Athletic Club de Bilbao vs Sporting Gijon
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I think this is the first time that I’d ever been able to use my two favourite teams as headlining bets so I’m quite happy about that! Just thought I’d share this useless information!
San Mames will be packed today for the Primera Liga clash between Athletic Club de Bilbao and Sporting Gijon as the hosts look to win their first game in four after two defeats and a draw. However, a win here today is vital to gain momentum again, not only for their domestic campaign but also their European campaign, which continues mid-week at home to CD Nacional of Portugal. Athletic Club de Bilbao and Sporting Gijon both play a similar style of football – aggressive, tenacious etc. but the hosts simply do it better due to possessing better players. Sporting Gijon were ravaged 3-0 the last time they came here in the league and a similar score might not be too far from the radar today too. Although Sporting Gijon enter this game on the back of a win, they have lost two and drawn once in their three away games so far this season. Athletic Club de Bilbao should only be missing Ustaritz through suspension and Iker Muniain is a doubt due to international duty – aside from the long-term absentees, of course. Fernando Llorente looks to have shaken off the knock he sustained against Real Valladolid but we’ll see what line-up Joaquin Caparros names today. Either, we should have an action-packed game with plenty of cards and goals as both sides find defending a very uninteresting part of the game. However, with the hosts being the better side and boasting the home advantage, you have to favour them to win at 5/6.
Sunday’s Picks
My tips:
As ever, below are my recommended value tips for today in no particular order:
Athletic Club de Bilbao vs Sporting Gijon – home win at 5/6 – see introduction for full details.
Huracan vs River Plate – home win at 11/8. Huracan are the latest side to take on a woeful River Plate side that now has no wins in six games. River Plate are simply conceding goals far too easily and not scoring enough of them – fact. Three defeats in their last four games spells problems for the giants and today’s game with Huracan will give another minnow the chance to claim an invaluable scalp. Hosts Huracan are far from a good side, in my opinion. However, unbeaten in their last two games and obtaining their first win of the season will have good them a lot of good mentally, thus setting the ball rolling with momentum. River Plate seem barely able to string a pass together, let alone any kind of consistency in results. Whereas I don’t think Huracan are as good a side, I think they’ve got more chance of winning this game today against a drastically out-of-sorts River Plate so the home win at 11/8 looks a good bet to me.
Shakhtyor Soligorsk vs BATE Borisov – home win at 8/5. Still the only side to win away to BATE Borisov this season, Shakhtyor Soligorsk now have the unenviable task of needing to beat BATE Borisov to give themselves a chance of European football next season. They’ve certainly got the quality to do it although I really don’t think they’re as good as BATE Borisov quality-wise. That said, I’m taking the home win today at 8/5 because it is a must win for the hosts, despite their woeful home form, and it’s a game that BATE Borisov don’t need to play in as they’ve already won the Vysshaya Liga. BATE Borisov will be looking towards the home encounter next week with AEK Athens in the UEFA Europa League so their attention isn’t going to be here today. As they enter the game on the back of two straight wins, I can’t help but feel Shakhtyor Soligorsk might just have enough to win this game at 8/5.
Atletico Junior Barranquilla vs Deportivo Pereira – home win at 3/4. It’s the same old Colombian no-brainer! Six wins from six home games with an average of nearly four goals per home game makes Atletico Junior Barranquilla currently the best home side in the Colombian Futbol Profesional, in my opinion. They look virtually untouchable on their own ground, particularly as no side has can touch their highly impressive goalscoring ratio. Visitors Deportivo Pereira are having a good season so far but they’re not a match for today’s hosts and still have won’t away from home this season, losing three times and drawing three times. As I said, the home win at 3/4 is something of a no-brainer for me so taking it before the odds drop is highly recommended!
Kladno vs Slavia Prague – away win at 4/5. I can’t possibly overlook such good odds for Slavia Prague despite the problems they’re having. A 1-0 home defeat by bitter rivals Sparta Prague last match is sure to have left a very bitter taste in their mouths and one they’ll be keen to remove. I think the international break came just in time for them to compose themselves and regroup to launch another assault on the Gambrinus Liga. Although having won three of their last four games and not having lost any of them, I do rate Kladno as one of the worst sides in the division that are simply in a “purple patch” at the moment. I daresay that’s why the bookies feel compelled to give good odds on this game. However, I simply cannot ignore such good odds for a better side to win the game, even though their form is somewhat poor at the moment. Taking Slavia Prague to win at 4/5 does have it’s risk elements but some that I’m prepared to take to back quality over temporary form.
Skive vs Lyngby – away win at 3/4. Despite an embarassing 3-0 defeat at Kolding in their last away game, Lyngby have re-grouped and are rejuvenated after beating Vestjaelland 4-3 last match. Their away record isn’t great but they are one of the better sides in the division so I fully expect them to severely test Skive today. The hosts have won just one out of five home games this season, losing three. It’s therefore no surprise that Skive are battling relegation. Two straight defeats means they’re beginning to drop their heads whereas visitrs Lyngby are back on the road to the Superligaen again with two wins in three games and are sitting fourth in the table, just two points behind leaders AB Copenhagen. There’s a big quality mis-match today and momentum favours the away side so I’m going to take a Lyngby win at 3/4.
Larissa vs Xanthi – home win at evens. “Droll” doesn’t begin to sum up how bad this game could potentially between these two sides that have just barely managed to score a goal every other game. Larissa are without a win yet, which makes this a dubious call, but they are a better side than Xanthi in my opinion – a much slower starter too, of course! Although unconvincing so far, Larissa really have to fancy their chances against an Xanthi side that has played three away games so far this season and lost all of them without scoring a goal. If Larissa keep their defence tighter than it has been in recent weeks then they should be able to sneak a narrow home victory at evens.
Zaglebie Lubin vs Jagiellonia Bialystok – home win at 13/10. After managing to beat Legia Warsaw last match, I get the impression that Jagiellonia Bialystok could very well become complacement in today’s game with relegation battlers Zaglebie Lubin, something that they can ill-afford to do given their own precarious positioning despite having already overcome their points deficit at the start of the season. However, Jagiellonia Bialystok have problems entering this game as three midfielders are missing – Renusz, Zawistowski, and Falkowski – and are also missing key Lithuanian defender Andrius Skerla. A side with complacency and big missings could very well have a lot of difficulty today against a poor but resilient Zaglebie Lubin. The hosts also have their missing players, most notably striker Ilijan Micanski, which is a big blow for them. However, they know they have to start winning games, especially against the sides close to them in the table so today’s as good a day as any other for that to begin against a relatively injury-hit Jagiellonia Bialystok. I expect a tight game here with a low number of goals but I feel a home win is a very real possibility at 13/10.
Lech Poznan vs Wisla Krakow – away win at 8/5. It’s perhaps unfair of me to call this an “away” win as the game is played at Wronki, which although is owned by Lech Poznan, it’s is not their home ground. Confused? You should be! Anyway, Lech Poznan have big missing players entering this game as they have no fit strikers barring the impressive Robert Lewandowski, who will play up front on his own in this game. Lech Poznan are also missing key defender Arboleda, which is yet another hefty blow, particularly as Wisla Krakow favourite Pawel Brozek will be playing in attack for the visitors. He’s hard enough to handle on the day anyway without your side missing key players so this could pose a lot of problems for Lech Poznan today. The “hosts” also enter the game with no win in two games and are beginning to look somewhat fragile. “Visitors” Wisla Krakow welcome back Glowacki and Marcelo, which are massive boosts defensively for the reigning champions. The one down-side for Wisla Krakow is that holding midfielder Sobolewski is missing due to injury so youngster Jirsak will reaplce him today. Considering that Wisla Krakow enter this game with four wins from their past five games and boast a much more in-form and available squad than Lech Poznan, it’s hard to see anything but an “away” win here at 8/5.
Politehnica Iasi vs Steaua Bucharest – away win at 4/5. Although the hosts have made a good start to this season, it doesn’t take a genius to work out that they’ve punching well above their weight. Unbeaten in four games, Politehnica Iasi are proving tough opponents for most sides at the moment. Despite some haphazard form of late, Steaua Bucharest remain one of the best away sides in the league currently with three away wins from four games, drawing the other game. The hosts aren’t a match for them on paper so I think we’ll see a narrow away win today at 4/5.
Terek Grozny vs Rostov-na-Donu – home win at 4/5. When playing football in Russia, the trip to Grozny is one of the hardest you can make due to the intimidating atmosphere and feisty hosts. It’s no coincidence that the hosts have only been beaten here three times this season, winning seven of their thirteen home games. For a side no with few recognisable players, Terek Grozny are certainly a force to be reckoned with. Visitors Rostov-na-Donu have lost six of their twelve away games this season and simply don’t score enough goals away from home, amassing just one goal every two games on the road. Terek Grozny have won three of their last four games, their only blemish on this record being the home defeat by a very in-form Lokomotiv Moscow. With the visitors without a win in four games now, it’s beyond difficult to see past a home win at 4/5.
Drava vs Nafta Lendava – home win at 5/6. With both sides boasting just one victory in their last four games respectively, it’s easy to see why most people are steering clear of this game. That said, hosts Drava are at least vaguely competent at home as they’ve already won their twice this season despite their poor league placing. Visitors Nafta Lendava, however, boast the worst away record in their entire Prva Liga with five defeats and one draw from six away games. Although there’s not much between these two sides, the previously mentioned statistic and the fact that Nafta Lendava have conceded over two goals per game on average away from home tells me there’s value in the home win at 5/6.
Espanyol vs Tenerife – home win at 4/5. Another no-brainer! Espanyol are simply far too good for Tenerife and are frankly far too good to be bestowed with such ridiculous odds! Still, I’m happy to take advantage here because I cannot see anything else other than a home win due to the quality mis-match here, the fact that the hosts are unbeaten in four games now and will have gained considerable momentum from this, and the fact that Tenerife have played three away games this season and lost all of them without scoring a goal. Home win no-brainer at 4/5!
Sirius Uppsala vs FC Trollhattan – home win at evens. With two games remaining in the Superettan, hosts Sirius Uppsala simply have to win this game to have a chance of avoiding the dreaded drop. Their home form in recent weeks has saved them somewhat as they’ve managed to win two of their four league games. Bigger opponents have outclassed them here, understandably, but visitors FC Trollhattan aren’t a side capable of outclassing them. Much like their hosts today, FC Trollhattan are also in the mire and require three points desperately. FC Trollhattan are unbeaten in five games, which gives them great momentum entering this game but they’re travelling to a very difficult Sirius Uppsala today, which is a challenging away game at the best of times. I can’t see this game being the bore draw that it would any other time of the season as both sides need points, and need points quickly. I have to favour the home side here because the crowd will get behind them and they’ve done quite well at home lately whereas visitors FC Trollhattan have lost eight of their fourteen away games already this season. For me, there’s value in the home win at evens.
Tavriya Simferopol vs Arsenal Kiev – home win at 10/11. Hosts Tavriya Simferopol have performed well so far this season with just one defeat in nine games. Their home form is amongst the best in the league with four wins and one draw from their five home games thus far. They’re not massive goalscorers but they rarely concede at home and it’s hard to see an Arsenal Kiev side that enter this game on the back of four straight defeats altering that. Although having started this season somewhat impressively, Arsenal Kiev have slumped lately and are heading for their atypical doldrums. Their away form isn’t horrific but their morale and lack of momentum certainly is. This place is no place for an away side to be when they’ve not got enough to trouble the hosts because Tavriya Simferopol will punish their opponents every time so the home win at 10/11 looks something of a bargian today.
As ever, any questions/explanations required, feel free to email me at thefootytipster@gmail.com. For the complete picks listing, see below!
Argentinian Primera Division:
Independiente vs Chacarita Juniors (9) over 2.5 goals
Huracan vs River Plate (5) 1-0
Boca Juniors vs Tigre (9) 2-0
Newell’s Old Boys vs Estudiantes De La Plata (6) 1-2, draw no bet
Australian A-League:
Newcastle Jets vs Melbourne Victory (7) 1-2
Gold Coast United vs Perth Glory (5) 1-1
Austrian Bundesliga:
Sturm Graz vs Rapid Vienna (7) 2-2
Belarusian Vysshaya Liga:
Shakhtyor Soligorsk vs BATE Borisov (6) 2-1
MTZ-RIPO Minsk vs Dinamo Minsk (7) 1-1
Naftan Novopolotsk vs Neman Grodno (8) 2-0
Belgian Eerste Klasse:
Racing Genk vs Mechelen (4) 1-1
Club Brugge vs AA Gent (8) over 2.5 goals
Belgian Tweede Klasse:
Boussu Dour Borinage vs Eupen (8)
Tienen vs Antwerp (6)
Brazilian Serie A:
Sport Recife vs Corinthians (5) 1-1
Gremio vs Coritiba (7) 2-0
Fluminense vs Internacional (6) 1-2
Palmeiras vs Flamengo (7) over 2.5 goals
Cruzeiro vs Botafogo (8) 2-1
Vitoria vs Nautico (7) 2-0
Atletico Paranaense vs Santo Andre (6) 1-0
Bulgarian A PFG:
Lokomotiv Mezdra vs Cherno More Varna (5) 0-1
Levski Sofia vs Beroe (7) 2-0
Colombian Futbol Profesional:
Once Caldas Manizales vs Deportivo Cali (6) 1-0
Cucuta Deportivo vs Boyaca Chico (5) 1-1
Deportes Tolima vs Envigado (8) 2-0
Atletico Junior Barranquilla vs Deportivo Pereira (8) 2-1
America de Cali vs La Equidad Bogota (6) 2-1
Atletico Nacional de Medellin vs Real Cartagena (8) 1-0
Croatian Prva Liga:
Hajduk Split vs Sibenik (8) 2-1
Czech Republic Gambrinus Liga:
Mlada Boleslav vs Bohemians Prague (7) 2-0
Bohemians 1905 vs Slovacko (6) 1-0
Kladno vs Slavia Prague (7) 0-1
Sigma Olomouc vs Brno (6) 1-1
Danish Superligaen:
Aalborg BK vs Randers (7) 1-0
HB Koge vs FC Copenhagen (8) 1-2
Silkeborg vs Esbjerg (4) 1-0, draw no bet
Brondby vs Midtylland (8) 2-1
Danish 1st Division:
Hvidovre vs Fredericia (6)
Skive vs Lyngby (7)
Vestjaelland vs Frem (8)
Roskilde vs Naestved (8)
Vejle vs AC Horsens (5)
Kolding vs Fyn (6)
Ecuadorian Primera A:
Macara Ambato vs Deportivo Quito (6) 1-0
Emelec Guayaquil vs Deportivo Cuenca (6) 2-1
Olmedo Riobamba vs Espoli Cayambe (5) 1-1
English Premier League:
Blackburn Rovers vs Burnley (7) under 2.5 goals, at least one red card in this game
Wigan Athletic vs Manchester City (7) 1-2
French Ligue 1:
Lorient vs OGC Nice (7) 2-1
AS Monaco vs Racing Club Lens (7) 2-0
Toulouse vs Paris Saint-Germain (6) 1-1
German Bundesliga:
VFL Wolfsburg vs Borussia Moenchengladbach (8) 2-0
BV09 Borussia Dortmund vs VFL Bochum (7) 2-1
German Bundesliga 2:
Augsburg vs Karlsruher SC (7)
Koblenz vs Rot-Weiss Ahlen (6)
Fortuna Dusseldorf vs FSV Frankfurt (7)
Greek Super League:
Atromitos vs Levadiakos (6) 0-0
Larissa vs Xanthi (6) 1-0
Iraklis vs Panionios (7) 2-1
Kavala vs Panathinaikos (9) 0-2
AEK Athens vs Panthrakikos (7) 2-0
Greek B Ethniki:
Anagennisi Karditsas 1904 vs Panaitolikos Agrinio (6)
Doxa Dramas vs Olympiakos Volos (7)
Ionikos Nikaias vs Pierikos Katerini (6)
Kalamata vs Agrotikos Asteras (5)
Rhodos vs OFI Crete (6)
Thrasivoulos vs Ilioupoli (6)
Hungarian Soproni Liga:
MTK Budapest vs Fehervar (6) 1-1
Italian Serie A:
Catania vs Cagliari (6) 1-1
Chievo Verona vs Bari (6) 2-1
Lazio vs Sampdoria (5) 1-1
Livorno vs Palermo (6) 0-1
SSC Napoli vs Bologna (7) 2-1
Parma vs Siena (8) 1-0
Udinese vs Atalanta Bergamo (3) 1-1
AC Milan vs AS Roma (6) 1-1
Japanese J-League:
Oita Trinita vs Shimizu S-Pulse (8) 1-2
JEF United Ichihara vs Kyoto Purple Sanga (5) 1-1
Latvian Virsliga:
FK Ventspils vs FK Jurmala (9) -2.75 handicap
Olimps Riga vs Blazma Rezekne (7) 2-1
Daugava Riga vs Tranzits Ventspils (6) 1-1
Skonto Riga vs Liepajas Metalurgs (6) 2-1
Lithuanian A Lyga:
Banga Gargzdai vs Kruoja Pakruojis (8) 2-0
FK Taurus Taurage vs LKKA Teledema Kaunas (8) 2-1
FK Siauliai vs Ekranas Panevezys (7) 1-2
Suduva Marijampole vs Vetra Vilnius (6) 1-1
Mexican Primera Division:
America vs Puebla (8) over 2.5 goals
Dutch Eredivisie:
VVV Venlo vs Roda JC Kerkrade (6) 2-1
RKC Waalwijk vs Heracles Almelo (5) 0-1
NEC Nijmegen vs ADO Den Haag (6) 2-1
Groningen vs FC Utrecht (7) 1-1
Sparta Rotterdam vs Feyenoord Rotterdam (8) 1-2, at least one red card in this game
Norwegian Tippeligaen:
Lyn Oslo vs Stromsgodset (4) 1-1
Start Kristiansand vs Aalesunds (5) 1-1
Viking Stavanger vs Rosenborg BK (6) 1-1
Sandefjord Fotball vs Lillestrom (7) 1-0
Bodo Glimt vs Tromso (6) 1-2, draw no bet
Brann Bergen vs Valerenga Oslo (7) 2-1
Norwegian Adeccoligaen:
Lov Ham Bergen vs Nybergsund (5)
Haugesund vs Notodden (8)
Moss vs Sogndal (6)
Stavanger vs Tromsdalen (6) draw no bet
Alta vs Mjondalen (7)
Hamarkamaratene vs Bryne (7)
Honefoss vs Skeid Oslo (8)
Polish Ekstraklasa:
Zaglebie Lubin vs Jagiellonia Bialystok (5) 1-0
Lech Poznan vs Wisla Krakow (6) 1-2
Romanian Liga:
Gloria Bistrita vs Otelul Galati (6) 1-2
Astra Ploiesti vs Universitatea Craiova (6) 1-1
Brasov vs Dinamo Bucharest (7) 1-1
Politehnica Iasi vs Steaua Bucharest (7) 0-1
Russian Premier League:
Terek Grozny vs Rostov-na-Donu (7) 2-0
Sprtak Moscow vs Lokomotiv Moscow (7) 1-1, at least one red card in this game
FK Moscow vs Krylya Sovetov Samara (7) 2-1
Kuban Krasnodor vs Zenit St Petersburg (8) 1-3
Serbian Super Liga:
Hajduk Kula vs Napredak (7) 1-1
Partizan Belgrade vs Jagodina (9) 2-0
Slovakian Corgon Liga:
MSK Zilina vs Slovan Bratislava (7) 1-1
Slovenian Prva Liga:
Drava vs Nafta Lendava (6) 1-0
Spanish Primera Liga:
Deportivo Xerez vs Villarreal (5) 1-2
Espanyol vs Tenerife (8) 2-0
Real Mallorca vs Getafe (8) 2-1
Real Zaragoza vs Racing Santander (5) 1-1
Malaga vs Almeria (5) 1-0
Athletic Club de Bilbao vs Sporting Gijon (8) 2-0
Osasuna vs Atletico Madrid (5) 2-1, draw no bet
Spanish Segunda Liga:
Hercules Alicante vs Real Murcia (8)
Numancia vs Girona (7)
Levante vs Real Sociedad (6)
Cordoba vs Gimnastic de Tarragona (7)
Albacete vs Elche (6)
Spanish Segunda B:
Group 1:
Racing Club de Ferrol vs Guijuelo (6)
Palencia vs Ponferradina (6)
Mirandes vs Montaneros (6)
Sestao River Club vs Celta de Vigo II (7)
Barakaldo vs Izarra (6)
Eibar vs Lemona (8)
Lugo vs Deportivo Alaves (7)
Compostela vs Cultural y Deportiva Leonesa (5)
Osasuna II vs Zamora (5)
Group 2:
Alcorcon vs Atletico Madrid II (8)
Universidad Las Palmas vs Cacareno (8)
Lanzarote vs Real Sporting de Gijon II (7)
Real Oviedo vs Tenerife II (6)
Villanovense vs Cerro Reyes Badajoz (5)
Vecindario vs Leganes (5)
Toledo vs Conquense (6)
Real Sociedad Gimnastica Torrelavega vs Puertollano (6)
Real Madrid II vs Alcala Henares (6)
Group 3:
Gava vs Sabadell (5)
Badalona vs Sporting Mahones (6)
Mallorca II vs Ontinyent (7)
Denia vs Sant Andreu (6) draw no bet
Terrassa vs Alicante (6)
Benidorm vs Logrones (7)
Orihuela vs Atletico Gramenet (6)
Lleida vs Villajoyosa (6)
Group 4:
Roquetas vs Aguilas (7)
Real Betis II vs Jerez Industrial (6)
Union Estepona vs Sevilla II (6)
Real Murcia II vs Ceuta (7)
Melilla vs Marbella (8)
Moratalla vs Lucena (6)
Polideportivo Ejido vs Ciudad de Murcia (7)
Granada vs Sangonera Atletico (7)
Caravaca vs Ecije Balompie (6)
Swedish Allsvenskan:
Brommapojkarna vs Orebro (7) 1-1
Orgryte vs Helsingborgs (6) 1-2
Swedish Superettan:
Assyriska Sodertalje vs Landskrona BoIS (8)
GIF Sundsvall vs Ljungskile (7)
Sirius Uppsala vs FC Trollhattan (7)
IFK Norrkoping vs Jonkopings Sodra (5)
Qviding Goteborg vs Syrianska Sodertalje (4)
Angelholms vs Vasby United (5)
Mjallby Solvesborg vs Falkenbergs (7)
Vasalunds vs Atvidabergs (6)
Turkish Super Lig:
Genclerbirligi vs Sivasspor (5) 1-1
Istanbul BB vs Manisaspor (6) 2-1
Kayserispor vs Ankaragucu (6) 1-1
Gaziantepspor vs Fenerbahce (8) 1-2
Antalyaspor vs Diyarbakirspor (6) 0-0
Galatasaray vs Trabzonspor (8) 3-1
Ukrainian Premier League:
Illichivets Mariupol vs Metalist Kharkiv (7) 1-2
Shakhtar Donetsk vs Karpaty Lviv (8) 3-1
Tavriya Simferopol vs Arsenal Kiev (8) 2-0
Uruguayan Primera Division:
Montevideo Wanderers vs Club Nacional de Montevideo (6) 1-2, draw no bet
Racing Club Montevideo vs Danubio (6) 0-1
Cerro Largo vs Penarol (7) 1-1
Defensor Sporting vs Cerrito (9) 3-1
Tacuarembo vs Central Espanol (6) 0-0
Liverpool Montevideo vs Rampla Juniors (7) 2-1
River Plate Montevideo vs Atenas (7) 2-0
Cerro vs Fenix (7) 1-0
Venezuelan Primera Division:
Monagas SC vs Deportivo Lara (7) 2-1
Trujillanos vs Atletico El Vigia (6) 1-0
Llaneros de Guanare vs Aragua (5) 1-2
Centro Italo vs Caracas (8) 0-2
Deportivo Italia vs Mineros de Guayana (8) 2-1
Real Esppor Club vs Zamora (6) 0-0
Carabobo vs Zulia (7) 0-1
Estudiantes de Merida vs Deportivo Anzoategui (7) 1-2
Yaracuyanos vs Deportivo Tachira (6) 0-1
Enjoy your free betting tips!