Article: UEFA Champions League Top Games to Watch Matchday 5
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By Jonathan Lewis | 18th NOV 2021
A host of Europe’s biggest clubs are in a race to lift the world’s most coveted trophy and outsmart Chelsea, the defending champions. The race is on, and teams are battling it out on the grass. Fans are excited to watch the best clubs fight in their group stage campaigns of UEFA Champions League. The world has witnessed shocking results and superb performances that have grabbed headlines. The road to the trophy is challenging as there are more teams this time around than in the previous iteration of the competition. Eyes are glued to the enormous screens as we wait to see which teams will be sent packing right before Christmas. Below are the Champions League top games to watch on Matchday 5.
Villareal v Manchester United
Things are expected to take a swing in Group F as Manchester faces Villarreal at Estadio de la Cerámica stadium on 23 November at 17:45 UTC. This season, both teams have met where Manchester tops at the group F, and Villareal takes the second position with seven points as of this writing. The red devils and Villarreal last five European competitions have all ended in draws. Four of the meetings have ended goalless except in the previous Europa League final that closed with 1-1. The Spanish side won 11-10 on penalties. On 29 September 2021, Christiano Ronaldo proved to be the GOAT after scoring a winning goal against Villareal. The red devils gave it all to bag three points that helped them proceed to the next stage. Ole Gunnar’s squad had the home advantage, and they kept throwing caution to the wind and got lucky at the end. Villareal is not an easy team to play, and if Manchester does not press for a win, things might take a significant drift.
Fans and gamblers alike are watching out for a variety of odds on this match. As of writing this the oddsmakers seem to favor Manchester United (-200) This meaning if you bet $200 you win $100. Or in the case of Villareal (+500) bet $100 and win $500. The smart ones have already started grabbing the betmgm sportsbook bonus as they wait for the matchday. Many bonuses will offer first time deposits match bonuses along with several other bonuses for sports bettors.
Chelsea v Juventus
The defending Champions, Chelsea will go head to head with Juventus on 23rd November 2021, at 20:00 UTC . Chelsea welcomes Juventus at Stamford Bridge stadium London city in England. Juventus has played against Chelsea in one match this season. Juventus ranks at group H with 12 points as Chelsea comes second with 9 points. Juventus humbled Chelsea after Fedrico Chiesa scored 11 seconds into the second half of the first meeting. Chlsea has suffered back to back defeatsafater failing to beat Manchester City. Juventus deserved the glory as Chelsea posted one shot on target.
Barcelona v Benfica
The face off in Group E continues as Barcelona plays against Benfica on 23rd 2012 at Camp Nou Stadium at 20:00 UTC. Benfica posted an unforgettable performance as they thrashed Barcelona 3-0 in their last meeting.
Bayern Munich tops the table with 12 points, and Barcelona comes second with six points. Barcelona lost 3-0 to Bayern Munich on Matchday 1 that was played on 14 September. Out of the four matches played, Benfica has lost two games, drawn one and won one. On the other hand, Barcelona has lost two and won two of their matches. Benfica is not an easy team, and they will be more than willing to prove their beast mode at Camp Nou Stadium.
Manchester City v Paris Saint-Germain
The English premier league giant, Manchester City, has won three matches and lost only one to top at Group A with 9 points. Paris Saint-Germain has won two and drawn two to secure the second position in Group A. In Matchday 2, PSG beat Man City 2-0 to stop them from dominating the table. However, PSG and RB Leipzig bagged a point in Matchday 4 after a 2-2 draw at Red Bull Arena stadium. The Group A clash will kick off with Manchester City playing against PSG in Parc des Princes on 24th November.
Liverpool v FC Porto
Liverpool hosts FC Porto at Anfield Stadium on 24 November at 20:00 UTC. Liverpool crashed Porto 5-1 on 28 September at Estadio do Dragao. The game ended with Salah and Firmino scoring two goals. Sadio Mane made an incredible performance, scoring in the 45th minute. Liverpool has won four matches while Porto has only won one against Ac Millan. Liverpool tops Group A with 12 points while Porto comes second with five points. It will be a thrilling clash as Porto climbs uphill to beat Liverpool. On the other end, Liverpool will try to prove its dominance on the table.
The UEFA Champions League is a popular tournament that catches the attention of many. Matchday 5 has some thrilling actions as teams prove their competence with the ball. As the days go by, fans are eager to catch some of the action of the above teams.
Jonathan Lewis is an MFF sports writer
