafe nearly coughed it up late, conceding an 89th minute equalizer to Celta Vigo, but the double chance pick still returns a win. Both picks came in at plus odds too, making Monday a good day to gain ground.

Kyle also pulled out victory with the midday Premier League match as West Ham secured a 2-0 win over Bournemouth. The Hammers were missing Lucas Paqueta and the Cherries lost Dominic Solanke to injury early in the match, and both absences were evident as scoring was at a premium and the under cashed. Unfortunately, the over in a Serie A match is inadvisable, as Kyle found out when Atletico Mineiro couldn’t find a way past an outrageously defensive Fortaleza, who in turn couldn’t find an answer on the counter. There, the stylistic clash produced a dud instead of a thriller.

FT: Leicester City 4 – 0 Nottingham Forest

📊 xG: 1.33 – 1.10
⚽ Shots: 17 – 10
🔥 MOTM: James Maddison (9.34)#LEINFOhttps://t.co/DqyPlXEXaS pic.twitter.com/hipjJLlwVx

— FotMob Stats (@FotMob_Stats) October 3, 2022

Soccer best bets records

Records below compiled since the first edition of this post on Monday, October 3.