Champions League Predictions 10/13: Man Utd, Barcelona Face Tough Away Days

More than a month has passed since the 2026–27 Champions League got underway, with an extended international break meaning we’re easing back into the new season after a rather brief opening act.

And while players will again convene with their national teams next month, Europe’s premier club competition finds its groove over the coming weeks, as the continent’s elite vie to place themselves toward the summit in a bid to avoid two extra games in the new year.

Matchday 1 was split across three evenings, and we’re back to two sets of nine matches until the chaotic final slate of league phase fixtures.

Here’s how Sports Illustrated predicts Tuesday’s Matchday 2 games to play out.

Lens vs. Sporting CP Prediction

Prediction: Lens 1–2 Sporting CP

• Location: Lens, France
• Stadium: Stade Bollaert-Delelis
• Date: Tuesday, Oct. 13
• Kick-off Time: 5:45 p.m. BST / 12:45 p.m. ET / 9:45 a.m. PT
• Referee: Igor Pajač (CRO)

A dip seemed inevitable for Lens this season, given the turnover in the summer off the back of a second-place Ligue 1 finish. They’ve already parted ways with Pierre Sage’s successor, Dino Toppmöller, and are now being led by the inexperienced Yannick Cahuzac.

Cahuzac did oversee a domestic victory over Lyon at the weekend, and the French club are targeting back-to-back wins to start their league phase campaign. They’re unlikely to prevail quite as dramatically as they did on Matchday 1, when two stoppage-time goals saw Les Sang et Or overturn a 2–1 deficit at Slavia Prague.

Sporting CP are seasoned in this competition, and were quarterfinalists last time out after stunning Bodø/Glimt in the second leg of their round of 16 tie. The Primeira Liga side are unbeaten so far this term, but a habit of drawing has left them third in the league through eight games. Galatasaray were cast aside during their league phase opener.

Sabah vs. Slavia Prague Prediction

Prediction: Sabah 1–0 Slavia Prague

• Location: Baku, Azerbaijan
• Stadium: Olympic Stadium
• Date: Tuesday, Oct. 13
• Kick-off Time: 5:45 p.m. BST / 12:45 p.m. ET / 9:45 a.m. PT
• Referee: Sebastian Gishamer (AUT)

Competition debutants Sabah had quite the welcome on Matchday 1, and they offered a pretty admirable account of themselves at Old Trafford, even in a 4–0 defeat.

Sabah will find points hard to come by during their maiden league phase campaign, but they’ll surely view this fixture as a huge opportunity to claim a first Champions League victory.

Slavia remain dominant domestically, but hardly rank among Europe’s top dogs. Their frailties, even at home, were laid bare on Matchday 1, capitulating against Lens. The visitors are facing a Sabah team that’s won seven straight on home soil, with Valdas Dambrauskas’s side likely to be buoyed by the occasion.

Arsenal vs. Lille Prediction

Prediction: Arsenal 3–1 Lille

• Location: London, England
• Stadium: Emirates Stadium
• Date: Tuesday, Oct. 13
• Kick-off Time: 8 p.m. BST / 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT
• Referee: Felix Zwayer (GER)

Arsenal’s quest to complete their linear progression in this competition started with a convincing victory in Naples. On another night, the Gunners would’ve ran out emphatic winners, but a profligate showing from Mikel Arteta‘s side meant Martin Ødegaard’s second-half strike proved the difference.

While questions continue to be raised regarding the potency of Arsenal’s frontline, it’s evident that they’ve acquired a difference-maker in midfield. Bruno Guimarães was again decisive off the bench at the weekend, helping Arsenal overturn a home deficit to Leeds United.

The Brazilian will be expected to showcase his best under the bright lights on Champions League nights, and while Lille have enjoyed a strong start to their domestic campaign, the Ligue 1 side, with a 40-year-old Olivier Giroud leading their line, is unlikely to compete fiercely with the Premier League champions.

Atlético Madrid vs. Manchester United Prediction

Prediction: Atlético Madrid 2–1 Man Utd

• Location: Madrid, Spain
• Stadium: Estadio Metropolitano
• Date: Tuesday, Oct. 13
• Kick-off Time: 8 p.m. BST / 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT
• Referee: Glenn Nyberg (SWE)

The pressure certainly didn’t ease on Michael Carrick after Saturday’s draw at home to Tottenham Hotspur. Spurs were dominant at Old Trafford against a Manchester United team bereft of energy, and were unfortunate to leave the Theatre of Dreams with just a point.

The game was there for the Red Devils after Bryan Mbuemo’s strike and Rodrigo Bentancur’s red card, but Dominic Solanke bullied Lisandro Martínez late on to head home and earn the visitors a point.

A daunting test welcomes Man Utd next, with Atlético Madrid heading into Tuesday’s bout off the back of a four-game winning run since they were beaten at Anfield on Matchday 1.

Atléti seldom lose at the Metropolitano, and the United we've seen at the start of 2026–27 doesn’t look like a team capable of producing a brave away performance garnering a victory.

Galatasaray vs. Barcelona Prediction

Prediction: Galatasaray 0–2 Barcelona

• Location: Istanbul, Türkiye
• Stadium: Ali Sami Yen Spor Kompleksi
• Date: Tuesday, Oct. 13
• Kick-off Time: 8 p.m. BST / 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT
• Referee: Marco Guida (ITA)

Hansi Flick’s juggernaut was at it again upon their return from the extended break. There’s no one in La Liga that can compete with Barcelona right now, and Getafe were merely the last to succumb to their every whim.

Barça surrendered just one shot on target and enjoyed 82% possession in their 3–0 victory, despite the absence of leading goalscorer Raphinha.

They’ll be without the Brazilian again on Tuesday, but it’s unlikely to matter given their current mood.

Galatasaray are far superior in this competition on home soil, and they’re unlikely to ever progress deep in Europe unless a solution is found on their travels. The hosts face up against the very best after losing 3–1 at Sporting CP last month. Despite their impressive collection of familiar faces, Gala surely won’t be the team that defies Barça’s telepathy.

Inter Milan vs. Club Brugge

Prediction: Inter 3–1 Club Brugge

• Location: Milan, Italy
• Stadium: San Siro
• Date: Tuesday, Sept. 13
• Kick-off Time: 8 p.m. BST / 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT
• Referee: Rohit Saggi (NOR)

Club Brugge have tested the continent’s aristocracy over the past couple of seasons, and have been forced to deal with the overseas elite snatching their brighest talent.

Still, Ivan Leko has a gifted roster at his disposal, and a fearless Brugge will fancy taking Tuesday’s contest to the hosts.

Aleksandar Stanković, son of Inter Milan legend Dejan, could feature against his former club after joining the Nerazzurri in the summer, especially with Curtis Jones missing due to injury.

Inter’s quest to get over last season’s embarrassment started with a defeat at the Santiago Bernabéu, but they’ve had little to complain about on the domestic front. While alternative challengers are manifesting in Rome, Inter remain at Serie A’s summit after dispatching Parma at the weekend.

RB Leipzig vs. PSV Eindhoven

Prediction: RB Leipzig 2–2 PSV

• Location: Leipzig, Germany
• Stadium: Red Bull Arena
• Date: Tuesday, Oct. 13
• Kick-off Time: 8 p.m. BST / 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT
• Referee: Nicholas Walsh (SCO)

PSV Eindhoven’s stranglehold over Dutch soccer is at risk of loosening, given Feyenoord’s electric start to the season under Giovanni van Bronckhorst.

Peter Bosz has established a dynasty in Eindhoven, with the former Borussia Dortmund manager reigning in his gung-ho principles somewhat to morph his team into one that few want to play against.

PSV have claimed a couple of standout results in this competition during Bosz’s reign, yet they ultimately failed to make the top 24 in last season’s league phase. A 1–1 draw with Shakhtar Donetsk was hardly the start they wanted this time around, and now they’re on their travels to face an RB Leipzig team that thrashed Eintracht Frankfurt 6–0 at the weekend.

The returning Christopher Nkunku scored a hat trick in Leipzig’s emphatic victory, and the hosts are out to improve on their shoddy Matchday 1 performance at Como.

Viking vs. Bayern Munich

Prediction: Viking 0–3 Bayern Munich

• Location: Stavanger, Norway
• Stadium: Lyse Arena
• Date: Tuesday, Oct. 13
• Kick-off Time: 8 p.m. BST / 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT
• Referee: Georgi Kabakov (BUL)

Norwegian champions Viking are in the midst of a fierce title battle with Bodø/Glimt on the home front, but their first venture to the Champions League is far from an unwanted distraction.

The humble Lyse Arena welcomes Bayern Munich for their maiden home encounter in this competition, having started the league phase with a 3–1 defeat at Bayern’s Bundesliga rivals, Stuttgart.

Bayern, semifinalists last season and six-time winners, are playing catch-up in Germany at this early juncture after Augsburg took two points off them at the weekend. Vincent Kompany’s side have already put five past Bodø/Glimt and seven beyond Union Berlin, but defensive issues have been nagging at the start of the new season.

They’re unlikely to hinder the visitors here, mind.

Villarreal vs. Napoli

Prediction: Villarreal 2–1 Napoli

• Location: Villarreal, Spain
• Stadium: Estadio de la Cerámica
• Date: Tuesday, Oct. 13
• Kick-off Time: 8 p.m. BST / 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT
• Referee: Daniel Siebert (GER)

Villarreal were the surprise bottom dwellers of the league phase last season, with Marcelino overseeing an utterly abject continental campaign.

The Yellow Submarine finished third in La Liga under the Spaniard, but he reached the end of his tether after three more years with the club. So, they’re now led by Andoni Iraola’s former right-hand man, Iñigo Pérez, and the ex-Rayo Vallecano boss has endured a sluggish start to his reign.

Villarreal sit mid-table in La Liga and are welcoming Napoli to the Estadio de la Cerámica after losing 3–2 at Borussia Dortmund on Matchday 1. With the visitors falling at home to Arsenal last month, both teams are chasing much-needed victories on Tuesday.

Kevin De Bruyne will hope to carry his form from the weekend into the bout. He scored twice in Napoli’s Serie A victory over Frosinone on Saturday.

Champions League Predictions: Oct. 13