Chelsea vs Basel Prediction and Champions League Betting Tips By Thats a Goal

Our Champions League betting tips are back! The greatest club competition in the world returns to our TV screens this week and boy have we missed it.

This opening round of group stage fixtures throws up an intriguing tie for last season's Europa League winners, Chelsea, who host Swiss side FC Basel at Stamford Bridge. It was only in May that these two teams were squaring-off over two legs in the semi-final of last season's second-tier European competition - the Europa League. That match-up saw Chelsea emerge as 5-2 winners on aggregate - having won the second leg at Stamford Bridge 3-1 - and so reach the final in Amsterdam; where they triumphed over Benfica to claim back-to-back European titles - having so impressively lifted the Champions League trophy the season before. How about a wager on that same scoreline - William Hill are offering great odds of 12/1 on a 3-1 victory for Chelsea. And so to boss Jose Mourinho, again re-united with Chelsea after his treble-winning stint at Inter Milan, followed by a mixed 3 years in the Spanish Capital; during which a glaring omission was a European title. The Champions League is one of the few titles which eluded his first successful managerial reign at Chelsea and the Portugese will be desperate to take the Blues to European glory for a third season in a row and so become the first ever manager to win three Champions League titles with three different clubs. One star forward Mourinho will be relying on if he is to achieve success this season, Belgian Eden Hazard, would seem a great betting tip for first goalscorer in this game at 8/1. Basel, meanwhile, are reigning Swiss champions and, despite losing both their home and away legs to Chelsea in those Europa League semis last season, should provide a stern opening test for a Chelsea side still finding their feet under the new boss with a new raft of players, as Sunday's 1-0 loss at Everton demonstrated. A score draw could well be on the cards - and Bet Victor are offering great odds on 1-1 at 21/2. Chelsea vs Benfica Betting Tips 1 - 1 Draw @ 21/2