Group E of the 2022 Champions League continues on Wednesday, Sept. 14, as Austrian side FC Salzburg travels to London to take on Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues will be without Thomas Tuchel after the German manager was sacked by the club on Wednesday following a 1-0 loss to Dinamo Zagreb. Instead, newly hired Graham Potter, formerly of Brighton, will take the reigns for his Chelsea UCL debut.
Meanwhile, the Red Bulls are fresh off a Champions League draw against AC Milan. Last season Salzburg exited during the round of 16, losing 8-2 on aggregate to Bayern Munich.
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In addition, the loss of Brenden Aaronson to Leeds United and striker Karim Adeyemi to Dortmund have been a tough blow.
However, a win over Chelsea on the road would put Salzburg in the driver's seat for a qualifying spot out of Group E.
Who will walk away with a much-needed victory in the second round of matches in Group E? Let’s look at current betting lines to see how sportsbooks see the match and where the best bets and props can be found.
Matthew Williams' 2022-23 EPL/UCL Betting Record: 17-14, +14.6 Units
Chelsea vs FC Salzburg Odds
- 3-way handicap: Chelsea(-250) | Draw (+400) | FC Salzburg (+600)
- Draw No Bet: Chelsea (-750) |FC Salzburg (+430)
- Over/Under Goals: Over 2.5 ( -210) | Under 2.5 (+150)
- Both Teams to Score: Yes (-205) | No (+110)
Chelsea vs FC Salzburg odds are current as of Thursday, Sept. 8, on PointsBet Sportsbook.
Sportsbooks have Chelsea listed as a sizable home favorite against FC Salzburg, with a solid lean toward Over 2.5 goals. However, the odds have tightened slightly following the news of Tuchel’s departure.
Both clubs are expected to score during the match.
Chelsea vs FC Salzburg Betting Tips
If the Red Bulls are going to threaten a victory, they will need a strong effort from forward Benjamin Šeško. The Slovenian has scored 14 goals in 47 matches for Salzburg since moving to their first team last season.
The 6-foot-4-inch, Šeško has drawn comparisons to Erling Haaland, using his size to cover ground quickly, using speed to press out of possession and run the counterattack. He is a matchup nightmare that could cause Chelsea problems, especially in set pieces.
However, as is customary with any Chelsea match, the Blues will dominate possession. This should limit Salzburg’s opportunity to create scoring chances, thus keeping the game total on the lower side.
Chelsea vs FC Salzburg Prediction
Chelsea 2-1 FC Salzburg
The Blues have proven early in the season that they have a clear weakness when it comes to scoring goals. However, this earned reputation had much to do with the tactics of Tuchel, who is no longer calling the shots.
Unfortunately, we do not have a great deal of information to go on in regards to how the Chelsea attack will look going forward under Potter.
With that said, I have to make my prediction under the assumption that the London club will still be somewhat reserved while the new regime works to change things long-term.
Salzburg put in a strong effort against AC Milan during their opening match, and Chelsea have not been the shutdown defensive force we are used to seeing from them. I expect the Red Bulls to find the net, but they are still likely to have a tough time on the road.
A clean low-scoring draw is a strong possibility, but I predict the Blues will find a way to escape with a much-needed victory at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea vs FC Salzburg Best Bets
➕ Chelsea Wins 2:1 (+750) at PointsBet Sportsbook
WAGER: 1 unit
Given the confusion surrounding this match in regards to how Chelsea will perform under the current circumstances, it is difficult to place a wager on the result.
There is not enough profit to bet on a straight Chelsea win, nor the Over. Therefore, your best path to profit will be to pivot into value or by being specific.
I do think there is merit in betting the Under at (+150), as I see a strong possibility that Potter installs a lockdown defensive approach for this match. However, I am going to shoot for the moon and place some exact bet wagers instead in hopes of landing a larger payout.
The good news is that with odds like (+750) for a 2:1 Chelsea win and (+850) for a 1:1 draw, you can get creative in your approach. Plenty of profit can be had by combining several correct score bets:
- Chelsea Win 1:0 (+800)
- Chelsea Win 2:0 (+700)
- Chelsea Win 2:1 (+750)
- Draw 1:1 (+850)
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