Group C in the UEFA Champions League presents a stark contrast in strength, with Italian champions Napoli and Spanish titans Real Madrid emerging as clear frontrunners, while Braga and debutants Union Berlin face a formidable challenge. Braga, despite trailing behind Portuguese giants Benfica and Porto in the Primera Liga last season, secured Portugal’s last Champions League spot, narrowly surpassing Sporting. On the other hand, Union Berlin achieved an impressive fourth-place finish in the Bundesliga, an impressive feat just four years after ascending to Germany’s top division.
Facing off against European heavyweights like Real Madrid and Napoli, Braga and Union Berlin seem to face daunting odds. Their quest for third place in the group takes on heightened significance, granting them entry to the Europa League knockout stages. While the experience and pedigree gap is evident, the unpredictability of football offers both Braga and Union Berlin a chance to disrupt the status quo in this captivating group.
Champions League Group C odds to win (via OLBG)
Group C
Real Madrid -188
Napoli +225
Braga +1200
Union Berlin +1200
Predicted order of finish
1-Real Madrid
2-Napoli
3-Union Berlin
4-Braga
Full Champions League 2023/24 group stage schedule
(Group C matches in bold)
Matchday 1
19 September
AC Milan vs Newcastle (12:45)
Young Boys vs Leipzig (12:45)
Feyenoord vs Celtic (3:00)
Lazio vs Atlético de Madrid (3:00)
Paris vs Dortmund (3:00)
Man City vs Crvena Zvezda (3:00)
Barcelona vs Antwerp (3:00)
Shakhtar Donetsk vs Porto (3:00)
20 September
Galatasaray vs Copenhagen (12:45)
Real Madrid vs Union Berlin (12:45)
Bayern vs Man United (3:00)
Sevilla vs Lens (3:00)
Arsenal vs PSV Eindhoven (3:00)
Braga vs Napoli (3:00)
Benfica vs Salzburg (3:00)
Real Sociedad vs Inter (3:00)
Matchday 2
3 October
Union Berlin vs Braga (12:45)
Salzburg vs Real Sociedad (12:45)
Man United vs Galatasaray (3:00)
Copenhagen vs Bayern (3:00)
Lens vs Arsenal (3:00)
PSV Eindhoven vs Sevilla (3:00)
Napoli vs Real Madrid (3:00)
Inter vs Benfica (3:00)
4 October
Atlético de Madrid vs Feyenoord (12:45)
Antwerp vs Shakhtar Donetsk (12:45)
Celtic vs Lazio (3:00)
Dortmund vs Milan (3:00)
Newcastle vs Paris (3:00)
Leipzig vs Man City (3:00)
Crvena Zvezda vs Young Boys (3:00)
Porto vs Barcelona (3:00)
Matchday 3
24 October
Galatasaray vs Bayern (12:45)
Inter vs Salzburg (12:45)
Man United vs Copenhagen (3:00)
Sevilla vs Arsenal (3:00)
Lens vs PSV Eindhoven (3:00)
Braga vs Real Madrid (3:00)
Union Berlin vs Napoli (3:00)
Benfica vs Real Sociedad (3:00)
25 October
Feyenoord vs Lazio (12:45)
Barcelona vs Shakhtar Donetsk (12:45)
Celtic vs Atlético de Madrid (3:00)
Paris vs Milan (3:00)
Newcastle vs Dortmund (3:00)
Leipzig vs Crvena Zvezda (3:00)
Young Boys vs Man City (3:00)
Antwerp vs Porto (3:00)
Matchday 4
7 November
Dortmund vs Newcastle (12:45)
Shakhtar Donetsk vs Barcelona (12:45)
Atlético de Madrid vs Celtic (3:00)
Lazio vs Feyenoord (3:00)
Milan vs Paris (3:00)
Man City vs Young Boys (3:00)
Crvena Zvezda vs Leipzig (3:00)
Porto vs Royal Antwerp (3:00)
8 November
Napoli vs Union Berlin (12:45)
Real Sociedad vs Benfica (12:45)
Bayern vs Galatasaray (3:00)
Copenhagen vs Man United (3:00)
Arsenal vs Sevilla (3:00)
PSV Eindhoven vs Lens (3:00)
Real Madrid vs Braga (3:00)
Salzburg vs Inter (3:00)
Matchday 5
28 November
Lazio vs Celtic (12:45)
Shakhtar Donetsk vs Antwerp (12:45)
Feyenoord vs Atlético de Madrid (3:00)
Paris vs Newcastle (3:00)
Milan vs Dortmund (3:00)
Man City vs Leipzig (3:00)
Young Boys vs Crvena Zvezda (3:00)
Barcelona vs Porto (3:00)
29 November
Galatasaray vs Man United (12:45)
Sevilla vs PSV Eindhoven (12:45)
Bayern vs Copenhagen (3:00)
Arsenal vs Lens (3:00)
Real Madrid vs Napoli (3:00)
Braga vs Union Berlin (3:00)
Benfica vs Inter (3:00)
Real Sociedad vs Salzburg (3:00)
Matchday 6
12 December
Lens vs Sevilla (12:45)
PSV Eindhoven vs Arsenal (12:45)
Man United vs Bayern (3:00)
Copenhagen vs Galatasaray (3:00)
Napoli vs Braga (3:00)
Union Berlin vs Real Madrid (3:00)
Inter vs Real Sociedad (3:00)
Salzburg vs Benfica (3:00)
13 December
Leipzig vs Young Boys (12:45)
Crvena Zvezda vs Man City (12:45)
Atlético de Madrid vs Lazio (3:00)
Celtic vs Feyenoord (3:00)
Dortmund vs Paris (3:00)
Newcastle vs Milan (3:00)
Porto vs Shakhtar Donetsk (3:00)
Antwerp vs Barcelona (3:00)
