The fifteenth edition of ‘Round the Sports World in five minutes’ gives you the lowdown on the start of the Champions League, the week’s standout match between Bayern Munich and Chelsea and the winner-takes-all clash in the Asian Cup, in the world of cricket.
Champions League
- Start: 16 September at 20:00
- Venue: Matches played all across Europe
- Coverage: TNT Sports
- Fun Fact: When PSG surprisingly demolished Inter Milan in last year’s final, it was the first time in the history of the Champions League that a team had won the final by five clear goals, the previous best being AC Milan’s 4-0 win over Barcelona in 1993-94.
Betting
This is one of the toughest competitions to win in the game, with the quality of the sides in it just about unparalleled in club football.
It also explains why, with the exception of Real Madrid between 2015 and 2018, it’s been almost impossible to defend the Champions League title you’ve won in the previous season.
Last year, it was all about PSG, who won their maiden Champions League title, and ironically did so once their superstars like Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi, and Neymar had moved into pastures new. They beat Inter Milan convincingly in the final by a quite staggering 5-0 scoreline in Munich, not a result many would have anticipated.
We all know how hard it is to win this competition back-to-back, so that’s why PSG are at 7.0 with Ladbrokes to do it all over again. Those are the same odds as Barcelona and Liverpool, and slightly shorter than the likes of Arsenal (8.0), Real Madrid (8.5), Manchester City (10.0), Bayern Munich (11.0) and Chelsea, who are 13,0 chances despite getting the better of all those sides mentioned above at the Club World Championships played earlier in the summer, beating PSG in the final 3-0.
Summary
Last year’s revised format proved to be a big success because it meant that the favourites for Champions League glory played their fellow big guns in the early knockout rounds, rather than those being slightly irrelevant matches, as had been the case in previous editions.
This time round, England lead the way with five teams after Tottenham beat Manchester United in the final of last year’s Europa League to cement their place in this year’s Champions League. They're joined by fellow Premier League teams Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City, and Chelsea.
Cricket Asia Cup: Bangladesh - Afghanistan
- Start: 16 September at 15:30
- Venue: United Arab Emirates
- Coverage: TNT Sports
- Fun Fact: Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan is still only 26, but he’s certainly played plenty of T20 cricket over the years, accumulating 101 appearances in T20Is and 492 games in all T20s, taking 171 wickets on the international stage and 670 in T20s overall. He’s ranked 9th in the ICC T20I rankings, but it’s a surprise he’s not much higher than that.
Betting
The Bangladesh Tigers suffered a bad defeat in their first match against Sri Lanka over the weekend. Any more slip-ups mean they’re on their way home because in this short format, lose two and you’re out.
Afghanistan were as good as Bangladesh were bad in their opening match. They put a very competitive 188 on the board thanks to an excellent 73 off 52 from Sediqullah Atal. Player of the Match Azmattulah Omarzai also contributed with 52 off 21, before going on to also take 1-4 with the ball.
A win here for the Tigers and they’re right back in it, but Bwin don’t think that’s happening. They’re making Afghanistan hot favourites at 1.34 to win the game, and it’s hard to argue with that. Bangladesh seem to be a side that is permanently in rebuild mode, while Rashid Khan and co. seems to get better, year after year.
Summary
Afghanistan were our tip of the week last time out to win their Group and they’ve certainly started in the best possible way, with that big win over Hong Kong proving they’re a force to be reckoned with, at this year’s Asia Cup.
But even aside from their very contrasting fortunes in their first matches, Afghanistan are 7-5 on the head-to-head in T20Is, so you can see why they’re expected to win this one and send the Tigers on the first flight back home.
Bayern Munich - Chelsea Champions League Group Stage Match
- Start: 17 September at 20:00
- Venue: Allianz Arena, Munich
- Coverage: TNT Sports 2
- Fun Fact: Harry Kane is in rare form these days. After two seasons, he scored at almost a goal-a-game. Excellent numbers by anyone’s standards, he’s started the 2025-26 season in style too, with nine goals in six matches so far this campaign.
Betting
We’re pretty miffed by the prices on Bayern to win the match here. There’s no doubting their ability as one of the continent’s top sides, but it’s worth remembering who they’re up against here, given Chelsea beat all the best sides in the world in the USA in the Summer, while winning the World Club Championships.
We get that Bayern should be favourites, but 1.66 with Betfred is short enough. Siding with Chelsea on the Double Chance market means you have the draw and the somewhat unlikely away win on your side. Taking on Bayern looks the way to go.
Summary
The last time these two played was back in 2019/20. Bayern won 4-1 at home and then again 3-0 in London, a really poor performance by the Blues.
But that was against a relatively poor Chelsea side, and they’re certainly much better these days under the guidance of Enzo Maresca, with Cole Pamer and Enzo Fernandez in particularly good form.
Bayern may be bossing the Bundesliga as usual, but they’ll not face many sides at the same level as Chelsea, so they have an uphill task on Wednesday night.
Betting Tip of the Week: Back Chelsea/Draw on the Double Chance Market at 5/4 with Betfred
No surprises this is our Bet of the Week given what we’ve said above, but it’s a good wager irrespective.
No one doubts that Bayern are one of Europe’s top sides. Of course, they are, but a Chelsea team that invested massively in the summer transfer market and has become better and better with time under Maresca is hard to beat by anyone’s standards, and we think they can avoid defeat in Munich.
