The Champions League returns this week, with Matchday 1 bringing some huge fixtures across Europe.
Several of the competition’s biggest clubs are in action, while a few tricky away games could make picking an Acca more difficult than it first appears.
There are plenty of teams worth considering, but we have narrowed it down to five that we think have the best chance of starting the new Champions League campaign with a win.
Of course, five selections means five chances for football to ruin our evening. But that’s what makes an Acca an Acca.
Here are our picks for our Matchweek 1 Champions League accumulator.
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Borussia Dortmund vs Villarreal
Borussia Dortmund to win
Dortmund get our Acca started at home to Villarreal on Tuesday night.
Niko Kovač’s side have made a strong start to the season and showed plenty of character in their latest game, coming from behind to beat Hoffenheim 3-2.
They have now won three games in a row.
There is also a little bit of history here. Dortmund hammered Villarreal 4-0 when the sides met at the same stage of the competition last season.
Serhou Guirassy will be one to watch again. The striker has scored in both of his competitive appearances this season and also scored twice against Villarreal last time around.
Villarreal have not exactly covered themselves in glory in Europe either. They lost six of their last Champions League games and picked up just one point from eight league-phase matches last season.
The Yellow Submarine could be in for another rough night in Germany.
Barcelona vs Feyenoord
Barcelona to win
Barcelona have started the season by doing what Barcelona tend to do when everything clicks.
Score goals. Lots of them.
Hansi Flick’s side smashed Valencia 5-0 on Sunday to maintain their perfect start and have now scored 17 goals in four games – crazy.
Lamine Yamal has also hit the ground running, while Barcelona have plenty of attacking options around him.
Feyenoord are not travelling to the Camp Nou for a sightseeing trip, but this is a horrible fixture for them.
Barcelona have home advantage, they are scoring for fun and they will want to make a statement on the opening night of their Champions League campaign.
We are backing them to do exactly that.
Napoli vs Arsenal
Arsenal to win
This is probably the leg that makes us a little nervous.
Arsenal travel to Napoli on Wednesday in one of the better games of the opening matchday.
Still, Mikel Arteta’s side have started the Premier League season strongly and arrive in Italy after beating Chelsea 2-1.
They also have plenty of experience in these big European nights after last year’s run.
Napoli will make this uncomfortable. The atmosphere will be loud, the tackles will be flying in and Arsenal will have to earn this one.
But Arsenal have enough quality to come away with the win.
The Gunners are also among the favourites for the Champions League this season after reaching the final last season – only to lose to PSG.
It might not be pretty. We don’t particularly care. I doubt Arteta will either.
Three points will do nicely.
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Manchester United vs Sabah
Man United to win
Now for the one that looks like the banker – famous last words.
Manchester United welcome Sabah (quick Google search later shows they are from Azerbaijan) to Old Trafford on Thursday for their first Champions League game of the season.
This is exactly the sort of fixture United need to win if they are serious about making progress in the new league phase.
United’s Premier League form has been mixed. They drew 2-2 with Everton on Sunday after another game where they made life harder for themselves than necessary.
Still, this is Sabah.
The Azerbaijani side are making their Champions League league-phase debut and face an Old Trafford crowd expecting a comfortable evening.
United have plenty of attacking quality and should have far too much for the visitors.
The only concern?
This is Manchester United, so absolutely nothing can ever be completely straightforward.
FC Porto vs Manchester City
Man City to win
We are finishing with Manchester City, who face one of the toughest away trips in this Acca.
City travel to Porto on Tuesday night after winning their opening three Premier League games under Enzo Maresca.
They have already beaten Bournemouth, Crystal Palace and Coventry, although Saturday’s 1-0 win over Coventry was hardly a vintage performance.
Erling Haaland still managed to make the difference.
Porto have also made an excellent start and have won all six of their competitive games this season, so this will be a serious test for City.
However, City’s squad is packed with attacking quality and they have already shown they can find a way to win even when they are not at their best.
Porto will make them work for it.
But just like we said in our Porto vs Man City preview, City should still have enough.
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