PAOK Salonika vs Heerenveen
FreeToday’s featured game is in Greece and it features PAOK Salonika and Dutch side Heerenveen in the UEFA Europa League. Hosts PAOK Salonika are beginning to emerge from a relatively dormant spell with some good players and good football to boot. They’ve already demolished a decent Valerenga Oslo side both home and away, which is most impressive considering Greek sides tend to be poor travellers. Heerenveen have disappointed me massively already this season with their shambolic defending and general poor start to the season. Both sides have competitive match experience under their respective belts but I think the ever-feared trip to Greece will claim another victim here today as Heerenveen don’t look capable of taking anything from this game and PAOK Salonika are most certainly on the rise again. Evens on a home win here could be a real bargain.
Thursday’s Picks
My tips:
As ever, below are my recommended value tips for today in no particular order:
PAOK Salonika vs Heerenveen – home win at evens – see introduction for full details.
BATE Borisov vs Litex Lovech – home win at 10/11. Belarusian BATE Borisov let me down in the last round against FK Ventspils but I’m expecting them to emerge from that disappointment and seize the opportunity with both hands. Litex Lovech are a good side so this won’t be an easy game for the Belarusians but I think that will motivate them further. A tie with Latvians Ventspils must have seemed like a stroll in the park after massive games with Real Madrid, Juventus and Zenit St Petersburg last season so perhaps compacency entered their minds. However, they have to work today and I’m confident they’ll do the job, assisted by the fact that they’re currently mid-season whereas the Bulgarian A PFG is just beginning. I think a narrow home win is on the cards and it’s worth a shot at 10/11.
Sarajevo vs CFR Cluj – home win at 6/4. Definitely a risky call but one I like the look of! CFR Cluj have only just started their season and they’ve started it unconvincingly, in my opinion. They’re just not the force they were a few years ago – not yet, at least. They’re travelling to a feisty FK Sarajevo side that have already claimed some impressive scalps at home this season by beating Slovakian side Spartak Trnava and Swedish giants Helsingborgs here. I don’t rate CFR Cluj as being better than the Swedes so I’m confident that heroic victory can be reproduced tonight. Odds of 6/4 on this occurring are worth a punt, certainly.
Sion vs Fenerbahce – away win at 4/5. I can’t fathom these odds other than to put it down to Turks being poor travellers. Even so, Sion just aren’t a good side, to be blunt. They were bloody lucky to stay in the Swiss Super League last season and only managed to get into this competition by losing the final of the Swiss Cup to Young Boys Bern, who had already achieved a European place this year. Fenerbahce strengthened their squad over summer, they’re lethal in general and enter this game on the back of a morale-boosting demolition of title rivals Sivasspor. Everything here points to an away win and so do I! 4/5 on the away win has to be taken as soon as possible because it surely can’t stay at that?
Dinamo Zagreb vs Heart of Midlothian – home win with -1.75 handicap at 13/8. This is a slightly risky call but I’ll ride it. Dinamo Zagreb are a good side. They’ve become even better over the years because of their significant financial backing. Today they entertain a strange Heart of Midlothian side that occasionally have cohesion but lack it more often than not. Scottish football is at an all-time low when in comparison to the rest of Europe and I expect it to show today as it has done already this season to Aberdeen and Celtic. I thoroughly expect a home win but the handicap is what makes it a little dubious. However, odds of 13/8 on -1.75 handicap looks good.
Everton vs Sigma Olomouc – home win with -1.75 handicap at evens. I can’t fathom these odds at all. Everton lost 6-1 to Arsenal at weekend – ok, let’s get over this. Everton gave Arsenal five of those goals through poor defending which was easily attributed to Joleon Lescott’s unhappiness at David Moyes blocking his move to Manchester City and the absence of Phil Jagielka through injury. However, Arsenal are a pretty good side; Sigma Olomouc, by comparison, are not. The Czech side are ok in their own league and are only here because they managed to wake up for the away leg of their tie with Fram Reykjavik after losing at home to the Icelandic minnows initially. They then had lady luck smiling upon them as they drew Aberdeen, the Scottish side with a new manager and a side that plays in a league not as good as their own anymore, frankly. Now they have a test against a bloody good side. If Everton turn up for this game (which I expect them to – Moyes will not allow this slump for two games in a row!) then I expect them to comfortably beat the handicap. At evens, this is potentially a real steal.
Fulham vs Amkar Perm – home win with -1.75 handicap at 13/10. Last year I may have doubted this call a little. Fulham weren’t as strong or organised and Amkar Perm were playing well in Russia. However, times have changed. Amkar Perm now find themselves dangerously close to relegation in the Russian Premier League after a pretty poor season and Fulham have gone from strength to strength, recently finalising the impressive capture of Irish winger Damien Duff from Newcastle United. Rumour has it that they’re also keen on signing rapid striker Kalu Uche from Almeria, although only time will tell if that occurs or not. In terms of quality, the hosts have more by some way. Russians don’t travel well and will put men behind the ball. I expect Fulham to win the game regardless and they should overcome the handicap. At 13/10, I’m definitely looking to back this one.
Stabaek vs Valencia – home win with draw no bet odds of 11/4. Ah, what day is complete without one of my crazy risky bets?! Stabaek are one of Norway’s finest home sides, and probably one of their best sides in general. After a slow start in the Tippeligaen, they’ve finally started to prove the above to the world. They are poor travellers but more than make up for it in their fortress. Stabaek were unfortunate to not overcome FC Copenhagen at home a few games ago but I think the Danes are more organised defensively than Spaniards Valencia will be, as indeed are most of Europe! The Spaniards have no competitive match experience and although they played some nice football in their pre-season friendlies, they still seem to lack a cutting edge in attack unless David Villa is given a chance to score. I still don’t think he’s as good as people suppose but that’s just me. Valencia are really poor travellers and are generally pretty reliable at not turning up for big games. I think they’re really going to dislike this trip and may just lose here in Norway. However, they do have some fantastic players so I’ll be taking the home win with draw no bet odds of 11/4, which makes it very much worthwhile!
CD Nacional vs Zenit St Petersburg – home win with draw no bet odds of 6/4. Despite winning away to lowly Amkar Perm at weekend, Zenit St Petersburg still have a caretaker manager in charge after parting with Dick Advocaat. They may have been able to overcome Amkar Perm but they were 2-0 down at one stage and could well have seen another scoreline on a less fortunate day. Zenit St Petersburg aren’t good travellers – they haven’t been for a year or two now. Whereas I don’t think CD Nacional are going to win this competition, I do think they’re a pretty decent outfit and will certainly make life hard for the Russians in Portugal. I don’t think there’s massese between the two sides in terms of quality and quite fancy a narrow home win. Odds of 6/4 on a home win with draw no bet do look quite favourable.
Nautico vs Goias – away win at 6/4. One of Serie A’s surprise teams Goias is still very much up there and fighting for the title with some outstanding form! They’re currently second in the table and find themselves boasting an impressive record of seven wins from their past eight games, a record that has seen their away form rocket to five away wins from nine games. In fact, they’ve lost just two away from home this season. Today’s hosts Nautico are looking more and more like a relegation candidate whenever I see them. Their football is poor, their form is poor (despite a brief purple patch a couple of games ago) and they just can’t seem to get away from the drop zone. An in-form Goias side shouldn’t have any real trouble disposing of Nautico today and 6/4 on the away win seems a real bargain!
GIF Sundsvall vs Mjallby Solvesborg – away win at 6/4. Despite letting us all down last match, Mjallby Solvesborg will be looking to bounce back from the disappointing home draw by taking three points from GIF Sundsvall. Up until last match, GIF Sundsvall were flying. However, Assyriska Sodertalje well and truly beat the shit out of them and brought them back down to reality, something which will have damaged their confidence and momentum. Mjallby Solvesborg have won so many games this season that a draw won’t hurt them too much; they’re still twelve points clear of Atvidabergs in second place and boast a remarkable away record of eight wins and one draw from nine games. Their biggest feat on the road is that they almost never concede. GIF Sundsvall, interestingly, have a poor goalscoring record at home if you consider that they’re currently third in the table so this could be a major failing point for them. All of these factors are pointing towards the away win and I quite fancy it to occur, too. Mjallby Solvesborg are too good to pass up on winning this game, providing they turn up. 6/4 on an away win here could be a very good bet indeed!
As ever, any questions/explanations required, feel free to email me at thefootytipster@gmail.com. For the complete picks listing, see below!
UEFA Europa League:
Kosice vs AS Roma (7) 1-2
Baku vs Basel (5) 1-1
BATE Borisov vs Litex Lovech (7) 1-0
Teplice vs Hapoel Tel-Aviv (6) 2-1
Bnei Yehuda Tel-Aviv vs PSV Eindhoven (7) 0-1
Trabzonspor vs Toulouse (6) 1-0
Guingamp vs Hamburger SV (9) -1.75 handicap
PAOK Salonika vs Heerenveen (8) 2-1
NAC Breda vs Villarreal (7) 1-2
Metalurg Donetsk vs Austria Vienna (7) 2-0
CSKA Sofia vs Dinamo Moscow (7) 1-1
Rapid Vienna vs Aston Villa (6) 1-1
Sturm Graz vs Metalist Kharkiv (6) 1-2
Steaua Bucharest vs St Patrick’s Athletic (8) -1.75 handicap
Dinamo Bucharest vs Slovan Liberec (8) 2-0
Twente vs Karabakh (8) -1.75 handicap
Slavia Prague vs Red Star Belgrade (4) 1-1
Vaslui vs AEK Athens (6) 1-2
Sivasspor vs Shakhtar Donetsk (5) 2-2
Partizan Belgrade vs MSK Zilina (8) 2-0
Sarajevo vs CFR Cluj (5) 1-0
Lech Poznan vs Club Brugge (6) 2-1
Brondby vs Hertha HSC Berlin (7) 0-1
Sion vs Fenerbahce (8) 0-2
Galatasaray vs Levadia Tallinn (9) -2.75 handicap
Racing Genk vs LOSC Lille (6) 0-0
AFC Ajax Amsterdam vs Slovan Bratislava (9) -1.75 handicap
Lazio vs Elfsborg Boras (7) 3-1
Genoa vs OB Odense (7) 2-1
SL Benfica vs Vorskla Poltava (8) 2-0
Maribor vs Sparta Prague (6) 2-2
Dinamo Zagreb vs Heart of Midlothian (7) -1.75 handicap
Werder Bremen vs Aktobe Lento (9) -2.75 handicap
Everton vs Sigma Olomouc (8) -1.75 handicap
Fulham vs Amkar Perm (9) -1.75 handicap
Stabaek vs Valencia (5) 2-1, draw no bet
CD Nacional vs Zenit St Petersburg (6) 1-0, draw no bet
Athletic Club de Bilbao vs Tromso (8) -1.75 handicap
Copa Nissan Sudamericana:
La Paz vs Cerro Porteno (6) 1-2
Boca Juniors vs Velez Sarsfeld (7) over 2.5 goals
Cienciano Cusco vs Liverpool Montevideo (6) 0-0
Brazilian Serie A:
Atletico Mineiro vs Avai (8) 1-1
Flamengo vs Cruzeiro (7) 2-1, at least one red card in this game
Nautico vs Goias (8) 1-2
Latvian Virsliga:
Daugava Riga vs Jurmala (5) 1-1
Russian Division 1:
FK Chita vs Alaniya Vladikavkaz (6)
Sibir Novosibirsk vs Salyut Belgorod (8)
Anzhi Makhachkala vs Vityaz Podolsk (8)
Ural Sverdlovskaya Oblast vs Metallurg Lipetsk (8)
Volgar Gazprom Astrakhan vs NoSta Novotroitsk (7)
KamAZ Nab Chelny vs Shinnik Yaroslavl’ (5)
Volga Nizhnyi Novgorod vs Baltika Kaliningrad (7)
Singaporean S-League:
Gombak United vs Albirex Niigate (8) 3-1
Swedish Superettan:
Vasalunds vs Jonkoping Sodra (5)
Atvidabergs vs Landskrona BoIS (7) both sides to score
GIF Sundsvall vs Mjallby Solvesborg (7)
Enjoy your free betting tips!