Champions League Picks and Predictions: 5 Bets For Final League Phase Games

The final Champions League match day is here, promising plenty of action and last-minute drama as teams battle to secure their spots in the knockout rounds.

With all 36 teams playing simultaneously, today's Champions League predictions could feel like a roller coaster ride — full of twists, turns, and surprises at every moment.

For my free betting picks on Wednesday, January 29, I’m focusing on two shots-on-target markets, a pair of totals, and a red-hot striker poised to torment a familiar foe once again.

Champions League predictions

• Atalanta Over 3.5 shots on target (-138 at bet365)
• Juventus/Benfica Under 2.5 goals (-125 at bet365)
• Stuttgart/PSG Over 2.5 goals (+100 at bet365)
• Kylian Mbappe anytime goal (-120 at BetMGM)
• Man City Over 7.5 shots on target (-150 at bet365)

Barcelona vs Atalanta prediction

Best bet: Atalanta Over 3.5 shots on target (-138 at bet365)

Many quickly wrote Barcelona off after opening their Champions League campaign with a 2-1 defeat to Monaco. Since then, the Spanish giants have reeled off six straight wins and own the competition's highest-scoring offense at a whopping 26 goals in seven matches. With a spot in the Round of 16 locked up, Hansi Flick may see this as an opportunity to rotate some of the squad and give his stars a breather ahead of an extremely busy February. 

This is why I have landed on Atalanta Over 3.5 shots on target as my best bet in this contest. 

One look at the table and you'll see the Italian side sitting seventh on 14 points but are just one point up on six teams vying to crack the Top 8. A loss could send Atalanta spiraling into the playoff round, something the Bergamo club will be looking to avoid. 

Atalanta have scored the second-most goals in Serie A to date, and the third-most in the Champions League with 18. This team has an abundance of talent up front and likes to try to play on the front foot with a proper attacking style of soccer. 

With Barcelona's penchant for giving up goals (they just surrendered four to Benfica last week) and Atalanta's need for at least one point, if not all three, I see La Dea attacking and firing at least four shots on target. 

Juventus vs Benfica prediction

Best bet: Under 2.5 (-125 at bet365)

If there's one thing I can assure you while reading this 800-plus-word piece, it's that Benfica will not allow Juventus to score five goals, as Barcelona did just eight days ago. 

Juventus are firmly into the playoff round of the competition and they've gotten to this point with timely goals and excellent defending (nine goals scored, five against). 

They are not built to play fast, nor in an attacking manner, and with little to gain from this particular fixture, I expect La Vecchia Signora to sit back and defend. 

Sure, Benfica's four goals against Barcelona may make you hesitate about taking this Under, but the Portuguese side may need all three points to keep their spot in the playoff round intact. 

This means added attention to detail on the defensive side of things, and a slow cagey affair that sees very little by way of scoring chances. 

Stuttgart vs PSG prediction

Best bet: Over 2.5 (+100 at bet365)

This is essentially an elimination game and because of that, I expect plenty of goals. 

Both teams enter this level on 10 points with PSG holding a +2 goal differential while Stuttgart is a -1. 

One look behind them, you'll see Man City sitting on eight points with a home game vs. Club Brugge (a team they should beat). 

Stuttgart and PSG know anything short of three points would see Man City leapfrog and potentially eliminate them. 

The Germans have seen their games average 3.5 goals, while PSG should be riding high after putting four past Man City. 

I look for both teams to trade chances in a high-scoring contest. 

Brest vs Real Madrid prediction

Best bet: Kylian Mbappe anytime goal (-120 at BetMGM)

Kylian Mbappe's start to his Real Madrid career was slow to get going, but it's all systems go for the young French phenom. 

Mbappe has netted in five straight games for Real Madrid in all competitions, scoring eight times in that span. 

He's fresh off a hat trick vs. Valladolid at the weekend, and with his confidence sky-high, there will be very little Brest can do to contain him. 

Throw in the fact that Mbappe has netted nine times in 10 matches vs. Brest in his Ligue 1 career, I simply can't ignore this price. 

Man City vs Club Brugge KV prediction

Best bet: Man City Over 7.5 shots on target (-150 at bet365)

There's something to be said about how Club Brugge defended last week vs. Juventus as they held them off the scoresheet and limited them to just one shot on target. 

Well, I'm here to tell you that sort of defensive display won't be duplicated. 

Man City are starting to find their shooting boots, netting 22 goals in six games so far in 2025.

Playing at home vs. a minnow (no disrespect), City should have the lion's share of possession and plenty of opportunity to test the goalkeeper. 

Throw in the fact that Man City must win this game for a chance at the qualifying, and I see City hitting double-digit shots on target. 

Champions League schedule

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