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Three of the five teams with 100% records are in action on Wednesday evening.
We’ll officially reach the halfway mark of the 2026–27 Champions League league phase once Wednesday’s action concludes, but there’s still so much to enjoy before we get to that point.
The evening kicks off with a pair of teams that have combined to claim 21 European crowns, both aiming to maintain their perfect starts to the competition. Real Madrid and Liverpool’s productive openings are hardly surprising, but few would‘ve foreshadowed Real Betis avoiding a blemish through three outings on their long-awaited Champions League return.
Those sitting pretty toward the summit have the luxury of relaxing at this relatively early juncture, and although we’re still almost three months away from the chaotic Matchday 8, those bereft of points as we approach halfway will certainly fancy igniting their campaigns this week.
We’re looking at you, Porto.
Here’s how Sports Illustrated predicts Wednesday’s Matchday 4 fixtures will pan out.
Prediction: AEK Athens 1–3 Real Madrid
The 15-time champions are in a good moment, and surely not even the return of Vínicius Júnior can crush their momentum.
Real Madrid followed their impressive victory in El Clásico with an emphatic win at Racing Santander to keep pace with Barcelona and Atlético Madrid, who both won on Saturday.
They’re now heading to the Greek capital aiming to maintain their 100% start to the league phase, having so far defeated two of Mourinho’s former clubs, Inter Milan and Roma, as well as RB Leipzig.
AEK Athens were thumped at Manchester City on Matchday 3, but they do have three points on the board thanks to their opening matchday triumph over LASK.
Luka Jović is likely to be in a vengeful mood here against his former employers.
Prediction: Fenerbahçe 1–2 Liverpool
Liverpool haven’t enjoyed their trips to Türkiye over the years, and they were twice beaten 1–0 by Fenerbahçe’s fiercest rivals, Galatasaray, last season.
They’re heading seven miles away from RAMS Park this time around, taking on an out-of-form Fenerbahçe side led by former Anfield cult hero Dirk Kuyt. The Dutchman has stepped up to mitigate İsmail Kartal’s resignation, which he threatened after the 1–1 draw with Roma on Matchday 1.
The hosts are struggling domestically despite their litany of stars and have yet to taste victory upon their return to this competition.
Liverpool’s woes in this part of the world should embolden Kuyt’s side, but Andoni Iraola‘s visitors have made an impressive start to their continental campaign, and there were more encouraging signs even in defeat against Arsenal at the weekend.
Prediction: Borussia Dortmund 2–1 Real Betis
Real Betis have waited two decades to mingle with the elite, and they’re certainly making up for lost time.
While Manuel Pellegrini’s team hasn’t yet topped a giant, it has notched three impressive victories against Lille, Porto and Feyenoord to sit well inside the top eight after three games.
However, this is undoubtedly their toughest test to date. Trips to Signal Iduna Park are never for the faint-hearted, and Borussia Dortmund enter this clash off the back of snatching a late equalizer in Der Klassiker on Saturday.
The Yellow Wall will be humming under the lights.
Prediction: Lens 2–3 Como
Hey, let’s not write off Como in the Serie A title discussion. It wouldn’t be a surprise if Cesc Fàbregas got his hands on the Scudetto next May, given the speed at which his team continues to develop.
They’ve won four on the bounce domestically, and responded to their defeat at Feyenoord on Matchday 2 by having their way with a wretched Manchester United team. They’ve won both of their home games in the league phase 4–1, but they’ll have to grind out victories on their travels if they’re to enjoy a deep run in this competition.
A trip to Lens is unlikely to be as daunting as their De Kuip excursion, but you’d be foolish to completely write the hosts off. It’s a fairly tumultuous time for the French club, with Florian Thauvin’s magic supplying a much-needed sense of familiarity.
Thauvin leads all players in this season’s Champions League with 15 chances created.
Prediction: Porto 1–0 Napoli
Massimiliano Allegri was on the brink not so long ago, but Napoli’s form has just about steadied both in Europe and on the domestic front.
Allegri’s soccer still leaves plenty to be desired, though, and he endured an unsuccessful return to Turin at the weekend, with Napoli falling to a 2–0 defeat at Juventus.
They’re currently destined for Serie A mediocrity, and potentially a premature exit on the continent. Napoli have three points to their name by virtue of an entertaining victory over Bodø/Glimt last time out, and now Allegri’s side are facing a desperate Porto team.
The hosts have been dominant in the Primeira Liga, but are one of just two teams yet to notch a single point in the league phase.
Prediction: PSV 2–2 Club Brugge
Peter Bosz would‘ve felt his side missed an opportunity to take Eredivisie leaders Feyenoord down a peg or two when the two teams met 10 days ago, but the recent monopolizers of Dutch soccer failed to build on their early lead and handed the league‘s pace setters a route back into the contest.
A 1–1 draw suited Feyenoord a whole lot more, and PSV blew off some steam at the weekend, thrashing Willem II 7–0 with seven different players getting on the scoresheet.
Their start in the Champions League has been respectable enough, and they’ll be pleased to return to the Philips Stadion on Matchday 4. However, Club Brugge are emerging as a hipster’s dream, with the Belgians continuing to ruffle the feathers of the continent’s elite.
They’ve already won at San Siro this season, so the visitors will fancy themselves in Eindhoven.
Prediction: Leipzig 2–3 Man City
Former Manchester City defender Martín Demichelis will parade the home dugout in Leipzig on Wednesday, as the hosts aim to secure a statement victory on Matchday 4.
RB Leipzig have been tremendous at home this season, winning their four games in the Bundesliga by an 18–0 aggregate score. They also beat PSV at the Red Bull Arena on Matchday 2, but were emphatically defeated at Como and Real Madrid on either side.
Still, Demichelis‘s team has the tools to hurt a defensively frail Man City side reeling off the back of consecutive league defeats. Antonio Nusa has 10 Bundesliga goal contributions already, but it‘s the winger’s compatriot, Erling Haaland, who’s the most likely to take this game over.
Haaland has scored more goals against Leipzig (12) than any other opponent in his career.
Prediction: Slavia Prague 0–2 Arsenal
Arsenal travel to Prague for the second consecutive year, having won 3–0 at the Eden Arena last November.
The hosts, struggling toward the foot of the table with just a point, should take inspiration from League Two Fleetwood Town, who knocked the Gunners out of the Carabao Cup on penalties last week.
Of course, this fixture can’t go the distance, but Slavia would bite your hand off for a point right now.
Arsenal’s staggering resilience came to the fore at Anfield on Sunday, and they’re primed to coast to the sort of victory we‘ve seemingly seen a million times from Mikel Arteta’s team.
Prediction: Viking 2–1 Sabah
The debutants take on the novices.
First-timers Sabah claimed their maiden victory in this competition on Matchday 2, beating Slavia Prague, while Viking, who last featured in the Champions League in 1992–93, are still waiting to celebrate such an achievement.
Viking’s draw with Bayern Munich was certainly euphoric, though, especially after they’d let a two-goal lead slip. That encounter will live long in the memory, and there must be an expectation around Stavanger that Wednesday could be another special evening.
| Kickoff Time | Fixture | Prediction |
|---|---|---|
| 5:45 p.m. GMT / 12:45 p.m. ET | AEK Athens vs. Real Madrid | 1–3 |
| 5:45 p.m. GMT / 12:45 p.m. ET | Fenerbahçe vs. Liverpool | 1–2 |
| 8 p.m. GMT / 3 p.m. ET | Borussia Dortmund vs. Real Betis | 2–1 |
| 8 p.m. GMT / 3 p.m. ET | Lens vs. Como | 2–3 |
| 8 p.m. GMT / 3 p.m. ET | Porto vs. Napoli | 1–0 |
| 8 p.m. GMT / 3 p.m. ET | PSV vs. Club Brugge | 2–2 |
| 8 p.m. GMT / 3 p.m. ET | RB Leipzig vs. Man City | 2–3 |
| 8 p.m. GMT / 3 p.m. ET | Slavia Prague vs. Arsenal | 0–2 |
| 8 p.m. GMT / 3 p.m. ET | Viking vs. Sabah | 2–1 |
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Champions League Predictions 11/4: Real Madrid, Liverpool Aiming to Maintain Perfection.
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