Champions League expert picks, predictions, best bets: Can Arsenal thrive vs Inter? Huge PSG vs. Atleti match

UEFA Champions League action resumed this week with a batch of high-profile matches as we reach the midway point of the league phase.

Liverpool kept their perfect record intact through four games, with a 4-0 thrashing of Bayer Leverkusen. Tuesday’s action also featured Real Madrid getting shocked at home by AC Milan in the first game following a lopsided El Clasico defeat. And, in the most notable game in Ruben Amorim’s Sporting Lisbon farewell tour, a faceoff against future foe Manchester City, Amorim came out stunningly well, handing City their third straight loss in stylish 4-1 fashion.

Arsenal’s trip to Inter, meanwhile, headlines Wednesday’s action. Both sides have impeccable defensive records so far in Champions League play, not conceding a single goal so far, and could use the game to make a statement about their title-winning aspirations.

Ahead of the action, here’s how the CBS Sports team thinks Matchday 4 will play out.

Don’t miss any of the Champions League. As always, you can catch all of our coverage across Paramount+, CBS Sports Network and CBS Sports Golazo Network all season long.

Here are our expert picks for this matchday:

Wednesday

Inter vs. Arsenal

Player to watch: Declan Rice — It is probably nothing more than a Euros hangover, but the draw with Liverpool aside, this has not been a vintage start to the season for Rice. With Martin Odegaard sidelined and Thomas Partey shuffled out of midfield, Mikel Arteta needs his record signing at his all action best in the San Siro. — James Benge

Man of the match: Bukayo Saka — The English winger is the player that the Nerazzurri have to fear the most. After a solid start of the season, where he scored three goals and provided seven assists in nine Premier League games, Saka is ready to shine at San Siro against the 2023 Champions League finalists. — Francesco Porzio 

Prediction: Inter 1, Arsenal 1 — The Gunners have just two wins from their last five so things are getting trickier for Mikel Arteta of late with Liverpool pulling clear in the Premier League title race. Both sides have seven points from nine in the League Phase so far while the Nerazzurri are also within a point of Napoli in Serie A. Given Inter’s ability to run the likes of Manchester City close in the Champions League, this one feels like it will be a fairly tight encounter with a score draw sounding about right. — Jonathan Johnson

Best bet: Best bet: Draw (+210) — So far, when top sides have met in Champions League, it hasn’t been exactly thrilling, and this could be a continuation of that. Neither side particularly needs a victory, but they both have strong defenses and don’t mind it if the match gets a little physical. I wouldn’t put a full unit on such a specific outcome but I’m backing the points being shared. — Chuck Booth

PSG vs. Atletico Madrid

Player to watch: Antoine Griezmann — The pressure is building for Atletico. In such scenarios there tends to be one man who delivers (well, except for the goalkeeper). Even as Diego Simeone has been building an attack for life after Griezmann the Frenchman continues to deliver. Four goals and five assists have come at a rate of one every 122 minutes. When Atleti were in a hole against Leipzig it was Griezmann who dug them out. He could well do the same this week. — James Benge

Man of the match: Ousmane Dembele — The former FC Barcelona winger had a strong start to the 2024-25 season where he has already scored five goals and provided four assists in Ligue 1, while he’s yet to score his first Champions League goal of the season and the clash against his former Spanish rivals is the perfect chance to make it happen. — Francesco Porzio 

Prediction: PSG 2, Atleti 1 — This is a big game for both sides with Luis Enrique and Diego Simeone both needing a win. The French giants have looked more convincing so far given their chances wasted to bury opponents but their Spanish opponents are under pressure having lost twice already. This one is likely to be fairly tense and tight but PSG should just about have enough to emerge victorious for a second league phase win. — Jonathan Johnson

Best bet: Both teams to score (-134) —  it’s a clash of some of the biggest underperformers in Champions League so far with PSG and Atletico Madrid meeting. While the underlying numbers back PSG turning things around, that doesn’t mean that they’ll be able to defend against Atleti’s potent attack. It’s a good match for keeping it simple with both netting at least a goal. — Chuck Booth