Deportivo La Coruna vs Sporting Gijon
FreeToday’s featured game is the Primera Liga encounter between Deportivo La Coruna and Sportng Gijon. This northern Spain clash comes at a time when points are vital for both sides so we should see a further enchanced passion surrounding this game on top of the usual feisty northern spirit present in such games.
However, I have to express my disbelief at the odds on the home win here. Have the bookies forgotten who Deportivo La Coruna are due to a couple of bad seasons? This is a formidable home side at the best of times and yes, they’ve had financial issues over the years but there’s some things that you don’t lose and the Riazor is the perfect example of that. The Riazor faithful won’t just let the club slide and allow it to occur – they expect success and Deportivo manager Lotina knows it. The side works ten times harder at home than they do away and you can finally see how strong this side is at home based on their past few home displays now that players are returning from injury.
I give Deportivo the advantage with the Riazor factor alone but they boast one of the healthiest squads available to them this season and I expect it to show too Indeed, the only reason that Urretaviscaya is missing is because he decided to helpfully start a fight with one of his team-mates so Lotina ousted him from the squad. The backbone of the side is beginning to emerge with Aranzubia in goal, Lopo and Colotto in front of him, Perez and Rodriguez in midfield, and Nouioui/Adrian in attack. Attack is their weakest area with Juca and Riki still unavailable to the hosts but this side is finally looking the force that it should be so they are very much worthy of respect, especially on home soil. Indeed, that much can be proven by the fact that only Almeria have won here this season, which is a bit bizarre in itself as they’re terrible but Depor were missing a lot of players at the time. In their past five home games, however, Depor have won four times and drawn once, keeping four clean sheets along the way. That form is Depor at their best – solid at the back, enthused, tenacious, and punishing. If they take the lead, I give them every chance of winning against anyone at home due to their solid defence and vociferous support so I’ll give them their dues here. Hell, Depor have only conceded four goals in seven consecutive Primera Liga games so I fancy them a lot here today.
I rate Sporting Gijon as a similar type of side to Deportivo. Indeed, northern Spain sides tend to produce the same type of football with traditionally very strong home displays and abysmal away displays. However, Gijon have really stuttered this season and they’ve lost over half of their Primera Liga games as a result. They’ve lost five out of six on the road in the Primera Liga, reinforcing my point, drawing the other two games. They average conceding nearly two goals per away game and scoring less than a goal per every two away games on average. Those averages look even less likely to improve with the fact that Gijon are without a win for ten consecutive games in all competitions, losing four out of their last five as they slide down the table. The worrying thing for Gijon is not only that they’re not scoring goals but the fact that their side is largely the same as last year but they’re not producing 50% as much effort-wise or results-wise as they did then. Gijon are in a deep hole at the moment and I just can’t see how they’ll get out of it without some heavy investment in the January transfer window – there’s just not enough quality in their side currently.
Bizarrely, Gijon actually have a very good record at Riazor in recent times. Well, I say “bizarrely” – I suppose this is the nearest thing to a derby that Deportivo have nowadays with Celta de Vigo in the division below. Nonetheless, Riazor in Galicia remains a fortress and any side travelling here knows it – just ask Real Madrid – they have an atrocious record here! It astounds me that Depor are priced so generously here – they’ve been immense at home lately and they should be able to continue that against their inferior opponents today. Depor’s weakness is not scoring enough goals but Gijon’s defence is bad enough to help them out there so I really fancy the home win here, which for my money, should be priced at 3/4, not evens.
Team news – Deportivo La Coruna miss Urretaviscaya and Sporting Gijon miss Carmelo.
Verdict: Deportivo La Coruna to win at evens – why not bet on this game now at Bwin?
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Saturday’s Picks
My tips:
As ever, below are my recommended value tips for today in no particular order:
Internazionale vs TP Mazembe – Internazionale to win to nil at evens.
It’s here; the moment we’ve all been waiting for…
The end of the FIFA World Club Cup! Thank God, too – it’s been a dire tournament this year!
As you may or may not know, this game is the final between UEFA European Champions League reigning champions Internazionale and African Champions League reigning champions TP Mazembe.
TP Mazembe are where they are due to having impressively overcome Mexican side Pachuca and Brazilian side Internacional, both of which were won without conceding a goal. However, as with most statistics, they don’t really tell the full story. Mazembe has taken at least one of the few chances that they create per game whilst defending stubbornly and working their arses off as if this was the biggest games of their lives. Fair play to Mazembe – I don’t think anyone in this tournament wants to win it as much as they do. As well as Mazembe have taken some of their goals, however, you do have to note that each goal has stemmed from casual and loose defending from both hispanic opponents faced. However, Mazembe won’t be extended that courtesy here by Italian opponents Internazionale. They might not be a shadow under Benitez of what they were under Mourinho but they can still defend with a lot of experience and ability in there so I really don’t think Inter will concede here. Mazembe will work very, very hard and they do want it more than Inter but Mazembe are lacking in the quality department and it should finally show today. Inter battled well against the enthusiasm of Seongnam Ilhwa and breezed to a 3-0 win due to some excellent tactics despite a deceptively even game and that’s the type of display I expect today. I don’t expect a whitewash win for Inter here; I don’t think they’ve got the fierpower nor the interest to do it, especially with Sneijder injured. However, this side should be able to take at least one chance in this game and I don’t expect them to concede so my call is for Inter to win this game without conceding at evens.
Team news – Internazionale miss Sneijder.
Verdict: Internazionale to win to nil at evens.
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Internacional vs Seongnam Ilhwa – over 2.5 goals at 3/4.
This is the third-place play-off between Copa Libertadores champions Internacional and Asian Champions League champions Seongham Ilhwa. I’m expecting a fairly open game here as it’s hardly a prestigious thing, to come third in a competition. Both sides play attractive, attacking football and it’s shown thus far too with Seongnam’s two games in this competition going over 2.5 goals and Internacional’s one game in this competition going under 2.5 goals in a 2-0 defeat but would have gone over 2.5 goals on another day as the TP Mazembe goalkeeper had the best game of his life when they faced Internacional. Internacional have some excellent attacking players like D’Alessandro and Tinga whereas Seongnam have Molina in midfield and Radoncic in attack. For me, there’s good attacking combinations for both sides available and I expect a fairly zesty display from both sides as a result. Therefore, my call is the rather obvious over 2.5 goals at decent odds of 3/4.
Verdict: Over 2.5 goals at 3/4.
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China vs Estonia – home win at 3/4.
I’m not a big advocate of backing China at home, primarily because they tend to disappoint after taking the lead by drawing. China usually don’t score enough goals, in my view, which is the fundamental reasoning behind me not backing them often. However, they’re at home for this friendly and China have experienced players like Bo Qu, Du Wei, Zhou Haibin, Zhao Xuri, and Gao Lin in the squad so they’re at least taking this friendly partially seriously. The same cannot be said for Estonia, however, who have fielded a side largely composed of Meistriliiga players so they are little more than a human guinea pig for this game today! The most notorious of their players is Honefoss midfielder Dimitrjev, which says it all, really. Sander Post can be a potent threat in attack but Estonia really shouldn’t trouble China here. For me, the home win is too generously-priced at 3/4 so that’s my call here.
China’s squad:
GK – Yang Zhi, Zeng Cheng, Guan Zhen, Cheng Yutei
DF – Du Wei, Rong Hao, Zhao Peng, Zhang Linpeng, Liu Jianye, Wang Qiang, Li Xuepeng, Li Jianbin, Mirakhmadjon Muzaffar
MF – Zhou Haibin, Zhao Xuri, Yang Hao, Yu Hai, Deng Zhuoxiang, Huang Bowen, Yu Hanchao, Yu Tao, Wang Song, Li Chunyu
A – Qu Bo, Gao Lin, Jiang Ning, Yang Xu, Yu Dabao
Estonia’s squad:
GK – Londak, Meerits
DF – Jurgenson, Morozov, Palatu, Stepanov, Sisov
MF – Dimitrijev, Luts, Mosnikov, Vunk
A – Alliku, Konsa, Post, Voskoboinikov, Dupikov
Verdict: China to win at 3/4.
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Wellington Phoenix vs Newcastle Jets – over 2.5 goals at 21/20.
Am I missing something here? I know Newcastle Jets are playing fabulously well, especially in defence, but still – Wellington Phoenix’s home games almost always go over 2.5 goals. It’s because they’re an attacking side that simply cannot defend, which is a good and bad combination depending on who they’re facing. The Phoenix are very hard to beat in New Zealand so we can at least see how serious Newcastle Jets’ excellent run of late is here today but the 1×2 market doesn’t interest me as I can accept any outcome here with Ricki Herbert’s Wellington Phoenix winning when they play well but losing when they don’t. They’re a better side than the Jets are, for my money, but the Jets are on fire at the moment with no defeats in seven games, winning five along the way, so momentum is very strong for the Jets here.
However, Wellington Phoenix are just a magnet for goals – they score and concede lots of them, hence nine out of their ten home games going over 2.5 goals this season and I expect another one today. The Jets have a good defence but they’ll have excelled themselves here if they keep a clean sheet against one of the most potent sides in the A-League, in my view.
I wouldn’t put it past the Jets scoring three here, either. They’re not good goalscorers but an inept Phoenix defence is missing Lochhead, Durante, Ward, and Paston, which is two key defenders, an important midfielder, and their number one goalkeepers. If the Phoenix don’t concede here then I’d recommend them going out buying lottery tickets ’cause their luck should be in. Will the Jets concede though? That’s what people have struggled to do lately – score against them – but that’s one thing that the Phoenix can do and frakly should do too if Ifill turns up. It helps that the Jets are missing captain and important defender Milicevic and three midfielders – holding midfielder Wehrman, emerging talent Kantarovski, and atypical starter Zadkovich. The Jets are known for being a compact unit but with those players missing, I think a potent Phoenix side can breach them today, possibly more than once too as I personally think that the Phoenix are the better of these two sides, not that the statistics show it.
So yeah – my call here is over 2.5 goals. It looks far too generously-priced here, to be honest. The Phoenix should incorporate “over 2.5 goals” into their name with their attack and defence taken into consideration! Either way – barring an immense Jets defensive display here, which looks unlikely with key players missing, this game should go over 2.5 goals.
Team news – Wellington Phoenix miss Durante, Lochhead, Cornejo, Ward, and Paston whereas Newcastle Jets miss Milicevic, Wehrman, Young, Zadkovich, Bridges, Brockie, Rooney, Wheelhouse, and Kantarovski.
Verdict: Over 2.5 goals at 21/20.
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Sint-Truiden vs Mechelen – home win at 7/5.
I had to do a double-take when I saw the odds on Sint-Truiden winning this game! Seriously – Sint-Truiden are immense at home. They’ve got fantastic support and the smallest pitch in the Eerste Klasse, which should immediately tell you that their football isn’t the classiest of styles and that sides that aren’t arsed about playing here tend to lose. You have to be prepared to face Sint-Truiden on their own turf as I doubt you’ll find a more consistently-motivated side than them and even if you are prepared – it’s still a long shot.
Sint-Truiden’s weakness is their over-reliance on ex-Debreceni VSC striker Sidibe for strength, pace, and aerial prowess. He’s absolutely quintessential to all of their tactical plans, especially in their 4-5-1, so he must play for them to have a chance of winning this game. He should be playing in this game, however, so I fully expect a strong Sint-Truiden display as a result. They have a full-strength squad to choose from, in fact, and with some excellent displays of late behind them, I really fancy them to do well here. They’ve won three out of their last four games and were very unlucky to lose at Standard de Liege at weekend and with one of those wins coming against giants Club Brugge, I think it’s fair to say that Sint-Truiden are in their element at the moment.
Visitors Mechelen can’t really say the same, however. They’ve lost two out of their last three games, drawing the other encounter, and scoring just once along the way. They’re definitely the average “home side” in the Eerste Klasse with points on the road often evading them as four defeats in seven away games indicates all too well. Indeed, the reasoning behind their poor away form is their average of conceding over two goals per away game and scoring an average of a goal per away game. In fact, Mechelen have lost four out of their last five Eerste Klasse away games, drawing the other game, leaking thirteen goals along the way and scoring just three times. That record looks bad enough as it is but considering that they lost here 5-2 last year, the nerves are surely starting to settle into this demoralised Mechelen side and rightly they should, in my view. They miss two of their main strikers – Benteke and Wilmet (against his former club, too!) – and important defender Ghomsi and important midfielder Geudens. Mechelen’s absences may be few in number but they’re hefty in price and that should be evident by the final whistle today.
For me, Sint-Truiden should be 5/4 to win this game. I simply cannot fathom why they’re so long to win at home with an awful lot in their favour. Had they not had a fairly unpredictable home run at the start of this season, I’d have made this the game of the day. However, as they have suffered some strange results, it’s not the main game of the day but I still really like Sint-Truiden to win this at a very generous 7/5.
Team news – Mechelen miss Jonathan Wilmet (ex-Sint Truiden), Kevin Geudens and Antonio Ghomsi and Christian Benteke.
Verdict: Sint-Truiden to win at 7/5.
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Zulte-Waregem vs Westerlo – over 2.5 goals at 21/20.
Zulte-Waregem welcome back Meert from injury and Nfor from suspension, the latter of which is more beneficial for this bet as Nfor and Habibou in attack are unplayable on their day in the Eerste Klasse. In fact, Zulte-Waregem fielding those two with Hyland behind them makes for a frightening attack that Zulte have benefited from a lot of times already this season. I have to question how long Zulte can hold onto the likes of Hyland for with foreign interest already touted fairly regularly but for the time being, Zulte possess some very good attacking players.
It’s the likes of the afore-mentioned that have guided them to impressive wins (i.e. 1-3 at Cercle Brugge, 2-0 at home to Standard de Liege) and a potent Zulte side have only lost once in seven games, which was a rather unfortunate defeat against giants Anderlecht so it’s acceptable. After the departure of Berrier in summer, I really wasn’t expecting much from Zulte this season but they’ve really impressed me and are definitely worthy of being taken seriously with their newfound shooting boots. Let’s be realistic here – the only sides to have outscored Zulte this season are the top five sides in the country – Anderlecht, Racing Genk, Standard de Liege, Club Brugge, and AA Gent respectively – so Zulte are not the kind of side to underestimate. However, the reason they’re languishing closer to the foot of the table rather than the top is down to a poor start to their campaign and abject defending so I won’t be entering the 1×2 market here.
However, over 2.5 goals intrigues me a lot here. Zulte are playing well, as I’ve mentioned, but so are Westerlo. Westerlo are not the average over 2.5 goals side – indeed, they’re more of an under 2.5 goals side, in my view. When they’re in-form, though, they’re a bastard to play against as both AA Gent and Club Brugge have found lately with a 4-4 and 4-3 scoreline respectively. Westerlo have actually scored approximately a third of their goals in the Eerste Klasse this season in their last two away games, which emphasises my points above perfectly; they’re not a goal-filled side in general but they are when they’re in-form! Westerlo rarely travel well, despite their convincing away statistics, but I’m suitably impressed that only Club Brugge, AA Gent, and Racing Genk respectively have scored more away goals than they have. Westerlo’s defence on the road is quite vulnerable, which tends to lead to them conceding rather a lot of goals too. Mravac should return tonight to assist them in defence but they’re still going to struggle in that area because they’re not particularly good and they’re facing a very strong attacking side. All in all, Westerlo are in for a tough night!
With Zulte-Waregem missing D’Haene in defence and Westerlo missing De Petter in defence, the opportunity is there for over 2.5 goals to occur. Mravac won’t be 100% fit if he does play so I see goals here, even though Westerlo are missing Dekelver in attack – Henrique, Chavez, and Iakovenko should have enough to compensate though! For me, this game has over 2.5 goals all over it, although it rarely happens between these two sides historically!
Team news – Zulte-Waregem miss D’Haene, Roelandts, and Sterckx whereas Westerlo miss De Petter, Van Hout, Adams, Lilium, Ruiz, and Dekelver.
Verdict: Over 2.5 goals at 21/20.
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Lokeren vs Cercle Brugge – home win at 4/5.
I don’t think I’ve given Lokeren the credit that they deserve this season; they’ve had a fabulous campaign and are going from strength to strength. People criticised Anderlecht for not beating them last match despite them only having ten men; why? Lokeren have really developed this season and are very hard to break down. It’s easy to fall into the trap of expecting a side to win because of their name but it’s about time people stopped underestimating this Lokeren side.
Indeed, look at their home record this season – seven wins, one draw, and just one defeat. They average scoring over two goals per home game and conceding a goal per home game so it stands to reason that they’ve won most of their home games. The only side to win at Lokeren this season was a very in-form Anderlecht side; Club Brugge and Standard de Liege have both lost here since then. It might not look much on paper either but beating Sint-Truiden 3-0 at home is definitely worthy of respect as they’re a compact side that are hard to score against so that result impressed me a lot too. This Lokeren side is young, hungry, and very well-organised by Maes and I really rate them, especially with De Ceulaer leading the line Tshinyama and M’Bayo in midfield, and Maric in defence.
Cercle Brugge have tried winning at Lokeren for some time but they’ve failed seven consecutive times, losing twice in their last three visits, in fact. They don’t tend to enjoy playing Lokeren as they don’t often beat them but to be fair, both sides have progressed considerably this year. Cercle’s success stems from the youngsters they loaned from Sporting Clube de Lisboa and that basically turned Cercle into a side that can play football rather than long-ball merchants. However, that’s only half of the battle as some clubs in the Eerste Klasse still do it better than Cercle do and Lokeren are one of them. On the back of a 1-3 home defeat inflicted by in-form Zulte-Waregem, Cercle aren’t in the greatest of form either. It also doesn’t help that they don’t travel well at all. They’ve won two away games this season – once at newly-promoted Lierse SK in a dull affair and once in their “cup final” against illustrious local rivals Club Brugge so I don’t really count either. Cercle have lost four of those games resoundingly; some of which are acceptable and some of which aren’t. They concede goals too easily away from home and with target man Foley missing in attack, even their attacking could suffer today.
For me, everything points to a Lokeren win here. They’ve got so much strength in their team that I have to favour them for this game. 4/5 is a good price on a strong home side like Lokeren and I thoroughly expect them to do the job today.
Team news – Lokeren miss De Roover whereas Cercle Brugge miss Portier, Foley, Sergeant, and Gombami.
Verdict: Lokeren to win at 4/5.
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Eupen vs Charleroi – over 2.5 goals at 4/5.
Eupen welcome back Panizzolo after his red card against Racing Genk was rescinded, which is beneficial for the hosts. However, there’s no secret formula to this game; neither side can defend for shit. This is a relegation six-pointer between two sides that will be in the mix at the end of the Eerste Klasse campaign and they will both fight hard here. Eupen are a decent enough side at home and score the necessary quota of goals to get a result; they just defend horribly and tend to not gain anything. Nonetheless, eight out of their last nine Eerste Klasse games have gone over 2.5 goals as desperate times have closed in around them and determination has increased and Eupen have looked better for it. Charleroi, however, look doomed with no wins this season other than the reversal of this fixture at the start of the campaign, ironically. They’ve lost five consecutive games and are demoralised, understandably, so I don’t expect much from them today.
However, Charleroi are determined and that’s what makes the difference here for me. They’ve lost thirteen Eerste Klasse games this season and nine of those have gone over 2.5 goals. I do think Charleroi will lose today but I wouldn’t dare enter the 1×2 market of such a difficult game. The angle that intrigues me is not only that they need the points but that they can’t defend. They score more than most do at this end of the table but they’re just atrocious defensively. For me, in such a pivotal game, this game has to go over 2.5 goals as most games involving these two sides do for obvious reasons.
Verdict: Over 2.5 goals at 4/5.
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APOEL Nicosia vs Enosis Neon Paralimni – home win with -1.5 handicap at 3/4.
I was previously looking at under 2.5 goals for this game and wondered why it was 5/4. I then saw the missing players and suddenly realisation slammed home that Enosis Neon Paralimni are missing what is effectively the core of their defence; Fassotte and Markovski. Without them, Enosis lose the stubborn resilience that they usually show and against arguably the best team in Cyprus, they should find life very difficult indeed today.
You wouldn’t think things could be worse for the visitors but you’d be wrong – they’re also missing their best striker – Van Tornhout. So not only are Enosis likely to get overrun here by APOEL more than normal but they’re also very unlikely to retaliate. I’m sure you can now see why I’ve hurriedly changed my tip from under 2.5 goals to the handicap. The handicap at 3/4 now looks very attractive indeed as I’d price it a lot shorter than it is given that Enosis are missing instrumental figures in their defence. APOEL don’t always beat the handicap against Enosis but they do tend to beat them due to the obvious gulf in quality. APOEL have won eleven out of fourteen games this season, averaging scoring over two goals per game and conceding less than a goal per every two home games, so you can see why I like the handicap even more here. They’re on-fire too, bagging sixteen goals in five games and beating the -1.5 goal handicap for four consecutive wins now.
All in all, this should be a stroll in the park for APOEL. Solari and Trichkovski are in immense form for the hosts and with Nuno Morais pulling the strings from midfield, the -1.5 goal handicap here should be a mere formality for the Cypriot giants.
Team news – Enosis miss Van Tornhout, Fassotte, and Markovski for this game.
Verdict: APOEL Nicosia to beat the -1.5 goal handicap at 3/4.
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AEL Limassol vs Doxa – home win with -1.5 handicap at 11/5.
Unlike the above preview, this handicap is considerably riskier but I like it nonetheless as it’s still priced far too generously. In my view, the bookies are reading too much into AEL’s form this season rather than their actual ability level, which dwarfs Doxa’s ability level by some distance. That doesn’t necessarily mean that this tip is a dead cert – far from it – but it should be closer to 6/4 than the laughable 11/5!
It’s only lately that AEL Limassol have woken up but they’ve done it well. They’ve gone unbeaten in five consecutive games now, scoring ten goals along the way whilst winning three of their games. They claimed a 2-2 draw with rivals APOEL Nicosia and even overcame a very resilient Olympiakos Nicosia 3-2 in their last game, which takes some doing in this league, I can tell you! What I like most about AEL at the moment is that they truly believe in themselves again and that’s literally all they were missing at the start of the season. This AEL side is very strong and although only Freddy is scoring goals for them in attack, they still boast the likes of Rasiak and Gonzalez who can both score goals too, given chance, and they will soon enough, I’m sure. Ze Vitor is scoring goals for fun from midfield too, which naturally boost AEL’s chances considerably and also aids cover up the fact that AEL miss Vargas today, who is a fairly important midfielder for AEL, in my view. They also miss Ouon in defence and I’d normally be concerned with that but I don’t expect much opposition for him to face today, as you can see in the below paragraph. AEL haven’t beaten the handicap against Doxa before but handicaps are there to be broken and they look confident enough ahead of today’s game to do it in this game.
Of course, Doxa are not an easy side to play against. They’re well-organised and don’t concede goals often. However, those attributes are much more evident at home as they’ve already lost five out of seven on the road whilst conceding an average of over two goals per away game. They’re not big goalscorers on the road but they do tend to steal a token goal, which would concern me here as AEL are occasionally suspect at the back but it doesn’t concern me today. Why? Well, Doxa are only missing one player for this game and that’s not normally a catastrophic event but in this instance, it’s Henrique, Doxa’s only good striker and leading goalscorer. He’s scored over a third of their goals this season and without him, I just don’t see where their goals are coming from. In Doxa’s five away defeats this season, they’ve lost by two goals or more in three of those games so the handicap option is there for the hosts today. Doxa will provide stiff opposition, as ever, but I personally feel that AEL are playing well enough to overcome that.
For me, the home win is something that simply must happen here. There’s value in that alone, truth be told – AEL are a very good side on their day. However, the handicap at 11/5 with the above in mind is laughably generous whether it comes in or not! As it happens, I think there’s a good chance of it coming in so my call is AEL to win with the -1.5 goal handicap.
Team news – AEL miss Vargas, Ouon, and Garpozis whereas Doxa miss Henrique
Verdict: AEL Limassol to beat the -1.5 goal handicap at 11/5.
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Watford vs Preston North End – over 2.5 goals at 3/4.
If ever a game screamed “over 2.5 goals” then it’s this one! Watford drubbed Queens Park Rangers in outstanding fashion lately 0-3 away from home and to be honest, it could have and should have been more. Watford have been immense in front of goal this season but if they played like that every week then they’d be top of the table. The trouble is that they tend to let their guard down in games like this and stutter to a poor result. However, whether Watford turn up or not here, I still think they’ll aid my bet. Watford don’t defend particularly well on average whereas Preston’s sole strength is attacking so I expect some away goals here. Amusingly, however, Preston are utterly inept in defence (hence their current league placing) and Watford are good in front of goal! There’s a lot of offensive qualities to both sides here with few defensive qualities, most notably on the Preston side. I wouldn’t want to enter the 1×2 market with the reasonably unpredictable nature of the Championship but this game has to be over 2.5 goals, surely? These two sides both average participating in games with three goals or more in so over 2.5 goals at 3/4 looks a steal to me today.
Team news – Watford miss McGinn and Bryan whereas Preston miss Hume (loan spell ended) and have doubts over Coutts, James, and Mayor.
Verdict: Over 2.5 goals at 3/4.
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Nurnberg vs Hannover 96 – away win with draw no bet at 5/4.
Nurnberg aren’t an easy side to face but on the back of their terrible run lately, I have to oppose them today. They’ve lost four out of their last five Bundesliga games, including two consecutive home defeats whilst shipping five goals – that’s when you can tell they’re out-of-form – this sides doesn’t concede many on their own turf. They’re demoralised and that is damaging their limited attack even more as we all know strikers need confidence so Nurnberg aren’t in a great place at the moment and it’s going to take more than a late equaliser to draw with Hoffenheim to convince me otherwise, especially with key defender Nilsson still missing.
Nurnberg can’t be too optimistic today, either. Hannover 96 are playing very well, yes, but Nurnberg have struggled against them for years. Indeed, they’ve only beaten them at home once in five attempts so they know the task ahead of them is big, especially having lost against Hannover 96 at home last season. Hannover 96’s outstanding run of five straight wins can’t and won’t continue forever; that’s a fact. However, I think that they can extend their run today as they’re facing an opponent in bad enough shape to succumb to their charms! They’ve beaten better sides than Nurnberg lately and with momentum strong and confidence high, I really fancy Hannover 96 to get the bare minimum of a draw here.
The bad news for Hannover 96 is that sought-after striker Didier Ya Konan misses this game through illness. However, happily, “Norwegian” striker Abdellaoue is lined up to replace him and he’s a very good replacement, albeit not 100% match fit for obvious reasons. Haggui returns in defence for the visitors and although Pinto is a doubt in midfield, I still expect him to feature. Hannover 96 have more than enough in their arsenal to take a result here but I’d definitely recommend covering it with draw no bet as they’ve not the most prolific of sides at the best of times!
Abdellaoue and Haggui return but Pinto is a doubt.
Team news – Nurnberg miss Nilsson and Bunjaku for this game whereas Hannover 96 miss Miller, Andreasen, Carlitos, Stoppelkamp, and Didier Ya Konan whilst having doubts over Pinto.
Verdict: Hannover 96 to win with draw no bet at 5/4.
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St.Pauli vs Mainz 05 – away win at 8/5.
A quick glance at the Bundesliga table means that you don’t need me to tell you that St.Pauli aren’t really good enough to be in this division. They’ve battled valiantly since obtaining promotion last season but they just lack the quality. They’re the lowest-scoring side in the division by a mile and with that in mind, it’s no surprise that they’ve lost half of their home games already this season with a paltry goal scored per home game on average. They’re not horrific defensively but if you score against a side that doesn’t score goals, it stands to reason that you have a pretty damn good chance of beating them, especially if y0u’re a competent defensive side – enter Mainz 05!
It doesn’t help St.Pauli’s cause that number one goalkeeper Kessler is suspended here so Mainz 05 will have a slight advantage in their attacking game. The problem is for St.Pauli that there are few sides in the Bundesliga that are harder to take points off than Mainz 05 when they have a lead to hold onto because they’re a very resilient side. I’d be the first to admit that their away record this season flatters them but nonetheless, five wins from seven away games is a great return and they must be taken seriously with that in mind. They lost 0-1 at home to Schalke 04 at weekend but the result was a little harsh on them as they played some good football and missed a penalty in that game. I doubt they’ll be too downcast here and let’s face it – they know that they’re better than St.Pauli so the away win is very much a possibility here.
I don’t see many goals in this one. In fact, I envision a very cagey affair indeed with the first goal of the game likely to decide the outcome of it as neither side is good at coming from behind. However, with only BV09 Borussia Dortmund boasting a better defensive record away from home than Mainz 05 this season and with nobody having scored less home goals than St.Pauli this season, you have to expect Mainz 05 to keep a clean sheet here. With that in mind, we’re talking odds of 8/5 on Mainz 05 scoring a goal and with their average away from home being nearly two goals scored per game, I fancy them to win here rather a lot.
Team news – St.Pauli miss Kessler for this game.
Verdict: Mainz 05 to win at 8/5.
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Fortuna Dusseldorf vs Greuther Furth – home win at 5/4.
Dear, oh dear! When are the bookies going to realise that Fortuna Dusseldorf are actually a very good side? They had a bad start, yes, but their quality is entact! Crazy sods!
I’m not saying that Fortuna are a definite win here but there’s no way they should be as long as 5/4 to win this game. They’ve struggled to break Greuther Furth down in the past couple of seasons at home but they’ve not conceded against them during those two games because Fortuna boast arguably the best defence in the division. I don’t know how they do it but Fortuna are the epitome of the term “German” in football – strong, well-organised, and rarely concede goals!
Fortuna welcome back Jovanovic for this game to boost their attack, which is a timely boost as Torghelle is out injured. Nonetheless, it’ll take more than an injury to stop this Dusseldorf machine, who have now kept four clean sheets in their past five games, winning three of those games along the way. In fact, Fortuna have kept four consecutive clean sheets against the likes of MSV Duisburg and Augsburg, winning all four games as they return to their irresistable best. I’d never describe their football as “alluring” in any way, shape, or form. However, they’re absolutely efficient in every possible way and they’re the most dangerous side in Bundesliga 2 with momentum behind them so I really fancy them today.
Greuther Furth are a funny side though, and that concerns me. They’ve lost some big players over summer and thus aren’t the same side as last year but they’re just capable of turning up sporadically and scoring goals against anyone. They bring strong momentum into this game too, worryingly, with five games gone by whilst remaining unbeaten. What you start to notice about Greuther Furth, however, is that they “have a ceiling”, as I put it. They can win emphatically on the road (i.e. 1-4 at Arminia Bielefeld) but they struggle a lot against good sides away from home. That explains why their away form is so random, really – they’ve beaten the poor sides that they’ve played away from home this season and lost to the good sides that they’ve faced away from home this season, simply put! Their attacking game has taken a hefty blow today with Sararer absent, however – the midfielder is pivotal from a creative front and they’d need someone like him to even attempt to unlock this iron Fortuna defence and I really don’t fancy their chances without him.
Fortuna Dusseldorf are in immense form and are staring out at the rest of Bundesliga 2 impassively. They look immortal, especially if they take the lead, but that of course is their Achilles heel – they don’t score enough goals. Nonetheless, this Greuther Furth side is definitely capable of conceding goals and if Fortuna get that priceless lead then I really fancy them to win this game due to their solid backline. Therefore, my call is the home win at 5/4.
Team news – Fortuna miss Torghelle, Weber, and Marco Konigs whereas Greuther Furth miss Kampl and Sararer.
Verdict: Fortuna Dusseldorf to win at 5/4.
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Livorno vs Padova – home win at 4/5.
Eh, I can’t really write a lot about this one because it’s mostly statistical! Livorno are simply a very good side and the statistics perhaps don’t show it as well as they could due to a sluggish start. This side is capable of competing in Serie A, however, so make no mistake here – they’re a very good outfit. I’m a big fan of Padova and their tremendous energy but winning away from home has evaded them on a consistent basis since promotion from Serie C last season and it’s not changed this season either. Padova have looked dubious lately whereas Livorno have looked impressive. For me, the home win at 4/5 is good vaue; Livorno shouldn’t be longer than 3/4 here from my perspective.
Verdict: Livorno to win at 4/5.
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NAC Breda vs Vitesse Arnhem – home win at 4/5.
NAC Breda’s home form is immense; I can’t put it any other way. Who would have thought that this stretched oufit at the start of the current Eredivisie campaign could materialise into such a dominant home side?
NAC have now won eight out of ten at home and that list includes wins against PSV Eindhoven and Twente Enschede. I like NAC’s approach, to be honest – they know they can’t defend so they just attack relentlessly. A clean sheet is something of a myth to tonight’s hosts but it’s no surprise that they’re doing so well with only Heerenveen and PSV Eindhoven having scored more home goals than they have. The problem I’d have with today’s bet atypically would be the absence of star striker Amoah, as he’s absolutely brilliant for them, as opponents Vitesse Arnhem know all too well as an ex-striker of theirs. However, Vitesse have long been a poor away side and with Buttner and Pedersen missing again for them, I don’t rate their chances here at all. NAC would miss Amoah more in a big game but they have enough firepower to win this game without him. They’ve won four out of their last five games so momentum is strong and they’ve beaten Vitesse at home for two consecutive seasons now without conceding a goal so they’ll be confident here. Vitesse simply don’t travel well either, which helps us massively, of course! They’ve lost five out of nine on the road in the Eredivisie whilst averaging conceding over two goals per away game. Yes, they claimed a 1-1 draw at home to Ajax last match and although they played well in the second-half, I think it’s fair to say that Ajax could have and should have won that game 1-3 or 1-4 and with better strikers on the field, they would have, having missing a gluttony of chances in that game. Vitesse are always a danger in attack with playmaker Stevanovic on the field of play but conceding goals doesn’t bother NAC; they just outscore their opponents. Although the spearhead of their attack is missing today, 4/5 on a NAC win here looks very generous indeed so that’s my call here. I’d lay off the handicap before you get any crazy ideas though – NAC are not only missing star striker Amoah but his deputies Leonardo, Lurling, and midfielders Luijckx and Feher so be cautious here. With Boussaboun in attack though, NAC really should have enough to win this game today.
Team news – NAC Breda miss Amoah, Luijckx, Janse, Snoyl, Lurling, Leonardo, and Feher whereas Vitesse miss Buttner, Kaloglu, Van Diermen, Molhoek, and Pedersen.
Verdict: NAC Breda to win at 4/5.
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Hearts vs Inverness Caledonian Thistle – over 2.5 goals at evens.
This is another one that speaks for itself, really. Both of these two sides have been scoring goals for fun lately and playing great football to boot so I’m hoping for a great game here. Hearts have now won six consecutive games and given that that list of wins includes a win against giants Celtic, it’s understandable that Hearts are on top of the world at the moment. However, this is their third game in seven days and the mid-week trip to Motherwell is always a nightmare one on their swampy pitch so I think we’ll see a slightly more tired and error-prone Hearts display today. Unfortunately, they’ve picked a bad day to allow that to appear on as Inverness are fantastic away from home; unbeaten away from home in over a year now. Five out of Inverness’ last six games have gone over 2.5 goals due to their never-say-die attitude and clinical finishing so they need to be taken seriously here. They’ve played eight away games in the Premier League this season and six have gone over 2.5 goals, including trips to Rangers and Celtic respectively. If Hearts have any intention of winning this game then they’re going to need to score a lot of goals, based on the afore-mentioned information, as Inverness surrender to nobody at the moment. If Inverness get that goal against a tight Hearts defence then this game should be game, set, and match for over 2.5 goals, which is generously priced at evens. Given that I expect Inverness to score in this game as they have in every away game this season, over 2.5 goals is my call here.
Verdict: Over 2.5 goals at evens.
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Villarreal vs Real Mallorca – home win with -1.5 handicap at 13/10.
Mallorca have been a thorn in Villarreal’s side in the past few years but times are almost great against at El Madrigal. I can say without fear of contradiction that this is the best I’ve seen Villarreal play since Pellegrini departed, and as a big fan of the experienced Chilean manager, that is some compliment to dish out to Garrido and his team.
They won their UEFA Europa League group at a canter. They win their home games with ease. That’s what I love about Villarreal – everything that they do is done at their pace and in their time. They’ve won six out of seven at home in the Primera Liga this season, drawing the other game. Did they do it rashly, scoring and conceding wildly like most Spanish sides? No. They coolly average scoring over two goals per home game and conceding just over a goal per every four home games. It’s a phenomenal record, to be blunt, and although a lot of praise is going to Villarreal’s strikers Nilmar and Rossi (and deservedly so for their excellent link-up play and finishing), the credit has to go to Senna and Cazorla, in my opinion, as they manipulate the ball wonderfully for El Submarino Amarillo. Indeed, Valero and Cani play their part too but those two are the heartbeat of the midfield and let’s face it – Villarreal rarely lose the ball so they’re not a side that will often concede goals. They miss key defender Marchena for this game but to be honest, an impotent Mallorca side doesn’t concern me greatly in that area as they don’t travel well and I don’t expect them to see much of the ball in this game. Villarreal have beaten the -1.5 goal handicap in four out of their six home wins this season so why not again today?
Real Mallorca are a funny side to face, especially away from home, although that fortunately isn’t a problem that faces us today! They’re quite able defensively, which is largely due to the work of Laudrup behind the scenes. They still lack something in front of goal though and that’s indicated by the fact that they’re very poor when Castro doesn’t play. Mallorca are just one of those sides that are generally very poor away from home, however. Spanish sides have a tendency to operate at 50% away from home for reasons that I’ve never been able to pinpoint and Mallorca are definitely one of those sides. How a side that has only conceded three goals in eight home games can average conceding two goals per away game in the same season is just beyond me. They do score goals on the road themselves but attackers Webo and Cavenaghi are a bit predictable, to be honest, and defenders know that. As long as Villarreal keep an eye on Castro, then this is Villarreal’s game to lose. Mallorca don’t bring any great confidence into this game either on the back of two straight defeats, each without scoring a goal, losing 3-0 at Getafe and bafflingly 0-1 at home to Racing Santander last match. I therefore cannot expect anything from Mallorca today other than to turn up and to lose, to be frank.
Do approach this one with some caution as Mallorca can be a pain in the arse to play against but all the signs point to a convincing Villarreal win and I’m inclined to agree with those signs. Villarreal should have way too much for Mallorca today and the handicap is a good value bet for as long as it remains at evens or above.
Team news – Villarreal miss Oriol and Marchena whereas Real Mallorca miss Eduardo Ratinho and have doubts over Castro whilst Laudrup has excluded Tejera from the squad this time around.
Verdict: Villarreal to beat the -1.5 goal handicap at 13/10.
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Espanyol vs Barcelona – home win with +1.5 handicap at 5/4.
If anyone touches Barcelona to win this derby at 1/4 away from home, then they’re crazy. It’s that simple. Yes, Barcelona are the better side and yes, they’re playing fabulous but seriously – what side is worth 1/4 away from home in a derby? No side is! I don’t care how good you are – derby games are a nightmare to play in and Barcelona know it!
Can you believe that Espanyol are around 9/1 to win this game? Amazing odds for a side that’s won seven out of seven at home this season. I understand it to a degree – we all know how good Barcelona are, after all. I wouldn’t write Espanyol off, however. Their home form is always good and although it flatters them this season, they are to be taken seriously in Barcelona. They don’t score enough goals to be a great side but they defend like troopers so they’re not an easy side to face. They played well at San Mames against Athletic Club de Bilbao last match and were unlucky to lose, although you won’t get me complaining as a Bilbao enthusiast!
Espanyol welcome back Baena and Marquez to bolster their ranks for this game and Pochettino will be pleased to have as many options available to him as possible for this game. As an ex-Espanyol centre-back himself, he knows the importance of this derby for Espanyol as a club and for their fans so his side will be as motivated as can be for what I can only describe as Espanyol’s “cup final”, which is the way it always is. It works, too, with Barcelona having only won at Espanyol once in their past five attempts. This is never an easy game for Barcelona but their quality can obviously decide a game in an instant.
Espanyol are pretty much at full-strength today so I expect a lot from them. They’ll lay their lives on the line to get a result here and as much as I admire Barcelona’s enthusiasm, tenacity, and ability, they always struggle here against a side that frankly wants to win the game more than they do so I expect a tough game for them here. Barcelona have a largely full squad available to them too so I expect a good game here but the odds on Espanyol are incredible. Rather than entering the specific 1×2 market, however, I’ve decided a more cautious approach is in order by giving Espanyol a +1.5 goal head start. Barcelona’s away record this season alone is enough to suggest why the odds are generous on this selection but this selection would have won for the past eight games between Espanyol and Barcelona when played at Espanyol so do give it some thought with the above in mind, especially whilst it’s priced as generously as 5/4.
Team news – Espanyol miss Ivan Alonso and David Lopez whereas Barcelona miss Milito, Jeffren, and Thiago.
Verdict: Espanyol to win with a +1.5 goal handicap at 5/4.
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Kayserispor vs Bucaspor – home win with -1.5 handicap at 13/10.
No wins in four consecutive Super Lig games doesn’t reflect favourably upon hosts Kayserispor but as is sometimes the case, the statistics don’t tell the full story. Kayserispor’s strength is always their home games but no wins in two home games is puzzling so let’s look at why that is. Well, the first game was against a Galatasaray side that defended for their lives and the game ended 0-0, which I think is acceptable. The other home game was a 2-2 draw with in-form Eskisehirspor and having watched that game, I cannot express enough how baffled I was by the full-time result as Kayserispor played them off the park. It was just one of those days, I guess! However, when Kayserispor are good, they’re really good and they’ve demonstrated that by beating Besiktas JK and Fenerbahce at home already this season. Kayserispor are a good attacking side and although they’ve still devoid of Uruguayan target man Zalayeta, they’re still a force in attack and I expect that to show today.
It helps my bet massively that they’re facing Bucaspor, of course. Bucaspor have already lost five out of eight away from home in the Super Lig whilst averaging conceding nearly two goals per away game so life is hardly ideal for them since promotion, especially away from home. It’s the fact that they score an average of a goal per every two away games that has to be the most concerning point of their away form though! Look at the three sides that they’ve managed to not lose against this season away from home – Sivasspor, Konyaspor, and Kasimpasa – it’s hardly an enviable list, is it? They’ve lost whenever they’ve encountered a semi-decent side away from home and more worryingly than that, they’ve lost four out of their five away games in the Super Lig by two goals or more. Their defence has crumbled of late and although they’ve faced good sides along the way, they’re facing another good side today so I really don’t rate their chances here.
An early goal is imperative to shatter that Bucaspor resilience but if Kayserispor get one then the handicap should come in. Bucaspor are good at keeping sides out until the first goal – after that, they tend to capitulate as their attacking leaves a lot to be desired. Therefore, my call is for Kayserispor to beat the -1.5 goal handicap at 13/10 today
Verdict: Kayserispor to beat the -1.5 goal handicap at 13/10.
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Accumulator fodder:
APOEL Nicosia, AEL Limassol, Arsenal, Portsmouth, Port Vale, Saint-Etienne, Paris Saint-Germain, Panathinaikos, Heerenveen, NAC Breda, SL Benfica, Celtic, Villarreal, Kayserispor, Fenerbahce.
Recommended bets:
Deportivo La Coruna, Paris Saint-Germain, and APOEL Nicosia at 3/1.
NAC Breda, SL Benfica, and Villareal at 3/1.
As ever, if there are any questions/explanations required then please feel free to post a comment! For the remainder of my thoughts on today’s games, see below, although I feel compelled to write that the below are not necessarily my tips but merely my thoughts to prevent endless questions about my thoughts on certain games!
FIFA World Club Cup:
Internacional vs Seongnam Ilhwa (6) over 2.5 goals, both sides to score
Internazionale vs TP Mazembe (7) 2-0
International Friendlies:
Iraq vs Syria (7) 1-0
China vs Estonia (7) 2-0
Honduras vs Panama (7) 1-0
Australian A-League:
Wellington Phoenix vs Newcastle Jets (5) over 2.5 goals, both sides to score
Melbourne Victory vs Perth Glory (7) over 2.5 goals, at least one red card in this game
North Queensland Fury vs Brisbane Roar (7) 0-1
Belgian Eerste Klasse:
Sint-Truiden vs Mechelen (7) 1-0
Zulte-Waregem vs Westerlo (6) over 2.5 goals
Lokeren vs Cercle Brugge (7) 2-0
Lierse SK vs Racing Genk (7) 1-2
Eupen vs Charleroi (6) over 2.5 goals
Cypriot Division 1:
APOP/Kinyras vs Anorthosis Famagusta (4) 0-1
AEK Larnaca vs Apollon Limassol (5) 1-1, at least one red card in this game
APOEL Nicosia vs Enosis Neon Paralimni (8) -1.5 handicap
AEL Limassol vs Doxa (8) -1.5 handicap
English Premier League:
Sunderland vs Bolton Wanderers (6) 1-0
Arsenal vs Stoke City (8) 2-1
Birmingham City vs Newcastle United (4) 1-1
Blackburn Rovers vs West Ham United (5) 1-1
Wigan Athletic vs Aston Villa (5) 1-2
Liverpool vs Fulham (6) 1-0
English Championship:
Portsmouth vs Scunthorpe United (8)
Coventry City vs Norwich City (6)
Hull City vs Bristol City (5) over 2.5 goals
Millwall vs Barnsley (6)
Watford vs Preston North End (7) over 2.5 goals
Derby County vs Reading (5)
Sheffield United vs Swansea City (6)
Leeds United vs Queens Park Rangers (5) both sides to score
Nottingham Forest vs Crystal Palace (6) under 2.5 goals
Ipswich Town vs Leicester City (5)
English League One:
Bristol Rovers vs Colchester United (6)
Exeter City vs Sheffield Wednesday (4) over 2.5 goals
Dagenham & Redbridge vs Peterborough United (5) over 2.5 goals
Milton Keynes Dons vs Oldham Athletic (6)
Yeovil Town vs Carlisle United (5) draw no bet
Swindon Town vs Tranmere Rovers (6)
Leyton Orient vs Plymouth Argyle (5)
Brentford vs Huddersfield Town (6) draw no bet
Hartlepool United vs Charlton Athletic (5) over 2.5 goals
English League Two:
Southend United vs Wycombe Wanderers (5)
Cheltenham Town vs Stockport County (6) over 2.5 goals
Port Vale vs Barnet (8)
Crewe Alexandra vs Bradford City (6) over 2.5 goals
Bury vs Stevenage (7)
Gillingham vs Chesterfield (4)
Hereford United vs Macclesfield Town (5) draw no bet
Oxford United vs Shrewsbury Town (6)
Aldershot Town vs Lincoln City (5)
Northampton Town vs Morecambe (6)
Torquay United vs Rotherham United (6)
Accrington Stanley vs Burton Albion (5) over 2.5 goals
French Ligue 1:
Racing Club Lens vs Stade Malherbe de Caen (6) 1-0
Montpellier HSC vs Auxerre (6) under 2.5 goals
OGC Nice vs Stade Brestois (4) 1-0, draw no bet
Stade Rennais vs Valenciennes (6) under 2.5 goals
Saint-Etienne vs Arles (8) 2-0
Toulouse vs Lorient (6) 1-1
Paris Saint-Germain vs AS Monaco (8) 2-1, at least one red card in this game
German Bundesliga:
Schalke 04 vs Koln (7) 2-1
Werder Bremen vs Kaiserslautern (6) over 2.5 goals, both sides to score
VfL Wolfsburg vs Hoffenheim (5) 1-1
Eintracht Frankfurt vs BV09 Borussia Dortmund (6) 1-2
Nurnberg vs Hannover 96 (6) 0-1, draw no bet
St.Pauli vs Mainz 05 (6) 1-2, draw no bet
German Bundesliga 2:
Augsburg vs Hertha BSC Berlin (4)
Fortuna Dusseldorf vs Greuther Furth (6) under 2.5 goals
Greek Super League:
Kavala vs Atromitos (6) 1-0
Panionios vs Asteras Tripolis (5) 0-0
Ergotelis vs Panserraikos (5) 2-1
Panathinaikos vs Olympiakos Volos (8) 2-0
Italian Serie A:
Cesena vs Cagliari (5) 1-1
AC Milan vs AS Roma (5) 1-1, at least one red card in this game
Italian Serie B:
Ascoli vs Reggina (6)
Cittadella vs Atalanta Bergamo (5)
Grosseto vs Crotone (5)
Livorno vs Padova (7)
Portosummaga vs Modena (5)
Sassuolo vs Frosinone (6)
Torino vs Empoli (6)
Varese vs Siena (7)
Vicenza vs Triestina (7)
Dutch Eredivisie:
Heerenveen vs De Graafschap (8) over 2.5 goals
Excelsior Rotterdam vs Groningen (3) 1-2, draw no bet
NAC Breda vs Vitesse Arnhem (8) over 2.5 goals
ADO Den Haag vs Willem II (7) 2-0
Portuguese Liga Sagres:
SL Benfica vs Rio Ave (8) 2-0
Beira-Mar vs Vitoria Guimaraes (5) 1-1
Scottish Premier League:
Hamilton Academicals vs Celtic (8) 0-2
Hearts vs Inverness Caledonian Thistle (6) over 2.5 goals
Kilmarnock vs Hibernian (5) 1-1
Spanish Primera Liga:
Villarreal vs Real Mallorca (8) -1.5 handicap
Levante vs Athletic Club de Bilbao (4) 0-1, draw no bet
Deportivo La Coruna vs Sporting Gijon (7) 1-0
Espanyol vs Barcelona (6) 1-2, at least one red card in this game
Real Sociedad vs Valencia CF (6) 1-2
Spanish Segunda Liga:
Elche vs Rayo Vallecano de Madrid (5) draw no bet
Alcorcon vs Villarreal II (6) over 2.5 goals
Huesca vs Granada (5)
Gimnastic de Tarragona vs Recreativo de Huelva (3) draw no bet
Tenerife vs Real Betis Balompie (5)
Cordoba vs Real Valladolid (7)
Numancia vs Albacete (7)
Celta de Vigo vs Salamanca (7)
Turkish Super Lig:
Kayserispor vs Bucaspor (8) -1.5 handicap
Genclerbirligi vs Bursaspor (6) 0-1
Antalyaspor vs Ankaragucu (5) 2-1
Fenerbahce vs Sivasspor (8) over 2.5 goals
Welsh Premier League:
Newtown vs Airbus UK (5) 1-0
Prestatyn Town vs Carmarthen Town (6) 2-1
Enjoy your free betting tips!