Tuesday
Fixture: Marseille 1-2 AC Milan
Venue: Stade Velodrome
Kick-off: 7.45pm BST
Verdict: The Champions League proper is back - and with a set of odds from over-cautious bookies determined not to lose big on the first big day in the office. To be fair, most punters will take one look at the favourites and see them as an early-season banker. But this competition throws up all sorts of curve balls - it's the joy of nation competing against nation.
The most interesting fixture on Tuesday night is this one, where the form team in France with a team I'm backing to take the title with some ease, play an AC Milan side out of sorts, out of goals and without Ronaldo.
The mind only boggles while Marseille's price is so generous. Past form in the Champions League and the myth of Italian strength play a part in that, but that strength is rapidly disappearing.
We could see a very poor showing by the Italians this season.
Betting Advice: 1pt Marseille to win at 6/4 (1.85 at expekt.com)
Wednesday
Fixture: Dynamo Kiev 3-1 Rubin Kazan
Venue: Lobanovsky Dynamo Stadium
Kick-off: 7.45pm BST
Verdict: Here's an intriguing face-off between the Ukrainian champions and a Russian side that is quite possibly going to become a household name in Europe in the coming years. Rubin Kazan are a by-product of the rise of the Tatar region, which was given the honour of being allowed to call its capital - Kazan - the third capital of Russia in April. The team is no backwater kickabout side either. They won the title in 2008 and are blessed with the talents of Russian national goalkeeper Pavel Kharchik, and his international colleagues Sergei Semak, Alexander Bukharov and Roman Shirokov, while a smattering of other international players and excellent journeyman like Argentine midfielder Dominguez.
They put eight goals past two Moscow sides to stay top of the league in the last fortnight and are aiming to put Russian club football back on the international map.
Keep an eye out for them. With Dynamo Kiev suffering a number of cliques in the dressing room. Watch out for Andrei Shevchenko, though. Always dangerous.
Betting Advice: 3pts Rubin Kazan to win at 16/5 (4.2 at William Hill)
Fixture: Inter Milan 0-0 Barcelona
Venue: San Siro (Inter home)
Kick-off: 7.45pm
Verdict: There has been a lot of interest in this fixture - particularly after Inter thumped local rivals AC Milan in the second game of the season. But a couple of things about that: the team that did that is a shadow of the European Champions League winning Barca team likely to walk out at the San Siro on Tuesday night.
There is no chance that Barca will play for a draw - the quicker they organise qualification, the quicker they can rest players in midweek as they stave off a serious challenge from Real Madrid this season.
But what about Inter? La scudetto beckons this season in what looks a weak Serie A, but Inter have started well. Former Barca star Samuel Eto'o scored at the weekend and will play here.
Betting Advice: 1pt Barcelona to win at 6/4 (2.5 generally)
Fixture: VfB Stuttgart 1-1 Rangers
Venue: Mercedes-Benz Arena (Stuttgart home)
Kick-off: 7.45pm
Verdict: It is proving increasingly difficult to find any value at all in the Champions League because the bookies put their best men on it now, but Stuttgart may benefit from being up against a well-backed UK side.
The German side have had a tough start to the season, and may welcome the change of pace in the Champions League.
Betting Advice: 4pt Stuttgart to win at 8/13 (1.62 generally)
