UEFA Champions League: Game Week Six - Wednesday preview

The UEFA Champions League is back on Wednesday, with nine fixtures on the docket as sides look to make a pre-Christmas mark on the ladder.

The new league phase concept has worked for some teams but hurt others, with Paris Saint-Germain and holders Real Madrid in danger of elimination before the playoffs.

There are still two rounds to play after game week six, but it remains uncertain where the cut-off point will be for the top eight and top 24.

Here's our take on the pick of Wednesday's matches.

Celtic face tough Zagreb trip

Current leaders Liverpool play Girona in one of the early games but are just 1.45 to claim a sixth win from six matches, so it is worth looking at the other fixture, Celtic's trip to Dinamo Zagreb.

The Bhoys are going well, currently 20th on the ladder but may feel they could be better off after only drawing 1-1 at home to Club Brugge in game week five.

Dinamo lost their last UEFA Champions League game 3-0 at home to Borussia Dortmund. The German side beat Celtic 7-1 but Brendan Rodgers' boys then drew 0-0 at Atalanta.

Both of Zagreb's wins in this competition have been on the road - 2-0 at Salzburg and 4-1 at Slovan Bratislava - and they can be awkward opponents at home.

They beat Celtic 4-3 at the Stadion Maksimir in 2014 and are 3.10 to win, while a home win and both to score is at 5.50.

Expect goals in Salzburg

Salzburg have also had a rotten run in this competition, winning one of four, but PSG have had a seriously tough draw, opening with a victory over Girona, tying with PSV but losing to Arsenal, Atletico Madrid and Bayern Munich.

They do have a trump card, though - Goncalo Ramos is back after injury, playing their last four games and got through 62 minutes of their 0-0 draw at Auxerre.

Ramos was replaced by Ousmane Dembele, who is suspended for this match after being dismissed against Bayern Munich. Ramos should start on Wednesday. He is 1.83 to score and PSG winning and over 3.5 goals is at 2.50.

Atalanta eyeing Real upset

A real upset to look for is Atalanta to beat holders Real Madrid, who sit 24th and in danger of elimination, at 2.70.

UEFA Europa League winners last season, La Dea should have beaten Arsenal at home, missing a penalty in a 0-0 contest, and also had 23 efforts in another goalless draw with Celtic.

They've beaten Shakhtar Donetsk, Stuttgart and Young Boys on the road and can bring that form back to Bergamo.

La Dea beat AC Milan 2-1 at the weekend, while Real were 3-0 winners at Girona but had lost 2-1 at Athletic Bilbao before that.

They've also lost both UEFA Champions League away matches, going down 1-0 at Lille and 2-0 at Liverpool.

Los Blancos might get a goal against Gian Piero Gasperini's side but Atalanta are the type of team to seize on Real's defensive injuries and look a mighty price to beat the reigning champions.

This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.