Sevilla CF vs Athletic Club de Bilbao

24/10/2010

After a mixed day yesterday, I’m hoping that sunday brings us a lot more joy as there’s a whole host of games that interest me today!

My featured game is the Primera Liga encounter in Andalusia between Sevilla CF and Athletic Club de Bilbao of the Basque country. Sevilla fired Antonio Alvarez lately and replaced him with Mallorca’s hero of last season – Gregorio Manzano – who takes charge of his first home game, which is somewhat ironic if we consider that Bilbao’s boss is Joaquin Caparros, who had five excellent years with Sevilla CF between 2000 and 2005!

So – thoughts on Sevilla CF thus far under Manzano’s reign? They’ve played two away games, surprisingly losing 2-0 at Sporting Gijon but somewhat impressively winning at Karpaty Lviv in Ukraine in the UEFA Europa League so I’m a bit undecided so far. A defeat in Gijon isn’t something I normally view as poorly as I do but Gijon had been poor this season before that game and Sevilla had the opportune moment to take three points and they failed miserably. However, as we saw on numerous occasions last season, Manzano’s tactics on the road are always questionable but his tactics at home are usually spot-on, as I expect to see tonight. The Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan get their first chance to see what wily Manzano can bring to the table and we may see a little of “new manager syndrome”, as I call it, whereby sides play very well in their new manager’s first home game, which would certainly assist this bet.

Unfortunately for Sevilla CF, rumours continue to surface about Brazilian striker Luis Fabiano’s happiness at the club after five games without a goal and that is an issue that Manzano is going to have to address rapidly. Nonetheless, with the likes of Negredo and Kanoute available to them, Sevilla CF can cope in this game without Fabiano, should he be ousted – it’s the big games where they may miss his clinical finishing. Sevilla’s midfield has long been their strength with the right balance of strength, experience, pace, and passing ability throughout. However, the loss of Jesus Navas due to injury has really hindered Sevilla and it’s a real blow for them in this game as left-back is Bilbao’s weakest area – it has been ever since Del Horno left some years ago. Nonetheless, Sevilla should still have enough to do damage, even if his wing partner Diego Capel has also been struggling with injuries. The likes of Acosta, Renato, and Perotti in midfield should have enough to compensate for their absent midfielders in a game like this so I expect a strong enough Sevilla display tonight to cause substantial problems to their opponents.

Athletic Bilbao are my team in Spain; everyone who reads this blog knows that. However, looking at the squad that they’re sending south, I’m really rather concerned here:

Goalkeepers – Gorka, Raul
Defenders – Balenziaga, Koikili, San Jose, Ustaritz, Iraola
Midfieders – Susaeta, Gurpegi, Orbaiz, Javi Martinez, Iturraspe, de Marcos, Gabilondo
Attackers – Llorente, Muniain, Velez, Toquero

Caparros is taking so few defenders for this trip that it’s unreal! Amorebieta and former Sevilla CF defender Aitor Ocio miss this game through injury, which means that Ustaritz will partner San Jose in central defence, which is not a good enough defence to stop Sevilla today. If anything happens to Iraola then only Iturraspe can cover and if anything happens to either centre-back then only Gurpegi can cover – it’s just not enough! Sevilla are surely going to target their defence for this reason and who can blame them? If Bilbao fall behind away from home then their heads drop and they tend to concede more than ever!

Bilbao also miss David Lopez and Ibai Gomez through injury, neither of which are essential to the team but they leave the side looking very thin indeed, in my opinion. Gomez suffered a horror break in Bilbao’s convincing win at home to Real Zaragoza last weekend in an accident and the promising winger will be out for 4-5 months as a result, sadly – always bad to see things like that. So who are Bilbao going to field for this one? They’re going to have to go 4-5-1 and I expect them to line-up with Gorka, Iraola, San Jose, Ustaritz, Koikili, Orbaiz, Javi Martinez, Gurpegi, Susaeta, Toquero, and Llorente. Toquero will support Llorente in attack with his relentless energy but drop back on the flanks to form the 4-5-1 when under pressure. The pressure is immense on Javi Martinez to pull the strings and we may see little Muniain enter the game a little earlier to show some more of his dazzling potential and to be honest, Bilbao are going to need it to take a win from this game as I don’t see their defence being good enough to keep Sevilla out here although they managed that last season in their trip south. Bilbao have actually lost four out of their last five trips here and usually quite convincingly too and with Bilbao struggling for players at the moment, especially in defence, I anticipate a long night beckoning for Los Leones against their feisty hosts.

However, I wouldn’t go mad with the handicap here because Bilbao are still attacking well and I think they’ve got a good chance of scoring here if they attack properly. Caparros knows his old side’s weaknesses so Sevilla shouldn’t have it all their own way. However, under Manzano in his first home game and with Bilbao’s defensive problems, I really think Sevilla should be 1/2 to win this game, not 7/10, so my call is the home win here as the odds seem a little generous.

Verdict: Sevilla CF to win at 7/10.

Sunday’s Picks

My tips:

As ever, below are my recommended value tips for today in no particular order:

Wiener Neustadt vs Rapid Vienna – away win with draw no bet at 4/5.

These odds on Rapid Vienna are far too good to pass up on, especially after a convincing and morale-boosting win in Bulgaria mid-week in the UEFA Europa League. Dutch giant Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink finally opened his Rapid Vienna account and that bodes ominously for the Bundesliga as Rapid Vienna boasted their best squad in years when they had giant Austrian striker Stefan Maierhofer in their ranks – it seems they’ve finally unearthed a replacement. The partnership between him and Albanian pacey hitman Hamdi Salihi is threatening to develop into one of the most dangerous attacking duos in Austria currently so I fancy this Rapid side to explode with form sooner or later and why not today? They’ve got the foundation following a good win mid-week and they are the superior of these two sides so I do fancy them to do well here. Rapid’s away form in the Bundesliga this season is terrible because they’ve not scored enough goals but I believe Hesselink is now in a position to resolve this, which again, bodes ominously for their opponents. As good as Wiener Neustadt are at home and as much as I enjoy their energetic, never-say-die attitude, they’re still not as good as the Bundesliga table indicates. The odds on this game look very wrong to me today, very wrong indeed. Wiener scores goals for fun but their defence is virtually non-existant at times and against such a good opponent, I really fancy Rapid to rain chaos upon Neustadt today.

Rapid have notched up ten goals in their last four goals against Wiener Neustadt, which tells a story in itself. They lost at home to Wiener earlier this season when times were hard and they’ll be up for revenge. It aids my cause massively that Wiener have stumbled of late with just one win in three games, drawing 0-0 with Wacker Innsbruck in one game and bizarrely losing 2-1 at LASK Linz in their last Bundesliga outing, which again doesn’t bode well for today’s game. Neustadt’s defence should be worse than usual with Madl missing and I expect them to suffer as a result. Rapid are missing defender Kayhan and midfielders Kavlak and Hinum, all of which are sadly rather important for Rapid. However, I’m going to take the risk on Rapid winning this one here as they have a stronger bench than Wiener and this is the opportune moment to show it. Odds of 4/5 on Rapid winning this game with draw no bet look far too generous for this game so that’s my call here.

Verdict: Rapid Vienna to win with draw no bet at 4/5.

Wacker Innsbruck vs Salzburg – away win with draw no bet at 4/5.

This preview follows a similar vein to the one above as the odds simply don’t make sense. Ok, Salzburg haven’t had a great campaign but to deny that they’re anything but one of the top two sides in Austria would be a lie.

Salzburg’s last Bundesliga game was a defeat at home to SV Kapfenberg in embarassing fashion. However, they were resting players ahead of the visit of Italian giants Juventus and it paid off with Salzburg taking a 1-1 draw from the game. In my opinion, the statistics on Salzburg’s away games this season are a tad harsh, really. They lost 2-1 at bitter rivals Rapid Vienna thanks to a last-minute winner, drew 0-0 with a good Austria Vienna side, won at a difficult SV Ried side, and lost at Mattersburg in a freak encounter. Salzburg’s displays on the road, however, have been pretty good so I fancy them to cause problems today. Look at their attacking options – the pacey Slovakian winger Svento on the left, giant Uruguayan striker Boghossian, experienced Austrian striker Wallner etc. – all of these options offer far more than their hosts can offer, which is why I favour them. The draw with Juventus could very well be the boost that Salzburg need and frankly, Wacker Innsbruck are starting to look tired after an outstanding campaign thus far and look ready to fall in a game like this. Wacker have failed to score in two out of their last three games and haven’t won any of them, losing once and drawing twice. They took a draw from a trip to face Rapid Vienna but Rapid were resting players ahead of their trip to Bulgaria; the outcome was not unexpected. Wacker may just have their hands full today with a sleeping giant in their midst.

Again, I just don’t understand these odds. Wacker Innsbruck are still newcomers to this division, despite their assured and convincing displays so far this season. They’ve stalled of late and now host the reigning champions, which is never a good combination! Neither side misses anyone out of the ordinary although both sides have a doubt in midfield – Salzburg over Mendes, Wacker over Koch – and both are important although I think both will start anyway. Quality-wise, however, Salzburg win this game hands-down so I fancy them here, especially when bookies are somehow granting 4/5 on them winning the game with draw no bet!

Irony though – these two sides were scheduled to meet earlier this season but the game was rained off. Had it not been rained off, I was confident that Wacker would have beaten them as Salzburg were in a terrible state. Salzburg are no longer in that state and I expect them to give a good account of themselves today as a result.

Verdict: Salzburg to win with draw no bet at 4/5.

FC Minsk vs Dinamo Minsk – away win with draw no bet at 10/11.

The Minsk derby comes at a critical time of the Vysshaya Liga season with both sides battling for a European place in next season’s competition so we should see a heated affair here. However, I’d not pay too much attention to the fact that this is a derby as there isn’t any history between these two sides per se as FC Minsk were formed from two different Minsk clubs a few years ago. The lack of derby history is compensated for in other ways, however, with a good number of FC Minsk’s players having played for Dinamo Minsk previously – star midfielder Andrey Razin and Sergey Gigevich just to name a couple – so there will be passion here. Dinamo Minsk won 2-0 here earlier in the season with Razin being dismissed against his former club as FC Minsk were well and truly put in their place by a true Belarusian giant and I expect a similar outcome today.

Dinamo have not been themselves of late as the toil of their European campaign and the difficulty of fielding a midfield with a very youthful nucleus finally took its toll on the team. However, a rampant 5-1 win against Partizan Minsk last week should see them back to themselves today and with captain Kislyak on the scene, anything is possible for this very promising Dinamo Minsk side. It’s gradually doing Dinamo Minsk good to give Sazankov competition in attack with emerging Brazilian youngsters Bruno Furlan and Lucas Sotero on the scene. The same can be said for their midfield too with regulars Kislyak, Dragun, Rekish, Chukhley, and Strakhanovich under threat from Leonardo, Jefferson, and Renan. Dinamo Minsk has long been a club I respect because of their excellent ability to rear youngsters and it’s pleasing to see that still hasn’t changed. Their midfield will be extremely motivated for this derby as they’re predominantly local boys from the Dinamo academy and that’s why I favour Dinamo here – there’s more purpose behind their motivation for this game and they are frankly a better side with their dominaint 4-5-1 formation. FC Minsk have played well this season but they’ve struggled to beat both Dinamo Brest at home and Torpedo Zhodino away of late, drawing both games, so they’re not in the best shape for this game. The long season has hit them hard and I think it’ll hit them again today as they can’t afford to lose this game from a European perspective but I don’t see how they’ll prevent Dinamo winning this one. FC Minsk’s more illustrious neighbours simply have better players and that really should show today.

I’m taking this selection with draw no bet because it is still a derby of sorts but I’d be surprised to see anything but a Dinamo win here as they seek to take their usual place in the European places of the Vysshaya Liga.

Verdict: Dinamo Minsk to win with draw no bet at 10/11.

Standard de Liege vs AA Gent – home win at evens.

I mentioned at the start of the Eerste Klasse season that Standard were having problems with strikers and how it won’t be worth touching them until they sign some. Well, they finally did and it’s former Racing Santander striker Mame Tchite that has convinced me to take this bet today. No, he’s obviously not called me and told me the game is fixed but four goals in six games for him shows he’s too good for this division and that Standard are finally a threat in front of goal again. Standard’s overall quality was never in question; it was just their ability to take their chances that concerned me. The midfield duo of Witsel and Defour is arguably the best in Belgium so I’ve no concerns there. It’s interesting to see how well youngster Carcela-Gonzalez has blended into that midfield too with all three players contributing to the Standard goalsheet this season. Standard’s attacking duo is still far from certain with a whole host of different players having featured this season i.e. Pieroni, Tchite, Bokanga, Cyriac, Nong etc. so I’m a bit concerned on that front; Standard need a settled duo to launch a legitimate Eerste Klasse title challenge. Standard’s defence is still far from settled and indeed, how can it be with their continual choice to field samba Brazilian defenders Felipe and Ramos?! Nonetheless, they contribute to Standard’s attacking play well enough and as a result, Standard are very much a goal threat this season, which removes the largest concern I have about them. They miss number one Bolat for this game through suspension, which is a blow as he’s a bloody good ‘keeper, but I’m banking on Standard to do the damage today by outscoring their opponents so that’s what I’m focusing on today.

I also like this bet because I think Gent’s form is a tad flattering. To beat sides always deserves respect but I don’t think they’re playing as well as the statistics suggest with fortune supporting them more than quality on occasion. They’ve just come back from a 5-1 drubbing in Portugal against a frankly impotent Sporting Clube de Lisboa side so they’re going to have taken a knock or two mentally. They lost 3-2 at a potent Club Brugge side in their last Eerste Klasse away game and indeed, they’ve struggled all season long on the road. The only way they win their away games is by outscoring their opponents, which sounds obvious but what I mean is that they simply cannot defend on the road! They’ve conceded for seven consecutive away games in all competitions and have leaked sixteen goals in their past five games, which is an average of over three goals conceded per away game – it’s just not good enough, especially when you consider that five of those goals were against Lierse SK and Lokeren respectively. I have no faults with Gent’s attack – pacey Ljubljankic, strong Coulibaly, and under-performing but very able Arbeitman are all good attackers – but their defence is very susceptible and if they come to Liege playing an open game then they’re going to be blown apart.

I maintain that Gent haven’t played well lately as European committments catch up with them whereas their more illustrious hosts have had plenty of time to prepare for this encounter. They’ve played well lately, winning three out of their last four games with the only side to puncture that record being Racing Genk in a 4-2 defeat, which is somewhat respectable, really. Don’t be mistaken here – Standard are not the same side currently that they were under Bologni a few years ago when they had Fellaini, Jovanovic etc. but they’re still a good side and I don’t think that is shown enough in the odds on the home win. Liege are going to take the game to a possibly tired Gent side today and if this game is open then Liege should win it easily. I expect a lot of goals here but Liege winning at evens represents far too much value in my opinion!

Verdict: Standard de Liege to win at evens.

Lokeren vs Club Brugge – away win at 23/20.

I like Club Brugge because they score a lot of goals, to be blunt. They can’t defend for shit but that doesn’t bother them and that makes sense to a certain degree as they can easily outscore most sides in Belgium on their day, if not all sides. A mid-week draw in Croatia against Dinamo Zagreb was a good result for the Belgian side as they look to take the momentum from that game into this one to hopefully make it three wins from three in the Eerste Klasse. They’ve beaten AA Gent at home and Zulte-Waregem away from home during that run so they’re not had an easy ride! Nonetheless, they’ve attacked confidently and incisively and if they do that today then they’ll win the game, simply. Lokeren are a decent side, worthy of a better league placing but tend to lack in the quality department in games like this. Lokeren are a very battling side which is personified by key holding midfielder Jerko Leko but to win a game against Club Brugge, you have to outscore them and I don’t believe Lokeren have the firepower to do that. They have won four consecutive games ahead of this one, admittedly, so momentum does support the hosts, although I would point out that three of those wins were against fairly poor/average sides. They’ve got a good home record too with three wins, one draw, and just one defeat in five home games but I’d again point out that the only really good side they’ve faced was Anderlecht, who drubbed Lokeren 0-3. Club Brugge have a good record against Lokeren since they started to sell all of their good players with three consecutive wins against them and I expect a fourth today, to be honest. This game will be won in midfield with the steel of Lokeren facing the flambuoyancy of Brugge but the visitors really should have too much here, especially with Vargas in the form of his career and associates Blondel and Perisic wreaking havoc around him. Lokeren have the potential to make this a tough game for Club Brugge but I think the visitors will outscore them due to their superior midfield so expect plenty of goals here but the away win is what takes my fancy from this clash as the odds look decidedly generous.

Verdict: Club Brugge to win at 23/20.

Corinthians vs Palmeiras – lay Corinthians at 4/5.

This is a bit of a no-brainer, isn’t it? Corinthians are one of the best sides in Brazil but their recent displays have been nothing short of shambolic. They’ve not won for seven consecutive games with three draws and four defeats along the way. They’ve failed to beat a resilient Botafogo at home during their three homes games, which I can just about accept on a bad day, but to fail to beat two atrocious sides – Ceara and Atletico Goianiense – at home and even lose to their latter whilst leaking six goals along the way is simply unacceptable and totally uncharacteristic. Corinthians have lost their confidence and they look very susceptible without it as their success stems from their defence and their defence is where they’re most vulnerable at the moment so I really don’t fancy them to beat anyone currently. They’ve failed two score for two consecutive games, which robs them of their potency, so they look a very broken side at the moment.

With the above in mind, the last side anyone would possibly want to face in Brazil at the moment is Palmeiras as they’re the only side in Serie A currently that are relishing the end-of-season run-in as they’re playing the best football that they’ve played all season. That’s due in no small part to “Big Phil” Scolari but irrespective of what causes it, Palmeiras are looking bloody good. The only side to beat them in their last thirteen consecutive games in all competitions was a fortuitous Sao Paulo side so I don’t think Corinthians are going to enjoy this game one iota. Palmeiras are buoyant following their Copa Sudamericana success and although they don’t score many goals in general, the pace of Kleber and Ewerton in attack should cause plenty of problems for a demoralised Corinthians side that has to attack in this game. It’s great to see Chilean magician Jorge Valdivia pulling the strings in this Scolari side because he’s such a good playmaker and Palmeiras are finally benefiting from it under Scolari. Palmeiras have not looked better this season than they do now and with their ever-present ability to frustrate sides on the road in Serie A (just two defeats in fifteen away games this season, which is by far the best record in the division) I really fancy Palmeiras to cause an upset tonight.

I think the odds on laying a very out-of-form and demoralised Corinthians side are far too generous here, particularly given Palmeiras’ excellent record at Corinthians in recent years. There’s nothing certain in Brazilian football most of the time but laying Corinthians at 4/5 looks a real gift to me.

Team news – Corinthians miss important strikers Dentinho and Jorge Henrique whereas Palmeiras only definitely miss defender Mauricio Ramos although they do have doubts over midfielder Marcio Araujo and defender Gabriel Silva.

Verdict: Lay Corinthians at 4/5.

Gremio vs Internacional – home win at 23/20.

The Porto-Alegrense derby is not something I usually wade into betting-wise but I’m going to here. Why? Well, Internacional have basically lost interest in Serie A because they have nothing left to play for. They’re guaranteed a place in the next Copa Libertadores as holders so they’ve basically been resting players and pissing around whenever they see fit. This wouldn’t normally matter but Internacional are not a great side with squad depth and often struggle to score goals without some of their more instrumental players i.e. D’Alessandro, Guinazu etc especially with former hero Rafael Sobis on the sidelines and Alecsandro being the only striker that consistently scores for Internacional. They’ve now lost three consecutive away games because they’ve no real interest in the remainder of this campaign and they’ve lost each of them without even scoring, one of which was against a very poor Ceara side. Internacional have scored just once in four games now whilst leaking five goals along the way and although their defence is very strong and Internacional will undoubtedly be up for one of the biggest games of their calendar year, I don’t think they’ve got enough momentum to match their rivals tonight.

However, unfortunately for Internacional, Gremio have plenty of momentum and motivation for this one. They’ve been asleep for most of the season but the threat of relegation has awoken them as they seek to restore parity with their usual dominant home displays finally returning. The only side to win at Gremio in the last two months was a very in-form Palmeiras side with Gremio winning five out of the remaining six games. They’ve won three consecutive home games whilst scoring ten goals, including a win against league leaders Cruzeiro, so don’t underestimate Gremio here because of their league placing. Striker Jonas is in the form of his career and with four wins from their past five games thanks to some fantastic and incisive displays, it’s hard to not taken Gremio very seriously indeed here.

Internacional have had the lion’s share of derby wins in recent years but this is the first time in a while that I feel Gremio have a genuine chance of shattering that dominance. Gremio are playing very well indeed and for as long as the odds remain above evens, backing the home win in this game intrigues me here.

Verdict: Gremio to win at 23/20.

Slavia Prague vs Ceske Budejovice – lay Slavia Prague at 13/10.

The Gambrinus Liga table doesn’t lie here – Slavia Prague really are in dire straits. Where do they go from this massive predicament? They’ve changed manager and it’s still not improved things but was it really going to? The problem with Slavia wasn’t their management but their actual level of quality. If your best striker is Vicek then you’re going to struggle to stay in this division, which is precisely what is happening. I’ll give Slavia their dues in the sense that some of their games of late haven’t reflected some good displays but that stems from poor defending and their inability to score goals so again, their problems are there for all to see. They rely far too much on Slovakian midfielder Karol Kisel’s set pieces and frankly look a shadow of the side that they used to be. They’ve won just once in five home games because they average scoring less than a goal per home game! When was the last time you could say that about Slavia Prague side?! The only side to score less home goals than Slavia this season is the perenially-impotent Marila Pribram so Slavia have some real issues here, especially with just two wins in twelve games this season.

Believe me – I really don’t rate Ceske Budejovice. The only credit I can give to this anti-football side is that they defend very well, although usually at home. However, credit must be given when it is due – Ceske have only lost twice in six away games this season and they’ve only lost once in their last five games in all competitions, winning three of those games along the way. Ceske offer one of the more impotent attacks in the division in general but whilst Ceske are playing well and scoring the odd goal, they become a very frustrating side to play against because they’re confident and hard to beat. Ceske are going to fancy their chances here and why not – anyone in this division can take points off Slavia at the moment as newly-promoted Usti nad Labem proved last match so I fancy an upset here.

Slavia’s defence and attack are virtually ineffectual so whilst their inferior but hard-working opponents are playing as well as they are and with such confidence, I fancy the visitors to turn up here and make a nuisance of themselves. They’ve not avoided defeat here since 2005 but with emerging striker Ondrasek in good form and Slavia looking very vulnerable currently, I think the odds of 13/10 on Slavia not winning this game look far too generous here.

Verdict: Lay Slavia Prague at 13/10.

Stoke City vs Manchester United – lay Manchester United at 11/10.

I hate making this type of bet as a Manchester United fan but there really has to be value here. Stoke perhaps haven’t been at their best this season but at the Britannia Stadium, where the fans are the loudest in the Premier League, there is never an easy game to be played. United have won here for two consecutive years, admittedly, but each game has been a real battle and I’d expect nothing less against a side managed by enthusiastic Tony Pulis.

However, the reason United won those games was because they approached the games with a settled defence that were well-organised and defended properly. The long-throw of Rory Delap was ineffectual because powerhouse Nemanja Vidic dealt with it every time and Stoke didn’t get near the ball in the box more often than not because Ferdinand was there or because they didn’t have the ball due to good possession football by the visitors. Enter the problem, however – United no longer have a settled defence. I don’t know what has changed but Evra has become more vulnerable at left-back and as United don’t have a settled right-back, they’re very vulnerable down the flanks. Ferdinand has only just come back from injury so some of the intense pressure has been relieved from Vidic but look what has happened in his absence – Van Der Sar and Vidic have both messed up lately, which is very uncharacteristic of both of them because of the intense pressure and lack of protection from midfield due to Fletcher not playing well.

All this press bullshit about Rooney has now been resolved but the problems of United have not been resolved at all. Indeed, I’d have rather sold the scouse bastard if he doesn’t intend on bucking up his performances on the field, which, incidentally, is the only part of his life I give a shit about. Play for United and play for the badge or fuck off – that’s the cynical way I look at it as a fan. The problem United have isn’t the lack of quality that Rooney allegedly suggested, in my opinion, but the absence of some big names – Fletcher isn’t playing well, Carrick isn’t playing well, Evra isn’t playing well, Rooney isn’t playing well and as United function as a team and not a bunch of individuals, we struggle to play well. It’s a big relief to have Anderson back almost to his best as we’re really going to need him in this game to make something happen because we only have Nani carrying United at the moment. Too many people underestimate his massive contribution to United’s play which has now doubled given that Valencia is out for virtually the whole season. Where does that leave United – do they rush through Obertan and Bebe? Neither are ready yet although both have big potential from what I’ve seen of them. United therefore lack creativity down the flanks, which causes us big problems. We miss the experience of Giggs, we miss a dominant holding midfield display, and we miss someone to be up top with Berbatov as he’s not a lone striker, as good as he undoubtedly is. Owen is not good enough to partner him, Macheda is not ready yet, and Hernandez still has a lot to learn despite his potential.

Bluntly, there are too many problems in this United camp at the moment because of uncertainty and I think Pulis will highlight those to his team very well indeed. Let’s face it – if I can see the above issues then he certainly can – so I think Stoke will make life really tough for United today. United haven’t had problems scoring goals on the road, which is my biggest concern for this bet, but their haphazard defending should mean that Stoke have their own chances and will most probably take them too as battling sides always do. I therefore have to side with laying United today, especially as we’ve lost our confidence in our ability to pass the damn ball and our “star striker” Rooney is out injured.

Verdict: Lay Manchester United at 11/10.

Kyoto Sanga vs Gamba Osaka – away win at 3/4.

These odds are too good to pass up on. Gamba haven’t had a great season but they’re beginning to correct that by playing very well and are now competing for an Asian Champions League place as a result. After a dismal campaign, Kyoto Sanga are all but relegated and their displays have shown that too. They’ve lost a horrific ten times in thirteen home games in the J-League because they’re utterly inept in front of goal, scoring ten times during those thirteen games. They’ve scored in just two out of their last eight home games in all competitions and their most recent home game saw them crushed 0-3 by Sanfrecce Hiroshima. They’re simply not good enough to remain in this division whereas Gamba Osaka are actually good enough to win this division so there’s a massive quality gap here. Gamba have won five out of their last six games in all competitions with their most recent game resulting in the 5-1 demolition of Omiya Ardija so they bring a lot of confidence into this game. Not that they needed any confidence here, mind you – they’ve won their last three visits to this ground and they’ve already won seven out of thirteen on the road this season so I really fancy Gamba to win this one with some ease. They’re a lot better than their hosts and they’re scoring for fun at the moment so odds of 3/4 on the away win look very generous here – I’d have priced them a lot shorter for this game.

Verdict: Gamba Osaka to win at 3/4.

America vs Guadalajara – home win at 10/11.

Betting on a game between two of the biggest sides in Mexico? Insanity!

Well, it could prove to be but I still fancy America here. Why? Well, Guadalajara simply look inept in front of goal without Javier Hernandez. Omar Bravo is their saving grace and he’s getting a little too old to be doing all the runs that Hernandez did and Guadalajara look a lot weaker for it. That said, America also miss their star striker Salvador Cabanas after that terrible incident in Mexico City earlier this year where the Paraguayan was actually shot and America aren’t as potent without him. However, America are still a very strong home side and with striker Vuoso in good form, I fancy them to do damage here, especially with Uruguayan striker Sanchez bringing some much-needed pace to their attack. Incidentally, just in case you were wondering what part of Mexico Mexican striker Vuoso hails from…it’s actually Argentina. There’s nothing quite like selling out your home country in favour of another country, eh?!

Anyway, enough bitching – Guadalajara are not easy to beat with or without Hernandez so this game is far from over. However, with a lack of potency in their ranks, they look like to take their record of four defeats in five visits to face moneybags America to five defeats in six games as long as the hosts convert their chances. Guadalajara will not lie down here but given that a solitary goal should be enough to see America edge this one, I fancy them to win at 10/11.

Verdict: America to win at 10/11.

Molde FK vs Odd Grenland Skien – home win at 4/5.

I really like this bet! Molde are playing fabulously well under Uwe Rosler and they’re one of just three sides in the Eliteserien playing good football as the season draws to a close. Let’s face it though – they have to play well as they’ve played badly this season and were threatened by relegation due to injured players, a lack of confidence, and bad management. However, the old Molde is back and let’s not forget that they most certainly are a top four side, especially with Thioune and Hoseth in their ranks doing all the damage. Fall, Diouf, and Runstrom in attack can do plenty of damage in attack when the chance is there, especially Fall, and when Molde’s players are all fit then they look a very strong unit indeed. Four wins and one draw from their past five games gives them tremendous momentum to bring into this game, especially after their long trip north to face Tromso last match yielded success on artificial turf. They’ve only conceded in three of those five games as the German side of Uwe Rosler takes charge in this Norwegian team and Molde frankly look better for it.

It aids my bet that Odd Grenland tend to play poorly away from home as their home games are always on artificial turf. They’ve lost four out of their last five away games in all competitions as their fairly meaningless Eliteserien campaign draws to a close so I don’t expect much from the visitors, especially as they’ve defended like idiots lately. They’ve never been great defensively, always relying on their attacking strength to bail them out, but that hasn’t worked on the road lately. I’d normally give the visitors a chance of turning around but with nothing really left to play for this season (as a European place looks to be out of their grasp) it’s hard to see their motivation improving for this game so I don’t see them doing much here.

Molde have won the last five meetings between the two sides at home and with such momentum behind them, I have to fancy them to continue their run again today as they push away from the drop zone. Odd Grenland may give them a game on the goalscoring front but odds of 4/5 on the hosts outscoring their opponents appeals to me a lot today.

Verdict: Molde FK to win at 4/5.

Gornik Zabrze vs Lech Poznan – away win at 7/5.

Lech Poznan have come under a lot of pressure from all angles lately as accusations are rife that they’re prioritising the UEFA Europa League over their domestic campaign and I think that the Ekstraklasa table certainly lends a substantial amount of weight to those claims. Lech are embarassingly fourteen points behind league leaders Jagiellonia Bialystok as they look more likely to be battling relegation than competing for the title that they currently possess! However, that has to change today and Zielinski knows it, hence his decision to put Rudnevs, Stilic, and Djurdjevic on the bench against Manchester City mid-week although all three made an apperance later in the game. Lech actually played very well in that game despite the random Tshibamba leading the line on his own with City being caused far more problems than I personally had anticipated, especially from pacey Peszko down the right flank. Krivets looked assured on the ball, which was good to see as he’s not having the best of seasons, but ultimately Lech are looking a good side again and if they field a full team for this game then they should have more than enough to win the game, especially with Latvian starlet Rudnevs looking so dangerous in attack. The hosts are not an easy side to play against as Wisla Krakow found out during a 0-1 defeat here last match but Gornik lost their previous two home games against Lechia Gdansk and Jagiellonia Bialystok respectively without even scoring so we can see the displays that newly-promoted Gornik put out are somewhat random! Gornik miss key centre-back Jop for this game, which robs them of both experience and ability in defence and is thus a massive problem, although they have a full squad aside from that. Lech miss Bandrowski, Chrapek, and Wojtkowiak for this game but they shouldn’t be significant losses for this game.

Ultimately, if Lech actually want to win this game then they really should do so as they’re by far the superior of these two sides. Gornik won’t lie down here but if Lech are responding to pressure all around them then they really should make the odds on the away win good value today.

Verdict: Lech Poznan to win at 7/5.

CFR Cluj vs Unirea Urziceni – home win with -1.5 goal handicap at 6/5.

Cluj haven’t had a great season but it’s got to be paradise in comparison to Unirea’s season as they’ve lost almost all of their good players due to the financial meltdown caused by their chairman leaving. Unirea are in a terrible state and although their form of late doesn’t reflect it too much, they’re little more than sitting ducks on the road. Unirea have always been a small club with big financial backing so the removal of that financial backing has turned them back into a small club. The small club mentality makes Unirea hard to play against at home but easy to play against when Unirea are the away side, generally speaking. Look at their away record – no wins in five games, three draws and two defeats. They’ve not conceded many but two goals scored in those five games is awfully condemning, especially as they’re facing a very good Cluj side today. Cluj might not be firing on all cylinders with the likes of Kone missing through injury but there’s a lot of quality in this side i.e. Culio, emerging striker Traore, holding midfielder Muresan so don’t underestimate the hosts here. They should welcome back Sixto Peralta from his bizarre European omission and after an impressive display in Munich mid-week from Cluj, I have high expectations for them today as long as Traore takes his chances with maturity rather than the occasionally rash youthful side that he shows from time to time. Cluj still have a lot of work to do to become the giants that they once were but they’re still a big side, especially at home as three wins from five games indicates all too well. Cluj average scoring over two goals per home game and although they rarely go all out to score a lot of goals, an impotent Unirea side really shouldn’t present much of an opposition today so I think 6/5 on Cluj to win by two goals or more looks quite intriguing for this encounter.

Verdict: CFR Cluj to beat the -1.5 goal handicap at 6/5.

Espanyol vs Levante – home win at 4/5.

Espanyol at home in Barcelona are a very different side to the side they show away from home as they tend to play like the Basque sides in the far north rather than the Catalans that they are, although my apologies to any Catalans who would undoubtedly find that comparison rather offensive! Espanyol are a very strong battling unit at home and not many sides leave having won at Espanyol, basically. A surprise win at Mallorca last match gives Espanyol some good momentum for this game although it came at a price with striker Osvaldo being dismissed and thus missing this game through suspension. They will miss him for this game so Sergio Garcia is going to have to step up to the plate as Espanyol bid to further their impressive home run of three wins from three games to four wins from four games. Luis Garcia will be important today if Espanyol are to find a way through without Osvaldo but they’ve already proven various times this season that they’re strong at home and they should be able to show that again today against newly-promoted Levante.

Levante are a side that I respect but only for their battling ability as their quality level is somewhat weak. Levante’s away record in the Primera Liga is somewhat flattering at the moment with just one defeat in three games. However, I’d attribute that to the fact that they faced an impotent Osasuna side and scored a late goal to claim a draw as well as having faced relegation-threatened Almeria along the way, hence their win. The only decent side they’ve faced on the road has been Getafe and they were crushed 4-1 in that game and I expect something similar to that scoreline today. Levante ahve some good strikers i.e. Caicedo, Valdo, Gonzalez but none of them are prolific and that’s going to hurt them later in the season, in my opinion. They lack some real class in midfield and defence although they’re not short on experience with the likes of Del Horno, Javi Venta, and Nano in defence. Nonetheless, from a goalscoring perspective, Levante are really going to struggle here and that’s fatal against Espanyol under Pochettino as he’s virtually the only manager that can make them score more than one goal in a game!

So yeah – Levante shouldn’t be good enough to get anything here as long as Espanyol take their chances. Espanyol have enough ability in their side and they always manipulate their home advantage so little Levante should leave this game with nothing today. Espanyol will miss Osvaldo but odds of 4/5 on the home win looks good to me although I’d leave it if the odds drop.

Verdict: Espanyol to win at 4/5.

Hesingborg vs Atvidaberg – both sides to score at 4/5.

Neither of these two sides can currently defend and both sides need the points! Helsingborg are joint top of the table with Malmo with three games remaining and they need to keep winning and they really should do so today. However, they’ve conceded goals for seven consecutive games irrespective of who they’ve faced so they’re used to outscoring their opponents nowadays. Atvidaberg have scored in eight out of their last ten games as they bid to beat the dreaded drop into the Superettan and in all honesty, Atvidaberg are playing good football at the moment so they should be taken seriously here. Helsingborg should beat them but in my experience, Helsingborg are the kind of side that wins the tough games and fuck up in the easy ones. Atvidabergs are near the relegation zone because they can’t defend, however, so you really have to fancy Helsingborg here. Helsingborg are buoyant following a win at Elfsborg Boras last match so we should see an enthusiastic display from them today. The visitors are not in a position to crawl into a shell and defend here – they have to attack – so I expect a fairly open game, plenty of goals, but ultimately a Helsingborg win should be on the cards. The odds of 2/5 don’t interest me as anything other than accumulator fodder, however, so my call for this one is both sides to score at decent odds of 4/5.

Verdict: Both sides to score at 4/5.

Penarol vs Danubio – home win at 10/11.

I rarely venture into the Uruguayan Primera Division as the odds are usually rather shocking but I’m going to toss my hat into the ring today for this big game between two of Uruguay’s biggest sides – Penarol and Danubio.

Penarol have been playing some marvellous football this season and they’ve made some good acquisitions over the transfer window i.e. Fabian Estoyanoff, Santiago Solari, Niclas Domingo and thus Penarol look a lot stronger for it. They now have a very potent attack indeed with both experience and ability in abundance in this side so I fancy a swift return for Penarol to the top of Uruguayan football, especially considering that their contemporaries have disappointed so far this season. Penarol have also impressed with their continental football so I expect big things from Penarol this season. Their mid-week win at home to Goias should give them some momentum to take into this game, a game which they’ve won at home for three out of the last four times its been played, so I do fancy the hosts to win this one tonight.

Visitors Danubio are playing quite well themselves, however, and they’re all set to cause their rivals problems tonight. Danubio aren’t winning many games but they’re earning their reputation for being hard to beat as just one defeat in eight Primera Division games indicates all too well. They’ve only won once on the road this season but they’ve drawn the other three so you can see that this game won’t be easy for the hosts. What Danubio lack in ability in comparison to Penarol they make up for in grit and in tactics so expect a resilient display here. I’d have expected Danubio to give a good account of themselves here but they lost defenders Fernandez to Almeria and Rodriguez to Rosario Central, not to mention key midfielder Grossmuller to Lecce, and attacker Ifran to Real Sociedad so this isn’t Danubio’s strongest side by any stretch of the imagination. With those losses in mind, you can see why Danubio are lining up defensively at the moment as they try a new tactical approach and it’s partially working at the moment.

However, Danubio are facing what I would call the best side in Uruguay at the moment so I think their missing players may become very evident tonight. Penarol are a very good side and the boast quality players in every position so although this game could be close, the odds of 10/11 on the hosts winning this one looks worthy of consideration tonight.

Verdict: Penarol to win at 10/11.

Accumulator fodder:

Newells Old Boys, Anderlecht, Santos, Lokomotiv Sofia, Deportes Quindio, Dinamo Zagreb, AB Copenhagen, Olympiakos Piraeus, AFC Ajax Amsterdam, PSV Eindhoven, and Twente Enschede, Rosenborg BK, Sogndal, Cerro Porteno, Guarani Asuncion, Nacional Asuncion, SL Benfica, CFR Cluj, Zenit St.Petersburg, Vojvodina Novi Sad, Helsingborg, Servette, Deportivo Tachira, Caracas.

Recommended bets:

Espanyol and Sevilla CF at 2/1.

Molde FK, AB Copenhagen, and Lokomotiv Sofia at 2/1.

Standard de Liege, Anderlecht, and Club Brugge at 3/1.

Salzburg DNB and Rapid Vienna DNB at 2/1.

As ever, if there 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!

Argentinian Primera Division:

Huracan vs San Lorenzo de Almagro (6) under 2.5 goals
Independiente vs Boca Juniors (4) 1-0, draw no bet
Tigre vs Club Olimpo (7) 2-0
Newells Old Boys vs Gimnasia De La Plata (8) under 2.5 goals

Australian A-League:

Perth Glory vs Sydney FC (4) 1-0

Austrian Bundesliga:

Wiener Neustadt vs Rapid Vienna (6) 1-2, draw no bet
Wacker Innsbruck vs Salzburg (5) 1-2, draw no bet

Belarusian Vysshaya Liga:

Naftan Novopolotsk vs Shakhtyor Soligorsk (5) 2-1, draw no bet
FC Minsk vs Dinamo Minsk (6) 1-2, draw no bet

Belgian Eerste Klasse:

Standard de Liege vs AA Gent (6) over 2.5 goals
Anderlecht vs Westerlo (8) 2-0
Lokeren vs Club Brugge (6) over 2.5 goals

Brazilian Serie A:

Corinthians vs Palmeiras (4) 1-2, draw no bet
Goias vs Avai (3) over 2.5 goals, both sides to score
Ceara vs Sao Paulo (5) 0-1, draw no bet
Atletico Paranaense vs Fluminense (6) 1-1
Santos vs Gremio Prudente (8) over 2.5 goals
Vasco da Gama vs Flamengo (7) 1-1
Cruzeiro vs Atletico Mineiro (6) over 2.5 goals, at least one red card in this game
Gremio vs Internacional (6) under 2.5 goals, at least one red card in this game

Bulgarian A PFG:

Minior Pernik vs CSKA Sofia (6) 1-2
Lokomotiv Sofia vs Rakovski (8) -1.5 handicap

Chilean Primera Division:

Nublense vs Universidad Catolica (6) 1-2
Union San Felipe vs San Luis (3) 1-1
La Serena vs Union Espanola (5) 1-1
Santiago Morning vs O’Higgins (5) 2-1

Colombian Primera A:

Boyaca Chico vs Independiente Medellin (5) 1-1
Once Caldas Manizales vs Atletico Huila (7) over 2.5 goals
Deportes Quindio vs Cortulua (8) 2-1
Millonarios Bogota vs Deportivo Pereira (7) 1-0
Cucuta Deportivo vs Independiente de Santa Fe Bogota (6) 1-1

Croatian Prva Liga:

Dinamo Zagreb vs Sibenik (8) 2-0
Cibalia Vinkovci vs Hajduk Split (4) 1-1

Cypriot Division 1:

AEL Limassol vs Omonia Nicosia (7) 1-2
Olympiakos Nicosia vs Apollon Limassol (5) 1-1

Czech Republic Gambrinus Liga:

Brno vs Slovacko (4) 2-1
Banik Ostrava vs Jablonec (6) under 2.5 goals
Sigma Olomouc vs Bohemians 1905 (7) 2-0
Slavia Prague vs Ceske Budejovice (5) 0-0

Danish Superligaen:

Aalborg BK vs Nordsjaelland (4) 2-1, draw no bet
Silkeborg vs FC Copenhagen (6) 1-2
Lyngby vs AC Horsens (5) over 2.5 goals
Brondby vs Randers (6) 1-1

Danish 1st Division:

Roskilde vs Vejle (6) over 2.5 goals
Vestjaelland vs Bronshoj (8)
Skive vs AGF Aarhus (6) over 2.5 goals, both sides to score
Kolding vs Hobro (5)
Hjorring vs Hvidovre (4) over 2.5 goals
AB Copenhagen vs Fyn (8) -1.5 handicap
Fredericia vs Naestved (5)

Ecuadorian Primera A:

Deportivo Quito vs Manta (7) 2-0
Olmedo Riobamba vs Independiente (4) 2-1
Universidad Catolica vs Barcelona Guayaquil (4) 0-0
Espoli Cayambe vs El Nacional Quito (5) 1-1

English Premier League:

Stoke City vs Manchester United (4) 1-1
Liverpool vs Blackburn Rovers (6) under 2.5 goals
Manchester City vs Arsenal (5) over 2.5 goals

French Ligue 1:

Arles vs Olympique Lyonnais (7) 0-2
Paris Saint-Germain vs Auxerre (6) 2-1
LOSC Lille vs Olympique de Marseille (6) under 2.5 goals

German Bundesliga:

BV09 Borussia Dortmund vs Hoffenheim (6) over 2.5 goals, both sides to score
Bayer 04 Leverkusen vs Mainz 05 (6) 1-1
VfB Stuttgart vs St.Pauli (5) over 2.5 goals, both sides to score

German Bundesliga 2:

VfL Bochum vs Alemannia Aachen (6) over 2.5 goals
Paderborn vs Fortuna Dusseldorf (4)
MSV Duisburg vs Karlsruher SC (7) over 2.5 goals

Greek Super League:

Kavala vs Ergotelis (6) 1-1
Panserraikos vs Kerkyra Corfu (5) 0-0
PAOK Salonika vs Panionios (4) 1-0
Olympiakos Piraeus vs Aris Salonika (8) 2-0
AEK Athens vs Panathinaikos (5) 1-1, at least one red card in this game

Hungarian Soproni Liga:

Debreceni VSC vs Ferencvaros (5) over 2.5 goals, both sides to score, at least one red card in this game

Italian Serie A:

Parma vs AS Roma (5) 1-1
Bologna vs Juventus (7) 1-2
Chievo Verona vs Cesena (5) 2-1
Genoa vs Catania (6) 2-1
Lazio vs Cagliari (7) 2-0
Lecce vs Brescia (6) under 2.5 goals
Udinese vs Palermo (4) over 2.5 goals
Internazionale vs Sampdoria (6) 2-1

Japanese J-League:

Kyoto Sanga vs Gamba Osaka (7) 0-2
Sanfrecce Hiroshima vs Shonan Bellmare (6) 2-1
Kashima Antlers vs Yokohama F.Marinos (6) 2-1, at least one red card in this game
Omiya Ardija vs Kawasaki Frontale (5) 0-1

Lithuanian A Lyga:

Banga Gargzdai vs Zalgiris Vilnius (5) 1-2
Kruoja Pakruojis vs Mazeikiai (6) 2-1
Atletas vs Klaipeda (5) 1-1

Mexican Primera Division:

Morelia vs Cruz Azul (6) 1-1
Toluca vs Puebla (5) 1-0
America vs Guadalajara (7) 2-0

Dutch Eredivisie:

Excelsior Rotterdam vs AFC Ajax Amsterdam (8) over 2.5 goals
PSV Eindhoven vs Feyenoord Rotterdam (8) over 2.5 goals
Twente Enschede vs ADO Den Haag (8) 2-0
AZ Alkmaar vs Willem II (3) 1-1
Vitesse Arnhem vs Utrecht (6) 1-1

Norwegian Eliteserien:

Sandefjord vs Haugesund (5) 1-1
Start Kristiansand vs Stabaek (5) 2-2
Stromsgodset vs Honefoss (6) 2-1
Viking Stavanger vs Aalesund (6) 1-0
Molde FK vs Odd Grenland Skien (7) 2-0
Rosenborg BK vs Tromso (8) 2-0

Norwegian Division 1:

Tromsdalen vs Follo (6)
Ranheim vs Fredrikstad (5)
Strommen vs Bodo Glimt (4) draw no bet
Moss vs Mjondalen (5)
Bryne vs Alta (5)
Sarpsborg 08 vs Nybergsund (7)
Sogndal vs Sandnes Ulf (8)

Paraguayan Division Profesional:

3 de Febrero vs Rubio Nu (6) 1-1
Libertad Asuncion vs Olimpia Asuncion (7) 2-1, at least one red card in this game
Nacional Asuncion vs Sportivo Luqueno (8) 2-0
Sol de America vs Sportivo Trinidense (6) 2-1
Cerro Porteno vs Tacuary (8) over 2.5 goals
Guarani Asuncion vs Sport Colombia (8) 2-1

Peruvian Primera Division:

Sport Boys vs Melgar FBC (7) 2-0
Sport Huancayo vs Alianza Atletico (7) 2-1
CNI vs Jose Galvez (5) under 2.5 goals

Polish Ekstraklasa:

Gornik Zabrze vs Lech Poznan (6) 1-2
Zaglebie Lubin vs Ruch Chorzow (5) 1-1

Portuguese Liga Sagres:

Maritimo Funchal vs Naval de Maio (5) 1-0
Sporting Clube de Lisboa vs Rio Ave (7) 2-0
Portimonense vs SL Benfica (8) 1-2

Romanian Liga:

Sportul Studentesc vs Rapid Bucharest (7) 1-2
CFR Cluj vs Unirea Urziceni (8) -1.5 handicap

Russian Premier League:

Amkar Perm vs Lokomotiv Moscow (7) under 2.5 goals
CSKA Moscow vs Rubin Kazan (5) 1-1
Anzhi Makhachkala vs Zenit St.Petersburg (8) 1-2
Rostov-na-Donu vs Krylya Sovetov Samara (5) 1-1

Scottish Premier League:

Celtic vs Rangers (5) 1-2, draw no bet, at least one red card in this game

Serbian Super Liga:

Spartak Subotica vs Rad Belgrade (6) 2-1
Vojvodina Novi Sad vs OFK Belgrade (8) 2-0

Singaporean S-League:

Balestier Khalsa vs Geylang United (5) 1-1

Slovenian Prva Liga:

Triglav vs Domzale (6) 1-1

Spanish Primera Liga:

Getafe vs Sporting Gijon (6) 2-1
Almeria vs Hercules Alicante (6) 1-1
Osasuna vs Malaga (5) 1-1
Espanyol vs Levante (7) 2-0
Sevilla CF vs Athletic Club de Bilbao (7) over 2.5 goals
Villarreal vs Atletico Madrid (6) over 2.5 goals

Spanish Segunda Liga:

Salamanca vs Real Betis Balompie (5)
Numancia vs Gimnastic de Tarragona (7)

Swedish Allsvenskan:

Hesingborg vs Atvidaberg (8) over 2.5 goals, both sides to score
Kalmar vs Mjallby Solvesborg (6) 2-1
Gefle vs GAIS Goteborg (5) 1-1
Djurgarden vs Elfsborg Boras (6) 1-1

Swiss Super League:

Grasshoppers Zurich vs Thun (5) over 2.5 goals, both sides to score
St.Gallen vs Basel (6) over 2.5 goals
Young Boys Bern vs Bellinzona (6) 2-1

Swiss Challenge League:

Servette vs Locarno (8)
Aarau vs Wil (6)

Turkish Super Lig:

Ankaragucu vs Bursaspor (6) 1-2
Manisaspor vs Kasimpasa (6) over 2.5 goals
Fenerbahce vs Galatasaray (7) over 2.5 goals, at least one red card in this game

Ukrainian Premier League:

Illichivets Mariupol vs Metalist Kharkiv (7) 0-2
Volyn Lutsk vs Dynamo Kiev (6) 1-2
Karpaty Lviv vs Metalurg Donetsk (6) 1-0

Uruguayan Primera Division:

River Plate Montevideo vs Liverpool Montevideo (6) 2-1, draw no bet
Defensor Sporting vs Rampla Juniors (8) 2-0
Central Espanol vs Racing Club Montevideo (5) 1-1
Bella Vista vs El Tanque Sisley (6) 1-1
Penarol vs Danubio (7) over 2.5 goals, at least one red card in this game

Venezuelan Primera Division:

Carabobo vs Deportivo Lara (6) 1-1
Yaracuyanos vs Deportivo Anzoategui (6) 0-0
Deportivo Tachira vs Zamora (8) 2-0
Trujillanos vs Mineros de Guayana (6) 2-1
Caracas vs Atletico El Vigia (8) 2-0
Estudiantes de Merida vs Deportivo Petare (7) 1-1
Caroni vs Real Esppor Club (4) 0-1, draw no bet
Monagas SC vs Aragua (6) 1-1
Atletico Venezuela vs Zulia (5) 0-0

Welsh Premier League:

Llanelli vs Airbus UK (7) over 2.5 goals
Bala Town vs Port Talbot Town (5) 1-1

Enjoy your free betting tips!