Adrian Mills' tips for the best of the midweek European action include a comfortable win for Arsenal and defeat for struggling Barcelona.
There are some huge fixtures in the Champions League this week and Arsenal bid to turn around a 1-0 deficit when Porto head to the Emirates on Tuesday.
The tie between Barcelona and Napoli is finely poised after a 1-1 draw in Naples and there is no Camp Nou for Barca to call on.
Inter Milan take a one-goal advantage to Atletico Madrid on Wednesday night and the Italians are starting to look like serious title-winning contenders.
Borussia Dortmund and PSV, who played out a 1-1 draw in Eindhoven, head to Signal Iduna Park in what should be an entertaining second leg on Wednesday night.
Selections
Arsenal to win to nil /
Napoli to beat Barcelona /
Inter to beat Atletico /
Arsenal can cruise past Porto
Arsenal needed a late winner to beat Brentford in the Premier League on Saturday, but the Gunners kept the pressure up on their title rivals by making it eight straight top-flight victories.
Of course, they were beaten 1-0 by Porto in the first leg of this last-16 Champions League tie and, while Mikel Arteta’s men weren’t at their best Portugal, they certainly didn’t deserve to lose that contest.
The Gunners limited the Dragons to just two shots on target and one corner at the Estadio do Dragao and it’s hard to see how that tally will be improved in front of a full-voice Emirates crowd.
Arsenal have been in flying form, they have conceded only five goals in their last nine games and the north Londoners can beat Porto without conceding.
Napoli can counter leaky Barca
Barcelona have enjoyed some magical moments in the Champions League, but this Barca side is a pale imitation of their brilliant teams of the past and Xavi’s men can’t even full back on a intimidating Camp Nou crowd when Napoli come to the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys on Tuesday.
The pair played out a 1-1 draw in Naples in a game that Barca could have edged, but the Azzurri look overpriced in Spain.
Victor Osimhen and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia have hit eight goals between them in four games since Napoli took on Barca in the first leg and that pair look capable of exposing a leaky Barca defence.
Xavi’s men have conceded 22 goals in their last 13 matches and they look vulnerable to the counter-attack of the reigning Italian champions.
Inter unlikely to be intimidated
Inter have opened up a 16-point lead at the top of the Serie A table and the Nerazzurri have lost only one of 38 all-competition matches, inside 90 minutes, this season and they appear serious Champions League contenders.
Simone Inzaghi is an excellent coach who saw his side fail to concede a single shot on target when beating Atletico 1-0 in Milan and Inter look good value to complete the job in the Spanish capital.
This Atleti side isn’t as strong as some that Diego Simeone put together in the past and it’s just two wins in nine games for his side in recent weeks.
Inter have the quality to pick off the Spanish side and progress to the quarter-finals of the Champions League as a result.
Visit Betway’s football betting page.
