Now that the calendar has turned to 2025, it’s time for the Champions League Matchday 7 Bets, for the last two weeks of league phase action in the UEFA Champions League.
Six of the eight matches are in the books, and there are some blue-bloods in the sport fighting for survival.
The top eight teams in the table will automatically move to the round of 16. Teams that finish in the 9–24 slots enter a playoff for the last eight places in the round of 16.
If you finish 25th or below, you’re done. If the phase were over, PSG would be on the outside looking in as they sit in 25th.
They welcome Manchester City (currently in 22nd place) on Wednesday in a game that PSG have to win if they want any sort of comfort about getting into the round of 16 playoffs.
Liverpool, the only team with six wins in six matches, welcome Lille, looking to hang on to their top-eight spot. Real Madrid, the defending UCL champions, are mired in 20th place ahead of their Wednesday matchup with RB Salzburg.
We have some sports betting picks and thoughts about futures and props for you to check out going into Matchday 7.
Expert Soccer Picks: Champions League Matchday 7 Bets, Futures and Props
Atlético Madrid +155 vs Bayer Leverkusen +200 (Draw +230)
When: Tuesday, January 21, 3:00 pm ET
Champions Pick: Leverkusen to win
Both of these teams come in playing hot soccer. Leverkusen are the defending Bundesliga champions and are in fourth place going into Tuesday’s game. They’re also doing well in domestic play, just four points behind Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga table. They lost to Liverpool, 4-0, on Matchday 4, but they have not lost since, running off 13 matches without a setback.
Furthermore, they’ve won 12 of those 13 games and have only permitted nine goals over that stretch, as they’ve fixed the problems that plagued their back line. Atlético has a 16-match unbeaten streak going, and they have climbed up to 11th place in the UCL table – and they’re just two points back of Real Madrid in La Liga. Both of these teams have stopped some big names during these runs. Leverkusen took down Inter Milan in UCL play, and Atlético beat Barcelona in late December. Given the success that Leverkusen has had in this stretch shutting down opposing offenses, I’m taking them with this value on the road.
^Liverpool -350 vs Lille +950 (Draw +500)
When: Tuesday, January 21, 3:00 pm ET
Champions Pick: Take the draw
Lille started off UCL play hot and look like a lock to move at least to the round of 16 playoffs, but they would love to hold onto that eighth-place slot. They visit unbeaten Liverpool, but given the fact that the Reds are almost assured to move on to the round of 16 without a playoff no mater what happens in this match, it will be interesting to see how interested Liverpool are in this match. The Reds have been taking on a bit of water as of late – although not that much water, because they’re still six points clear of Arsenal in the English Premier League.
Even so, they have only won twice in their last five matches, and one of those wins came against Accrington Stanley, a third-division English side, in FA Cup play. It’s possible that the fatigue of the marathon soccer season is wearing on Liverpool a bit, and Lille have a lot more on the line in this Matchday 7 showdown. I could easily see Lille sneaking through with the first goal of the game and then holding on for a draw…or even for a shocking road win. The win seems a bit much to ask as Liverpool have the offense to storm back and get the least an equalizer, but I’m definitely taking a flyer on this draw.
^Champions League Matchday 7 Bets provided by Xbet
Paris Saint-Germain +150 vs Manchester City +170 (Draw +275)
When: Wednesday, January 22, 3:00 pm ET
Champions Pick: PSG to win
City are only in the top 24 by a single point, and PSG are just a point out of advancing to the playoff. PSG have had a difficult UCL draw that has seen them take on Arsenal, Atlético Madrid and Bayern Munich. That’s been a tough slog without Kylian Mbappé. They used the transfer window to bring in Khvicha Kvaratskhelia from Napoli, and while he didn’t play in PSG’s win over Lens on Saturday, he could take the pitch against City.
He is one of the top attackers in Europe, but he only had tallied four times for Napoli in Serie A, so he’s looking for rejuvenation just as desperately as his new team are. City roll in with four wins in their last five matches across all competitions, but three of those game against sides in the English Premier League bottom seven, and the other was against Salford City, a third-division side, in FA Cup play. Taking on PSG will show City fans whether their team really have decided to revert to championship form or not.
^Best Futures and Props for the Week
PSG to win by 1.5 goals (+380)
PSG are nine points clear of Marseilles in Ligue 1 play this season. Yes, they’ve been hurting from the absence of Mbappé, but adding Kvaratskhelia should jump-start their offense, and while they did start UCL play slowly, getting a home date against a Manchester City team that are still clearly not firing on all cylinders against top competition presents a significant opportunity. A 2-0 or 3-1 result for PSG is not beyond the realm of possibility at all.
PSG vs Man City – Erling Haaland to score anytime (+455)
In 2024-25, Erling Haaland has 17 goals in 22 matches for City in EPL play. In UCL play, he has five goals in six matches. I think PSG will control much of the action, and I see them winning in 3-1 fashion, but if City are going to break through, it will be thanks to their star attacker who just earned a mammoth contract extension.
AC Milan to beat Girona by 1.5 goals (+128)
Girona are mired in 30th place in the UCL table, five points out of the top 24 and with a trip to AC Milan coming up next. The hosts are in 11th place and could use this win over a bottom-feeder to get closer to locking in a last-16 playoff spot. AC Milan have 12 points, five points clear of 25th place, but they should take advantage of Girona’s desperation by turning undisciplined attacks into runs at goal in the other direction.
AC Milan vs Girona – Christian Pulisic to score anytime (+500)
In Serie A play, Pulisic has contributed significantly to AC Milan’s offense, with five goals and four assists in 16 matches. However, in tournament play, he has upped his offense. In Supercoppa Italiana play, he has two goals in two matches, and he has three goals and an assist in five UCL matches to this point. Girona have conceded 10 goals in six UCL matches so far, so there should be some room for Pulisic to operate.
^UCL table with two games to go. pic.twitter.com/oaAwV00hli
— Score Universal (@ScoreUniversal) January 20, 2025
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