Champions League Best Bets – September 9

Porto arrive for their clash with Manchester City hoping to finally end their duck against their opponents. Four meetings have come and gone and the Portuguese outfit are yet to secure a win. Positive for Porto is the fact they held City in a 0-0 draw when they last played host to the English side. Negative is the fact they have lost the other three meetings. Starting a Champions League group campaign with a win is crucial as Benfica, who finished in 24th last season, had nine points. A triumph in this one would be a superb way to start and edge them towards their target of a knockout stage spot, but I do not see that happening.

Manchester City are aiming to vastly improve on a disappointing Champions League campaign last season. City squeezed into eighth-place in the group-stage last season before being eliminated 5-1 on aggregate by Real Madrid in the Round of 16. The focus this season will be on trying to secure a top eight place with less issues this time after securing five wins, one draw and two defeats. Against Porto, the job at hand will not be simple, but it is a test they should pass. City are the better side and will prod and probe Porto before trying to find Erling Haaland in space. While I do not back City to keep a clean sheet, I do back them to win this one and make it four consecutive wins across competitions.

Jose Mourinho faces a real test in his first 2026/27 Champions League match as he hosts Inter Milan in their opener. Major failings in 2025/26 saw Real finish ninth in the league phase before being eliminated by Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals. While their 6-4 aggregate loss was a pulsating tie, the Spanish side always felt on the backfoot against a superior opponent. This season, Mourinho will want to link incisive attacking with a rock-solid defence, and I back him to start well, with the home team storming to a victory with a clean sheet, with this their fourth straight win to nil over Inter.

Inter Milan face one of the toughest tests in football this week as they travel to take on the most successful side in the Champions League. Inter have started the season well, but this often means little when travelling to face Real at the Santiago Bernabeu. Indeed, their last five matches against Real have ended in defeat, with four of these games coming and going without Inter scoring. With far more winnable games to come, I predict that Inter will have to remain contented with getting a clash with Real out of the way early.