Reigning Champions League champions Real Madrid are languishing in the final play-off spot in the new format of the competition, meaning, with three games to go, there is a very real possibility that Los Blancos could be eliminated before the knockout rounds.

They sit 24th of 36 teams, winning two and losing the other three of their games so far. Carlo Ancelotti's side face Atalanta on Tuesday in a repeat of this season's UEFA Super Cup, with the Italians absolutely flying at the moment. La Dea have won 12 of an unbeaten last 13 in all competitions, and are unbeaten in the Champions League so far.

We can back ATALANTA at even money in the DRAW NO BET market, and that makes plenty of appeal here.

CLICK HERE to back Atalanta draw no bet with Sky Bet

Firstly, the hosts are arguably the best team in Italy right now. They lead Serie A on actual and expected points, while in Europe they should really have five wins from five, missing a penalty against Arsenal and dominating Celtic (xG: 2.4 - 0.3) only for both to end goalless.

Secondly, Madrid have struggled greatly on the road so far this season, winning just four of 10 in all competitions, losing both away games in this competition without scoring.

Thirdly, Ancelotti is in the middle of a defensive injury crisis. Dani Carvajal, Eder Militao, David Alaba and Ferland Mendy are all out, meaning Real will likely field Lucas Vazquez at right back, Aurelin Tchouameni at centre-back alongside Antoino Rudiger, with young academy prospect Fran Garcia coming in at left-back.

Hardly ideal ahead of facing one of the best attacking sides on the continent in their own back yard. Add in the fact that Los Blancos have conceded the seventh most xGA in the Champions League so far this season, and it's easy to back against the reigning champs.

Club Brugge vs Sporting Lisbon

Kick-off time: 20:00 GMT, Tuesday
TV: TNT Sports (Red button)
Home 2/1 | Draw 5/2 | Away 6/5

Jake Osgathorpe

Sporting Lisbon have experienced a real come-down after Ruben Amorim departed for Manchester United, which is completely understandable. After beating third tier Portuguese side Amarante FC 6-0 in the Taca de Portugal, Sporting have lost three straight across all competitions for the first since September 2019.

Arsenal's thumping 5-1 win in Lisbon kicked things off, with domestic defeats to Santa Clara and Moreirense putting new manager Joao Pereira on an immediate hot-seat. Amorim had Sporting with a 100% record in the league with a six point lead, they are now two points ahead of city rivals Benfica having played a game more.

We could just be witnessing a lull following the departure of such an important figure at the club, or there could be more to it and Sporting continue to struggle, either way, they look too short to get the win on Tuesday against a Club Brugge side who have shown plenty this season.

The Belgian's are unbeaten in 10 games which includes a 1-0 home win against Aston Villa in the Champions League. Granted the way they won that game was somewhat fortuitous, but they limited the Premier League side to next to nothing in attack, Unai Emery's men generating just 0.42 xG.

Defence has been the calling card of Brugge in Europe this season, with the Belgians allowing the eighth fewest xGA in the competition (0.98 per game), with even their 3-0 home defeat to Dortmund on matchday one seeing them concede just 1.08 non-penalty xGA.

I think there is enough evidence to get BRUGGE onside in the DRAW NO BET MARKET at a solid 13/10 price.

CLICK HERE to back Club Brugge draw no bet with Sky Bet

That solid defence can limit a Sporting attack that has taken backwards steps since Amorim left. Under the now-United boss, Sporting created an average of 4.5 big chances per game, with that dropping to 1.7 across Pereira's first three games in charge.

For that reason, I'll also back UNDER 2.5 GOALS at the same price of 13/10, as I just can't see Brugge wanting this to turn into a ding-dong affair.

CLICK HERE to back Under 2.5 Goals with Sky Bet

Three of Brugge's five UCL games have gone under 2.5, with both home games seeing this bet land, while three of Sporting's UCL matches have also seen fewer than three goals, with both away matches delivering the under 2.5 wager.

Salzburg vs PSG

Kick-off time: 20:00 GMT, Tuesday
TV: TNT Sports 1
Home 7/1 | Draw 9/2 | Away 3/10

Jake Osgathorpe

Salzburg have been extremely poor this season, not just in the Champions League. They sit way down in fifth int he Austrian Bundesliga, some 13 points off top spot, while in Europe they have won one and lost four of their matches and conceded 15 times.

The Austrian's have already been thumped 3-0 by Sparta Prague, 4-0 by Brest and 5-0 by Leverkusen, which will be music to the ears of a PSG side currently outside the top 24.

Les Parisiens have a W1 D1 L3 record in the UCL, meaning they are desperate for a victory, especially in what is their easiest remaining match (Man City home, Stuttgart away after this).

Luis Enrique's side have played well enough to deserve at least one more win, averaging 1.60 xGF and 0.86 xGA per game, and as well as having go for it, they should have too much class for Salzburg.

The French champions are short to get the win, but the 7/5 available on top scorer BRADLEY BARCOLA TO SCORE ANYTIME looks juicy.

CLICK HERE to back Bradley Barcola to score anytime with Sky Bet

Barcola is yet to score in the Champions League, but his 10 goals in Ligue 1 has him as the league's second top scorer. He's averaged 0.70 xG per 90 across all competitions this season, and with Ousmane Dembele suspended, should get the full 90 here to get on the scoresheet.

Les Parisiens are 11/10 to score 3+ goals in Salzburg, so taking a bigger price on their top scorer being among the goals looks the way in.

Shakhtar vs Bayern Munich

Kick-off time: 20:00 GMT, Tuesday
TV: TNT Sports (Red Button)
Home 16/1 | Draw 7/1 | Away 1/8

Jimmy 'The Punt' Cantrill

Bayern Munich have a lengthy injury list. Vincent Kompany could be without Harry Kane, Manuel Neuer, Kingsley Comen, Joao Palhinha, Alphonso Davies and Serge Gnabry for the trip to Shakhtar Donetsk, so it might not be as easy as the odds-on price suggest.

Kane has 14 goals in the Bundesliga, 34% of his side's domestic total, and five in Europe, so replacing his goals is obviously easier said than done.

JAMAL MUSIALA could be the one to step up. He netted twice from the bench at the weekend taking his domestic tally to eight in 832 minutes this term.

Although he only has one on the continent this season, he looks a fair price TO SCORE ANYTIME in a matchup where Bayern are odds-on to score 3+ goals.

CLICK HERE to back Jamal Musiala to score anytime with Sky Bet

Burnley vs Derby

Kick-off time: 19:45 GMT, Tuesday
TV: Sky Sports+
Home 7/10 | Draw 12/5 | Away 17/4

Jimmy 'The Punt' Cantrill

BURNLEY don’t give anything away. Their tally of seven goals conceded is comfortably the fewest in the Championship and worryingly for the rest of the division, they are starting to score more freely.

Eight of Scott Parker’s sides 10 wins have been to nil and it is hard to envisage Derby laying a glove on them at Turf Moor on Tuesday.

Only Portsmouth (1.38) have generated an xG higher than 1.00 at Burnley this season and the Rams don’t travel too well.

Their only win on the road came at Coventry, and Paul Warne’s side failed to score in defeats at Leeds, Sunderland and Sheffield United.

Backing Burnley TO WIN TO NIL appeals here.

CLICK HERE to back Burnley to win to nil with Sky Bet

Leeds vs Middlesbrough

Kick-off time: 20:00 GMT, Tuesday
TV: Sky Sports Football
Home 5/6 | Draw 13/5 | Away 3/1

Joe Townsend

Middlesbrough midfielder FINN AZAZ has been devastating this season, with 13 goal involvements in 18 Championship appearances.

The Republic of Ireland international has provided an ASSIST in three of his last five games, delivering four in total in that time.

CLICK HERE to back Finn Azaz 1+ assists with Sky Bet

Azaz now has 17 assists in his 64 games in the second tier, with his production rate very much on the rise.

It makes the 6/1 price about him to add to that tally at Leeds too big to turn down.

Portsmouth vs Norwich

Kick-off time: 19:45 GMT, Tuesday
TV: Sky Sports+
Home 15/8 | Draw 5/2 | Away 5/4

Joe Townsend

Look out for PORTSMOUTH in the second half of the Championship season.

CLICK HERE to back Portsmouth (Draw No Bet) with Sky Bet

John Mousinho's side were not only dealt a brutally hard hand in terms of early fixtures, but they have also suffered from postponements for a waterlogged pitch and floodlight failure in recent weeks to leave them playing catch up.

Results-wise though, with them finally getting a fair schedule to run at, Pompey have picked up.

They scored three goals in each of their successive home wins over Preston and Bristol City and have now lost just once in five games.

Norwich, meanwhile, have taken just a point from their last four away fixtures, conceding nine goals on the way.

They can be unpredictable though, which is why at 13/10 I'm happy to take the insurance of a possible returned stake by backing Pompey in the DRAW NO BET rather than take the general 2/1 on a straight home win.

Plymouth vs Swansea

Kick-off time: 19:45 GMT, Tuesday
TV: Sky Sports+
Home 29/10 | Draw 11/4 | Away 5/6

Joe Townsend

It's not often you'll get odds-against on the DOUBLE CHANCE on a team with a superb home record to beat a mid-table opponent, but that is perhaps a reflection of how Wayne Rooney's PLYMOUTH are viewed by many.

CLICK HERE to back Plymouth or Draw with Sky Bet

The reality, though, is that only six Championship teams have a better home record than Argyle this season (W4 D3 L1).

Thirteenth-placed Swansea, who have won just once in their past five matches, are a solid second-tier side but far too short here and should be opposed accordingly.

Odds correct at 1540 GMT (09/12/24)

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