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UEFA Champions League judgement day: 10 games Tuesday decide who moves on to playoffs

Benfica v Spartak Moscow, Dinamo Zagreb v Legia Warszawa, Ferencváros v Slavia Praha , FC Sheriff v Crvena Zvezda, Shakhtar Donetsk v KRC Genk, Midtjylland v PSV, Ludogorets v Olympiakos plus 3 more

Here we are, so close to the UEFA Champions League group stage draw (August 26 in Istanbul), and yet for some clubs, that seems like it might be so far.

Twenty teams will take to the pitches around Europe Tuesday for the second legs of their Champions League third round qualification matches. Some clubs, like AS Monaco and PSV Eindhoven, already have one foot into the playoff round, which starts next Tuesday. Most of the others will have 90 minute scraps, with the likelihood that more than a few will have to play an extra 30 minutes to decide their ties, and possibly go to penalties.

In short, it is another great day of European football. This whole week is a celebration if you are a fan, or a bettor, of the beautiful game: the UEFA Super Cup is Wednesday (Chelsea v. Villareal), and the Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga, and Eredivisie, among others, all open this weekend.

I picked six matches today, taking the slight favorites on a few, and going with the teams with first leg leads in some others.

I would expect a team like Rangers to shake off the first leg loss to Malmö, and a loss at the weekend, and show up today. Same with Crvena Zvezda, which was hampered by a red card in the first leg draw against Sheriff Tiraspol.

It should be a fun day.

Check Fubo.TV and Paramount+ for schedules

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE THIRD ROUND QUALIFICATION SECOND LEGS

(All TV games on Paramount+)

Sheriff Tiraspol (+335) v. Crvena Zvezda (-105), draw (+215), 1 p.m. EDT, tied 1-1 on aggregate

Shakhtar Donetsk (+100) v. KRC Genk (+255), draw (+265), 1:30 p.m. EDT, Shakhtar leads 2-1 on aggregate

FC Midtjylland (+255) v. PSV (-105), draw (+275), 2 p.m. EDT, PSV leads 3-0 on aggregate

Monaco (-315) v. Sparta Praha (+800), draw (+410), 2 p.m. EDT, Monaco leads 2-0 on aggregate

Benfica (-250) v. Spartak Moscow (+650), draw (+360), 3 p.m. EDT, Benfica leads 3-0 on aggregate

Rangers (-175) v. Malmö (+450), draw (+285), 3 p.m. EDT, Malmö leads 2-1 on aggregate

THE PICKS:

Crvena Zvezda ML (-105)