Sport
European betting tips: Wolves to extend marathon season
Infuriating scenes in my final Premier League Preview of the season, with an 87th minute West Ham equaliser the only losing leg on our ticket and costing us over £2,000. It can be a cruel game at times but I’m determined to bounce back with my European betting tips ahead of the estimated £30,000+ Rollover Pick 8. Read my European betting tips and join my Syndicate here.
European betting tips
Man Utd vs. LASK (Wed, 20:00)
An opening leg in my European betting tips which, on the face of it, should be a no brainer. United won the away game 5-0 and have been in superb form whereas LASK Linz have lost their last four in a row.
However, it is the fact that they are 5-0 up that is giving me a slight feeling of unease. United looked knackered in the closing games of the season and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will inevitably opt to rest some of his players here, with safe passage to the next round effectively confirmed.
A weakened United should still have more than enough but I couldn’t forgive myself if I ignored the voice in my head telling me to be cautious. I’ll include the draw as a precaution knowing that, if LASK do somehow get a stalemate, it will obliterate 95% of pool units and put us in a position of strength.
Verdict: Man Utd & Draw
Inter Milan vs. Getafe (Wed, 20:00)
A late season meltdown from Juve, who lost their final two games, meant that Inter finished just a point behind the title winners in a fantastic first season for Antonio Conte. Getafe finished a credible eight in La Liga so will need to win the Europa League to qualify for Europe again next season.
As this pair didn’t play their first leg, owing to lockdown, the tie has been reconfigured to a one-legged affair at a neutral venue and I have to say that I really like Inter.
Getafe finished the season in miserable form, failing to win in their last six games, losing four of them and scoring just a single goal. They don’t concede too many either but their lack of firepower must be a concern against the best defence in Serie A, who were the only side to concede less than a goal a game (36 from 38).
Inter were also the second highest scorers behind Atalanta, with Romelu Lukaku and Lautaro Martinez scoring 37 league goals between them. Getafe are no mugs but I really like Inter’s chances so will support them here.
Verdict: Inter Milan
Sevilla vs. Roma (Thu, 17:55)
Another Spanish-Italian clash between the sides in fourth and fifth in La Liga and Serie A respectively.
Both finished the season on 70 points from 38 games but, whereas Sevilla’s approach is more conservative with 54 goals scored and 34 conceded, Roma are more gung ho, scoring 77 and conceding 51. That should make for an interesting contrast of styles.
Sevilla are obviously Europa League specialists, having won the competition five times. It’s twice more than anyone else and their five victories all came since 2006, famously winning it three times in a row between 2016 and 2018.
Both sides are in fantastic nick. Sevilla are on an outstanding run of 17 without defeat, although nine were draws. They won five out of six, though, to round off the season so will be full of confidence.
Roma are on a comparatively embarrassing run of eight games without losing. Seven were wins, however, with the highlight being a 3-1 trumph over champions Juventus to round off the season. It is worth noting that they only kept a clean sheet in one of these fixtures whereas Sevilla have kept five clean sheets in their previous six, once again highlighting the stylistic difference.
It should be a cracking game and, although Sevilla are favourites, no result would surprise me. I’ll opt out of this one and cover all bases.
Verdict: Sevilla & Draw & Roma
Leverkusen vs. Rangers (Thu, 17:55)
Neither side have played a lot of football in recent weeks, with the German season finishing a month ago and the Scottish season only resuming last weekend, so form is mildly irrelevant here.
Rangers came through their opener against the ten men of Aberdeen, edging a 1-0 win, but didn’t offer enough to convince me that they have what it takes to overcome a side who were only six points behind Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga.
Chelsea’s move for Leverkusen star Kai Havertz is still up in the air and much depends on whether he starts here but the one thing I do know is that Rangers need to attack. With three away strikes conceded and a two goal deficit, they need to win this one by three clear which gives a massive tactical advantage to Leverkusen.
In my opinion Rangers will throw everything forward and will either have some joy or, far more likely, the Germans will pick them apart on the counter-attack. I’m expecting Leverkusen to win but will also back Rangers as any upset would, once again, be tremendously useful in terms of reducing units.
Verdict: Leverkusen & Rangers
Wolves vs. Olympiakos (Thu, 20:00)
This could be a good one. It’s 1-1 after the first leg and, with Wolves failing to qualify for the Europa League via the Premier League, winning this competition is their only route back into Europe next season.
Olympiakos won four of their last five in the league whereas Wolves only won two of their final six after running out of steam. So should we expect an upset at Molineux? Absolutely not.
After an insanely long season that began in this competition over a year ago, Wolves were understandably flagging towards the end and, with little to play for, checked out. They remain a class above Olympiakos though and a ten day break since their final league game will have done them the world of good.
The emphasis is on the Greek side to chase the game as Wolves already have away goal advantage and that plays right into Nuno Espirito Santo’s hands.
Verdict: Wolves
FC Basel vs. E Frankfurt (Thu, 20:00)
A really difficult match to predict. Basel have been off the pace in the Swiss Super League this season and are currently third behind Young Boys and St Gallen. They have, however, fared better than Frankfurt who find themselves down in ninth in the Bundesliga and closer points-wise to the relegation zone than Leverkusen in fifth.
I’m not a huge fan of the Europa League as it’s an impossible job gauging the strength of teams in Europe’s smaller league against those who play in the ‘big five’. If Frankfurt played in the Swiss Super League would they run away with it? If Basel played in the Bundesliga would they finish higher than ninth? Does anyone know? Does anybody care?
I don’t have the answers to this one and, with plenty of selections in the bank, I’m happy to take the cowards way out.
Verdict: FC Basel & Draw & Frankfurt
Man City vs. Real Madrid (Fri, 20:00)
The penultimate leg is the best game of the week and potentially one of the best of the season.
Two of the greatest sides in the world face off with the newly crowned La Liga Champions attempting the overturn a 2-1 deficit from the first leg, in which Sergio Ramos was sent off for his typical shithousery.
He will miss this one and that loss, coupled with the scoreline, makes it definite advantage to Man City. Madrid cheekily tried to get the game played in a neutral venue but failed, meaning that it will take place at the Etihad which again favours Pep Guardiola’s men.
City should win this. Everything is in their favour and they are a dangerous side to have to attack. With the absence of Ramos coupled with City’s general defensive weakness, I’m inclined to think that goals could be on the cards.
My strategy in these pools is to load the later legs, especially if they are tricky, meaning that if you get through the early games your Cash Out offer is multipled. I backed all three in the previous game and I’m doing the same here as, despite favouring City, you can’t write off Real.
Verdict: Man City & Draw & Real Madrid
Barcelona vs. Napoli (Sat, 20:00)
The third and final Spanish-Italian fixture and what a match it could be.
The pair are locked at 1-1 after an opening leg in which Antoine Griezmann saved Barca’s blushes after a Dries Mertens opener, before Arturo Vidal was sent off in the closing stages for unsportsmanlike conduct.
Barca will be extremely unhappy about surrendering the La Liga title and, should they fail to win the Champions League, it will be the first time they’ve finished the season without any silverware since the 2013/14 campaign. They ended things positively, however, with four wins from their final five matches despite a surprising loss to Osasuna.
Napoli finished way down in seventh in Serie A and their end of season form (WDWDW) tells its own story. They have been far too inconsistent despite possessing a talented squad.
I only have room for a single selection in this one and it’s going to be the home side who are deserving favourites. I think that, despite their struggles, Barca are a class apart and if I can only be with one of them, it must be the Catalonians.
Verdict: Barcelona
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