Brest vs Vannes OC

Today’s featured games is the Ligue 2 encounter between Brest and Vannes OC. The hosts have been very impressive in Ligue 2 this year and currently find themselves in fourth place in the table. They’ve won three of their last five games and are unbeaten on that particular run. The main reason for their success has been their consistent home form which has seen them yield five wins from seven games, drawing once and losing just once. Brest are looking twice the side that they were last year and look one of the harder sides to beat currently. Vannes OC, by contrast, are not having a good season. They’re currently thirteenth in the Ligue 2 table with one win and four defeats from their last five games, which isn’t good enough. Whereas their away record isn’t exactly the worst in the league, it’s still poor with three defeats, two draws, and one defeat from their six away games played this year. Vannes OC basically are not looking good enough to take anything from this game so I’m going to call a home win at bargain odds of 5/6 for a very much in-form and reliable Brest.

Friday’s Picks

My tips:

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

Brest vs Vannes OC – home win at 5/6 – see introduction for full details.

Universidad de Chile vs Fluminense – home win at 11/10. I don’t know what it is about Chilean sides playing Brazilian sides but they seem to have more success in stopping their Brazilian counterparts playing football much better than any other South American nation does. Perhaps it’s their dogged style of football that really gets to the Brazilians – I’m not sure. This point was illustrated in the first leg of this game as Universidad de Chile drew 2-2 in Brazil against Fluminense. Universidad de Chile are one of the more experienced continental sides in South America, I think it’s fair to say, and stand a great chance of progressing to the Copa Nissan Sudamericana here tonight against a Fluminense side more focal upon avoiding relegation from Serie A. The hosts have a good enough squad to win this game and the home advantage against a potentially distracted Fluminense makes the home win at 11/10 look a good call tonight.

Liga de Quito vs Velez Sarsfeld – home win at evens. Copa Libertadores reigning champions Liga de Quito tonight host Velez Sarsfeld in the Copa Nissan Sudamericana quarter-final game. An impressive 1-1 draw in Argentina in the first leg leaves the Ecuadorians with the edge as the Argentinians vist their lofty fortress in Quito. Many sides have travelled here and failed so it will take a mighty display from Velez Sarsfeld to avoid falling to a similar fate. What convinces me of this outcome is not only that this is a nightmarish away game for any side and that Velez Sarsfeld have to come here and attack to have a chance of success but also that Velez Sarsfeld’s performances of late have been inconsistent at best. For instance – they’ve beaten lowly Godoy Cruz de Mendoza and newly-promoted Atletico Tucuman but have also lost at home to Newell’s Old Boys. When travelling to a good home side like Liga de Quito, you really need to be at your best. Basically, I don’t think Velez Sarsfeld are currently in a position to get a result here so I think the home win at evens for the Ecuadorians looks a good bet tonight.

Sedan-Ardennes vs Metz – away win at 15/8. I can’t quite fathom why these odds are so long! Visitors Metz are not the best travellers in Ligue 2 – far from it. However, they remain one of the best sides in the division, regardless of that point. Aside from that, Metz have really entered their stride lately with four wins from their last five games. If this statistic isn’t impressive enough for you then consider that all of the sides they have beaten/drawn with in those five games either are a very good side or showed that they can be a very good side last season. Metz have lately won away to Chateauroux and drew away to high-flying Nantes whilst beating Guingamp, Laval, and Strasbourg at home. This list of sides is very impressive, in my humble opinion, and a weak Sedan-Ardennes shouldn’t really pose a great threat here tonight, despite having a decent home record. Sedan-Ardennes have lost three of their last five games, including two embarassing defeats to Nimes and Istres. Therefore, to be frank, the away win at 15/8 could turn out to be a real bargain tonight.

Arles vs Le Havre – away win at 13/8. Although currently unbeaten at home in Ligue 2 this year, hosts Arles will face one of their toughest tests yet as they host a very much in-form Le Havre. The visitors have won three of their last five games, losing just once. Their most recent victory was a monday night 4-0 demolition of promotion rivals Nantes, which will have inspired Le Havre greatly. Arles are doing well with keeping sides out but that record simply has to end soon enough because Arles are punching above their weight. Visitors Le Havre certainly have a classier side and look far more capable of winning this game than the hosts do. For me, the away win at 13/8 could prove to be a great bet tonight, particularly as Le Havre have already won three from seven away games this season, losing just once along the way.

Empoli vs Reggina – home win at evens. Anyone who reads this blog knows that I love my Serie B home wins and Empoli are amongst my favourite sides to back for it, too! Although atrocious away from home, Empoli become a very different side when playing on their own turf as five wins from six home games indicates. Some poor form lately has cast a few doubts in my mind over the reliability of Empoli but they’re hosting a Reggina side tonight that have lost four of their last five games and look destined to fail in this division despite having only joined Serie B from Serie A this year. Comparing Empoli’s superb home record with an average of nearly three goals scored per home game to Reggina’s away record of four defeats from six away games, conceding nearly two goals per away game, you have to feel that there’s potentially a great deal of value in the home win at evens!

Groningen vs Heracles Almelo – away win at 9/5. I never thought I’d see the day that I backed Heracles Almelo to win an away game but here we are! Visitors Heracles Almelo are playing some of the best football that they’ve ever played, in my humble opinion, and have well-earned their current Eredivisie placing of sixth. They’ve won four of their last five games but their most impressive feature is the fact that they’ve won four from six away games this year with only FC Twente Enschede having won more away games this year. Heracles Almelo’s strength isn’t goalscoring; it’s keeping sides out. They’ve conceded just one goal away from home in six games this year, which is pretty damn impressive! Although I formerly rated Groningen as the better of these two sides, statistics for this year show otherwise in a big way. The hosts have lost so many home games that only bottom-placed RKC Waalwijk have lost more home games than they have. Groningen have lost four of their six home games this season and scored a feeble two goals. Considering the lax attack of Groningen and the watertight defence of Heracles Almelo makes me think an away win is very likely here, particularly with the sharp contrast in momentum and ability at the moment, particularly as Groningen are without a win in their past four games and have lost their last two consecutively. For me, there’s potentially some serious value in the away win at 9/5.

Lechia Gdansk vs Korona Kielce – home win at evens. Many people have dubbed Lechia Gdansk’s start to this Ekstraklasa campaign as “fortunate”; maybe they’re right. However, fortune has no place in what will surely be a home win against a weak, newly-promoted Korona Kielce as the visitors have now lost four games in a row. Korona Kielce looked to be playing ok but all of a sudden they’ve completely capitulated and the result is a sharp descent down the Ekstraklasa. The visitors have lost four from five away games in the Ekstraklasa this season and Lechia Gdansk are well-placed to take advantage of that fact. The hosts may have a somewhat impassive home record this year but they’re resilient, experienced in the Ekstraklasa dogfight and won their last game to give them momentum as they enter this game. With all of the above in mind, the home win at evens could be a real bargain today.

As ever, if there are any questions/explanations required then feel free to post a comment! For the complete picks listing, see below!

Copa Nissan Sudamericana:

Universidad de Chile vs Fluminense (7) under 2.5 goals
Liga de Quito vs Velez Sarsfeld (7) under 2.5 goals

Argentinian Primera Division:

Argentinos Juniors vs Rosario Central (5) 1-1
Independiente vs Gimnasia De La Plata (7) 2-0

Australian A-League:

Adelaide United vs Brisbane Roar (7) 2-1

Austrian Liga 1:

Austria Vienna II vs Wacker Innsbruck (8)
SCR Altach vs Gratkorn (8)
Hartberg vs Admira Wacker (8)
Lustenau vs Salzburg II (6)
First Vienna vs Dornbirn (5) over 2.5 goals

Belgian Eerste Klasse:

Charleroi vs AA Gent (6) 1-2

Bulgarian A PFG:

Lokomotiv Mezdra vs Montana (7) 1-0

Danish 1st Division:

Viborg vs Skive (8)

English Championship:

Derby County vs Coventry City (4) draw no bet

English FA Cup:

Bristol Rovers vs Southampton (6) 1-1
Notts County vs Bradford City (8) 2-0
Huddersfield Town vs Dagenham & Redbridge (6) 2-1

French Ligue 2:

AC Ajaccio vs Dijon FCO (6)
Angers SCO vs Bastia (6)
Brest vs Vannes OC (8)
Clermont Foot vs Nimes (7)
Sedan-Ardennes vs Metz (6)
Strasbourg vs Istres (6)
Arles vs Le Havre (6)
Stade Malherbe de Caen vs Tours (8)
Chateauroux vs Laval (6)

German Bundesliga:

Bayer 04 Leverkusen vs Eintracht Frankfurt (8) 3-1

German Bundesliga 2:

Kaiserslautern vs Rot-Weiss Oberhausen (7)
St.Pauli vs Fortuna Dusseldorf (7)
Paderborn vs Koblenz (6)

Greek B Ethniki:

Ilioupoli vs Ethnikos Asteras (7)

Hungarian Soproni Liga:

Ujpest vs Fehervar (6) 1-1

Italian Serie B:

Empoli vs Reggina (7)

Dutch Eredivisie:

Groningen vs Heracles Almelo (7) 0-1

Dutch Eerste Divisie:

Cambuur Leeuwarden vs Excelsior (7) over 2.5 goals
AGOVV Appeldoorn vs Volendam (6)
Den Bosch vs Dordrecht ’90 (6)
Eindhoven vs Veendam (7)
Fortuna Sittard vs RBC Roosendaal (7)
Go Ahead Eagles vs Haarlem (8)
Helmond Sport vs Top Oss (6)
MVV Maastricht vs Omniworld (8)
Stormvogels Telstar vs Zwolle (7)

Polish Ekstraklasa:

Odra Wodzislaw vs Zaglebie Lubin (5) 1-1
Lechia Gdansk vs Korona Kielce (8) 1-0
Wisla Krakow vs Legia Warsaw (7) 2-1

Portuguese Liga Sagres:

Belenenses vs Pacos de Ferreira (6) under 2.5 goals

Romanian Liga:

Pandurii Targu Jiu vs Gloria Bistrita (7) 2-0
International vs Universitatea Craiova (8) 1-1

Singaporean S-League:

Sengkang Punggol vs Woodlands (5) 1-1

Turkish Super Lig:

Bursaspor vs Genclerbirligi (8) 2-0

Welsh Premier League:

Aberystwyth Town vs Bala Town (7) 2-1
Airbus vs Connah’s Quay Nomads (6) 1-0
Haverfordwest County vs Neath Athletic (6) 1-1
Prestatyn Town vs Newtown (7) 2-1
The New Saints vs Newi Cefn Druids (8) 2-0

Enjoy your free betting tips!

Sporting Braga vs SL Benfica

Before I start today’s post, I’d just like to show my appreciation and thank Victor and Kamila for their tireless work in assisting The Footy Tipster behind the scenes – your loyalty will not be forgotten nor overlooked!

Today’s featured game is the Liga Sagres encounter between Sporting Braga and SL Benfica. Joint league leaders Sporting Braga have finally been brought back down to earth after having experienced the dizzying heights of seven straight wins. The culprit for this Sporting Braga experience was little Rio Ave, who held them to a 1-1 draw at home. It’s going to be interesting to see how Sporting Braga react to this result because if I’m honest, I really don’t rate their coach. I still think you’ll see his true colours before too long but that’s simply my opinion. Unfortunately for Sporting Braga, who have now had the wind knocked out of their sails, they’re now hosting a side that has so much wind in their sails that they could run across the Atlantic Ocean purely on the bloody tailwind! Yes, you got it – SL Benfica! They’re beating everyone and everything, usually by a large number of goals too. SL Benfica look to be justifying my pre-season call for them to end up as eventual winners of the Liga Sagres with seven wins from eight games, scoring an astonishing thirty goals, which works out at almost four goals per game on average! SL Benfica have long had a good side but it’s been a long time since they played like a good side. However, finally appointing the correct man for the job has finally steered SL Benfica on the path to success once again. In fact, they’re not a bad bet to lift the UEFA Europa League as long as they don’t have too many hard away games – they really struggle in those games. Returning to this game, however – SL Benfica simply have absolutely everything going for them at the moment, particularly with Oscar Cardozo in such terrifying form. Sporting Braga’s squad may be organised but SL Benfica should be able to tear through it today. Porto struggled at Sporting Braga this season and eventually lost to a very fortunate accidental goal. Even though they struggled, however, they still looked the better side, in my opinion. SL Benfica are in much better shape to face Sporting Braga today, however, and I thoroughly expect it to show. I can’t see odds of 10/11 lasting on the away win here so I advise you to take the away win at the best odds you can find!

Saturday’s Picks

My tips:

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

Sporting Braga vs SL Benfica - away win at 10/11 – see introduction for full details.

Gimnasia De La Plata vs San Lorenzo de Almagro – away win at 7/5. Hosts Gimnasia De La Plata are currently heading back down to just how they started this campaign – three straight defeats. However, unfortunately for the hosts, I suspect that they’re going to surpass that record as they’re hosting a very good San Lorenzo de Almagro. The visitors have won four from their last five games and frankly look a menace for most sides that they face, if indeed not all of them. They’ve only been beaten once in five away games this season, winning twice and drawing twice. When you also bear in mind that Gimnasia De La Plata have lost more home games in this campaign than any other Primera Division side, you have to feel that all the signs are pointing to the away win at 7/5 so give it some thought!

KVSK United vs Lierse SK – away win at 11/10. With just one win in their past five games, I think it’s fair to say that KVSK United are somewhat under-achieving of late, something that is reflected by their league positioning too. They’ve been performing better away from home than they have at home, especially as they’ve been struggling to score goals at home. Today they host the Tweede Klasse’s most popular side – Lierse SK. The league leaders look every inch the pre-season promotion cadidates that they were expected to be. They’ve not lost any of their eleven games yet and have now won five games consecutively. Only recently-relegated Tubize have won more away games than Lierse SK this season so the game is looking rather daunting for KVSK United. Lastly, with today’s visitors averaging nearly three goals per game, you really have to feel that all the factors support the away win here so taking Lierse SK at 11/10 could prove to be something of a bargain tonight.

Liege vs OH Leuven – away win at 6/4. This is a slightly dubious call as I don’t think there’s much quality difference between the two sides. However, there are a few overwhelming factors here that persuaded me to take the away win today. One is Liege’s home form as they’ve lost four out of five home games already this season, drawing the other game and only having scored one goal in those five games. They’re the joint-lowest goalscorers in the Tweede Klasse so they’re going to have a job to overcome in-form OH Leuven tonight. The visitors are unbeaten in their last five games, winning three of those gamse and drawing the other two. They’ve also already won two away games this season, showing that they are a capable side when they wish to be. Lastly, having inflicted a first defeat of the season for high-flying Eupen in their last Tweede Klasse game, their momentum will be strong and they look to have enough in their favour to secure the away win at 6/4.

Minior Pernik vs Chernomorets Burgas – away win at 6/5. Although it’s highly unlikely that Chernomorets Burgas will maintain their currently outstanding form and gain a European place next year, I’m still quite happy to ride the wave and bet against their opponents for as long as they maintain their unprecented onslaught on the A PFG. The only side remaining unbeaten in the A PFG, Chernomorets Burgas have won eight from their ten games thus far, scoring an average of two goals per game. They’ve only conceded one away goal all season and a run of four wins in five games leaves them with tremendous momentum to add to their good squad. Hosts Minior Pernik are…well, I don’t can’t really put this diplomatically but they’re simply not a very good side. They’ve proven this year after year and would you believe it – this year doesn’t appear to be any different! They’ve already lost three from their four home games so far this year, as well as having lost four of their last five games in general. Although they managed a win last match to obtain some momentum, they still don’t have the actual quality to match Chernomorets Burgas today. For me, the away win shows significant value at 6/5.

Levski Sofia vs Lokomotiv Mezdra – lay Levski Sofia at 5/2. I attempted this bet last week but we were cruelly robbed by late Levski Sofia goal. However, today the troubled Levski Sofia host a more competent side that actually knows how it feels to win a game – Lokomotiv Mezdra. The visitors have actually won four of their last five games, which is astounding to me as I generally don’t rate them very highly as a side. However, they have enough to get a result today as Levski Sofia are still in the disarray I’ve mentioned over the past couple of weeks so I think it looks worthwhile to lay the hosts at 5/2 today.

Cibalia vs Medimurje – home win with -1.75 handicap at 11/10. After a highly-impressive draw at Dinamo Zagreb last time out, I can finally believe that Cibalia are playing well enough to avoid being titled as a “fluke”. They’re unbeaten in five games now and have a good home record of three wins and two draws from five games, conceding just two goals along the way. Cibalia were very much a home side but have now seemingly developed the ability to win away from home too, worryingly enough for all of their opponents! With an average of almost two goals per game, Cibalia are looking good to break the -1.75 goal handicap today against Medimurje from an attacking perspective. This call is furthered when we examine Medimurje’s absymal away form of five losses from five games, an average of over three goals per game conceded, and just three goals scored. The visitors have also lost three of their last four games so in my eyes, the home win with -1.75 handicap at 11/10 was something of a bargain today, a real contender for my previewed game of the day!

Rijeka vs Slaven Koprivnica – home win at 10/11. Hosts Rijeka look set to maintain their fortress as they host Slaven Koprivnica today. Although both sides are in good veins of form, visitors Slaven Koprivnica are particularly woeful away from home with three wins and two draws from their five away games, scoring just once over all of those games. They average conceding two goals per away game, which is a dangerous record to take to Rijeka for any side. The hosts have typically won four of their six home games and drawn the other two games, leaving them undefeated at home so far this season. The hosts have not only conceded just three goals in those six games but also average scoring nearly three goals per game at home. With all this in mind, you have to feel that the home win at 10/11 shows considerable value today.

Pribram vs Slavia Prague- away win at 4/5. Despite some good performances this season, Pribram now find themselves on the receiving end of three consecutive losses. Regardless of how averagely Slavia Prague have been playing in the Gambrinus Liga this year, the visitors are still not a side that you can afford to play against with no form behind you. Slavia Prague have only won two of their last five games, drawing once and losing twice. However, they do boast a better squad than Pribram, to be blunt, and I expect that to grant the visitors a narrow win today. History is also on our side as Pribram haven’t even managed to score a goal against Slavia Prague in their last three meetings so the away win at 4/5 looks an interesting bet today.

Fulham vs Liverpool – home win with draw no bet odds of 7/4. Tenacious Fulham host an unimpressive Liverpool side at Craven Cottage today with a three-match unbeaten run to their name. The tricky hosts are entertaining a side that although managed to win against a despondant Manchester United last weekend, they still don’t look a good side. Liverpool are always motivated for their “cup final” rivalries but it’s sides like Fulham that they struggle against. With the additional knowledge that Steven Gerrard will not be playing in this game and the fact that Fulham managed to a claim an impressive 2-2 draw at Manchester City last match, you have to feel that the hosts have a good chance of doing what Sunderland did a couple of weeks ago (minus the beach ball, sadly!) and beat an average side that over-achieved last season. Liverpool have already lost three out of their five away games this season and I can’t really see that changing today. Fulham impressed at home to Arsenal a few weeks back and were unlucky to lose the game. I don’t think they’ll make the same mistake this time around, however. Therefore, the home win with draw no bet odds of 7/4 looks a real bargain today.

Stoke City vs Wolverhampton Wanderers – home win at 5/6. Stoke City have only lost twice out of the five games they’ve played at home this season and those two games were against the two best sides in the Premier League – Manchester United and Chelsea. The other three games all resulted in home wins because Stoke City are a very good home side and are extremely well-organised. Today they host newly-promoted Wolverhampton Wanderers to the Britannia Stadium, a side that have already lost three out of five away games, winning just once. Wolverhampton Wanderers will most likely be one of the few sides that match the enthusiasm of Stoke City this season but they lack the quality, efficiency, and experience to truly match their fellow Midlands outfit. Unbeaten in their last three games now, Stoke City enter this game on the back of two consecutive wins. When you compare that to the fact that Wolverhampton Wanderers haven’t tasted victory in their past four games now, losing twice and drawing twice, then you have to feel that the home win at 5/6 for a very strong home side looks very likely indeed.

West Bromwich Albion vs Watford – lay West Bromwich Albion at 5/4. With just one win in their past five games, it’s fair to say that West Bromwich Albion are currently out of form. The main reason for that is that they’re misfiring. Defending hasn’t been a big part of their game under Roberto Di Matteo, which is surprising for an Italian. However, what was a big part of their game was goalscoring, something they’ve only managed to do in two of their last five games. They’ve struggled against lesser sides than Watford lately so hosting an in-form Watford could and probably should prove rather troublesome for them today. The visitors are unbeaten in their last three games and have only been beaten once on their travels all season. With six goals in their last three games, it’s safe to say that Watford are scoring goals, unlike their hosts currently, which could prove fatal if the hosts don’t rectify that today. Either way, I feel there’s value in laying the hosts at 5/4 due to the above information.

Milton Keynes Dons vs Bristol Rovers – home win at 5/6. After a crushing 4-0 home defeat against Leeds United mid-week, Bristol Rovers have now truly reached the biggest downpoint of their campaign as they’ve now lost four consecutive games. Goalscoring has been their forté this season but if they’re not doing that then they’re conceding goals and not responding. With a complete lack of momentum and form in general, Bristol Rovers will be dreading the trip to a plucky and in-form Milton Keynes Dons, a side that has won three of their last four games. The hosts have already won four games from seven at home this season and given the momentum and motivation problems that Bristol Rovers are clearly encountering currently, it’s hard to look beyond the home win at 5/6.

Stockport County vs Norwich City – away win at 10/11. Four wins in five games says that Norwich City have form. You only have to pick one of their recent games randomly to see just how well they’re playing their football, something which has impressed me immensely considering their atrocious start to this campaign. Norwich City appear determined to re-enter the Championship next season and if their current form is anything to go by then I’m sure they’ll be there too. Hosts Stockport County are coping with their financial issues as well as can be expected and their side are doing ok when you consider that fact. However, the fact remains that they’ve lost three of their last four games and have already been beaten four times in their seven home games so far this season. Nobody in League One has conceded more home goals than today’s hosts and only bottom-placed Wycombe Wanderers have scored less home goals than Stockport County. With all of the above in mind, you have to feel that the away win at 10/11 looks like a good bet today.

Ancona vs Cesena - home win at 5/4. League leaders Ancona have won their last three games consecutively, taking their total to seven wins from eleven Serie B games so far this season. The hosts seem virtually unplayable at times, although this seems far more prevalent when they play at home as they’ve won all five of their home games so far this season, averaging over two goals per game. Ancona are the only side in Serie B that can still say that they’ve won ever home game and I expect them to be able to say it after this game too. Visitors Cesena have done well since promotion from Serie C and currently boast that they’re the only side in Serie B yet to lose an away game as they’ve drawn four of their five away games played so far this season. Cesena are unbeaten in five games and generally enjoy frustraing their opponents rather than blowing them away. However, Ancona are a very potent and in-form side so although I’m a little surprised by odds of 10/11, I’m still more than happy to take them for the home win here today.

Jagiellonia Bialystok vs Polonia Warsaw – home win at 4/5. One of Poland’s most prestigious home sides today hosts Polonia Warsaw in a bid to finally jump clear of the bottom of the Ekstraklasa. The hosts have won four from six home games so far this season and this looks likely to increase today as they host a demoralised Polonia Warsaw side that are missing key defender Jodlowiec and essential defensive comrade captain Mynar. For a side that have already lost four away games from six games, these two losses are very big indeed. Jagiellonia Bialystok may have a reputation of being one of the worst away sides in the Ekstraklasa but they also bear one of the best home records in the league too, currently. With no defeats in their past five games, you really have to fancy Jagiellonia Bialystok to overcome an out-of-sorts Polonia Warsaw today at 4/5 through momentum alone, let alone with their actual ability. Lastly, look at the Ekstaklasa table because it shows a record that few leagues/sides can boast these days for obvious reasons – bottom-placed Jagiellonia Bialystok have conceded less goals than anyone else in the Ekstaklasa excepting Legia Warsaw and Ruch Chorzow.

St.Mirren vs Hamilton Academicals – home win at 5/6. I don’t normally venture into Scottish football but I feel I’m a winner with this one today. Hosts St.Mirren are unbeaten in their last three games, winnnig twice and drawing once. Momentum is stronger in the Scottish Premier League than most other factors because there’s so little of it in this dog-eat-dog division. Visitors Hamilton Academicals have lost three of their four away games so far this season, drawing the other game. They’ve also only managed to score three goals in the process, conceding ten goals on the road so far, a worse record than anyone else in this division. With the additional information that visitors Hamilton Academicals have lost three of their last four games, you have to feel there’s value in the home win at 5/6.

Real Madrid vs Getafe - away win at 6/1, lay Real Madrid at 7/4. Whichever of these two bets suit you, go for it! Why? Well, Real Madrid are nothing without Cristiano Ronaldo. He knows it, they know it, and now even fans know it. They’ve not scored in any of their last two competitive games and that looks less likely than normal to change today as they face bogey side Getafe. Real Madrid have only won once in their last three attempts to beat Getafe at the Santiago Bernabeu, and that was the fortunate game last season which saw Pepe dismissed for his brutal assault. They’ve lost to Getafe twice in their last three meetings and haven’t managed to beat their fellow Madrid rivals by more than a solitary goal since 2004. A misfiring Real Madrid will struggle aganst a plucky and determined Getafe today. I mean, hell, Real Madrid got battered 4-0 by lowly Segunda B outfit Alcorcon mid-week in the Copa del Rey and they fielded what can only be described as 80% of their first team. Real Madrid are utterly inept at defending in general but particularly when balls are played in behind their full backs. Frankly, I can’t see the under-pressure hosts coming out and putting on a good display against bogey side Getafe today but I can see the opposite occurring. Therefore, I feel that laying Real Madrid at 7/4 looks a great bet today.

Osasuna vs Barcelona – both sides to score at 4/5. This bet is a bit of a no-brainer, really! There’s only one game Osasuna haven’t scored in this season out of the nine competitive games they’ve played and have also managed to score against Barcelona in their last two meetings too. I don’t feel I need to explain why Barcelona will score in this game because they simply always do score. Therefore, taking both sides to score at 4/5 looks a great bet to me today!

Cordoba vs Huesca – home win at 21/20. Cordoba are very much the home side that they were last year as they’ve won three of their four home games played this season, drawing the other game. Although their recent form has dipped and left them winless in three games, the hosts still have everything they require to win this game at their fortress as their record clearly indicates. Visitors Huesca are enduring a poor season thus far just one win in nine games so far. They’ve not won in their last five games, drawing three times and losing twice. Although they’re not the worst side in the division, Huesca will stil have a very difficult task to take points off a side that very few sides take points off when they’re playing them away from home. Frankly, taking Cordoba to win this game at 21/20 may have its risk elements but it’s still very much worthwhile in my eyes.

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:

Velez Sarsfeld vs Godoy Cruz de Mendoza (8) 2-0
Racing Club Avellaneda vs Atletico Tucuman (5) 2-1
Gimnasia De La Plata vs San Lorenzo de Almagro (7) 1-2

Australian A-League:

Central Coast Mariners vs Adelaide United (7) 2-1
Gold Coast United vs North Queensland Fury (7) over 2.5 goals

Austrian Bundesliga:

Sturm Graz vs Austria Karnten (8) 2-0
Salzburg vs SV Mattersburg (8) -1.75 handicap
Wiener Neustadt vs Austria Vienna (6) 1-2
Rapid Vienna vs SV Ried (8) over 2.5 goals

Austrian Liga 1:

Austria Lustenau vs Wacker Innsbruck (8)

Belgian Eerste Klasse:

Club Brugge vs Sint-Truiden (9) -1.75 handicap
Anderlecht vs Lokeren (8) 2-1
Zulte-Waregem vs Charleroi (7) 2-1
Kortrijk vs Mechelen (5) 1-2
Westerlo vs Roeselare (8) 2-0

Belgian Tweede Klasse:

Beveren vs Brussels (6) draw no bet
KVSK United vs Lierse SK (7)
Liege vs OH Leuven (6)
Tubize vs Red Star Waasland (7)
Turnhout vs Standaard Wetteren (5)
Ronse vs Tournai (6)

Brazilian Serie A:

Avai vs Atletico Paranaense (7) 2-1
Sao Paulo vs Gremio Barueri (8) over 2.5 goals
Flamengo vs Santos (8) 2-0

Bulgarian A PFG:

Botev Plovdiv vs Lokomotiv Plovdiv (5) 1-2
Minior Pernik vs Chernomorets Burgas (7) 1-2
Montana vs Sportist Svoge (7) 2-0
Levski Sofia vs Lokomotiv Mezdra (5) 1-2, draw no bet

Chinese Super League:

Shenzhen FC vs Henan Jianye (6) 1-2
Tianjin Teda vs Guangzhou Yiyao (7) 2-0
Qingdao Jonoon vs Dalian Shide (6) 1-0
Beijing Guoan vs Hangzhou Lucheng (8) 2-0
Changchun Yatai vs Chongqing Lifan (8) 2-1
Shanghai Shenhua vs Changsha Ginde (7) 1-0
Shaanxi Zhongxin vs Jiangsu Shuntian (6) 0-0
Shandong Luneng vs Chengdu Blades (7) 2-0

Colombian Futbol Profesional:

Atletico Huila vs Atletico Junior Barranquilla (5) 1-1
Envigado vs Atletico Nacional de Medellin (6) 1-2

Croatian Prva Liga:

Lokomotiva Zagreb vs Zadar (7) 2-1
Cibalia vs Medimurje (8) -1.75 handicap
Hajduk Split vs Dinamo Zagreb (6) under 2.5 goals
Rijeka vs Slaven Koprivnica (8) 2-1
Varteks Varazdin vs Osijek (6) 1-1
NK Zagreb vs Croatia Sesvete (5) 0-0
Sibenik vs Karlovac (7) 2-1

Cypriot Division 1:

Nea Salamis vs Ermis (6) 2-0
Ethnikos Achnas vs APEP (5) 1-1
Doxa vs Anorthosis Famagusta (9) 1-3
AEL Limassol vs Enosis Neon Paralimni (7) 2-0

Czech Republic Gambrinus Liga:

Pribram vs Slavia Prague (7) 0-1
Sparta Prague vs Banik Ostrava (7) under 2.5 goals

Danish Superligaen:

AGF Aarhus vs Midtylland (5) 1-1

Danish 1st Division:

Braband vs Vejle (6)
Vestjaelland vs Viborg (6)

Ecuadorian Primera A:

Deportivo Quito vs Manta (8) 2-0
Macara Ambato vs Liga de Quito (6) 1-2

English Premier League:

Arsenal vs Tottenham Hotspur (5) 1-1
Bolton Wanderers vs Chelsea (6) 0-1
Burnley vs Hull City (7) 2-0
Everton vs Aston Villa (5) 1-1
Fulham vs Liverpool (6) 1-0, draw no bet
Portsmouth vs Wigan Athletic (6) 1-1
Stoke City vs Wolverhampton Wanderers (8) 2-1
Sunderland vs West Ham United (4) 1-1
Manchester United vs Blackburn Rovers (9) -1.75 handicap

English Championship:

Bristol City vs Sheffield Wednesday (7)
Coventry City vs Reading (6)
Doncaster Rovers vs Blackpool (5)
Ipswich Town vs Derby County (7)
Middlesbrough vs Plymouth Argyle (8)
Peterborough United vs Barnsley (6)
Preston North End vs Crystal Palace (7)
Scunthorpe United vs Swansea City (6)
West Bromwich Albion vs Watford (6)

English League One:

Brighton & Hove Albion vs Hartlepool United (5)
Carlisle United vs Charlton Athletic (4)
Exeter City vs Brentford (6)
Leeds United vs Yeovil Town (8)
Leyton Orient vs Southampton (6)
Milton Keynes Dons vs Bristol Rovers (7)
Millwall vs Colchester United (8)
Stockport County vs Norwich City (8)
Tranmere Rovers vs Swindon Town (5)
Wycombe Wanderers vs Walsall (5)

English League Two:

Bournemouth vs Rochdale (7)
Burton Albion vs Bury (6)
Cheltenham Town vs Crewe Alexandra (6)
Chesterfield vs Barnet (7)
Dagenham & Redbridge vs Port Vale (8)
Hereford United vs Darlington (6)
Macclesfield Town vs Bradford City (6)
Morecambe vs Lincoln City (7)
Notts County vs Shrewsbury Town (7)
Rotherham United vs Aldershot Town (6)
Torquay United vs Northampton Town (6)

Estonian Meistriliiga:

Kuressaare vs Tallinna Kalev (5) 0-1
Flora Paide vs Tulevik Viljandi (7) 1-2
Trans Narva vs Maag Tammeka Tartu (9) -1.75 handicap
Levadia Tallinn vs Nomme Kalju (9) over 2.5 goals
Flora Tallinn vs Sillamae Kalev (5) 1-1

French Ligue 1:

Auxerre vs Montpellier HSC (7) under 2.5 goals
Girondins de Bordeaux vs AS Monaco (8) 2-1
Boulogne vs AS Nancy-Lorraine (5) 1-1
Grenoble Foot vs LOSC Lille (7) 0-1
Racing Club Lens vs Lorient (6) 0-1, draw no bet
Olympique de Marseille vs Toulouse (8) 2-1
Saint-Etienne vs Olympique Lyonnais (5) 2-1

German Bundesliga:

VFL Wolfsburg vs FSV Mainz 05 (7) over 2.5 goals
VFB Stuttgart vs Bayern Munich (7) 1-2
Hamburger SV vs Borussia Moenchengladbach (8) 3-1
FC Koln vs Hannover 96 (6) 1-1
FC Nurnberg vs Werder Bremen (8) over 2.5 goals
Schalke 04 vs Bayer 04 Leverkusen (6) 1-2, draw no bet

German Bundesliga 2:

Arminia Bielefeld vs Energie Cottbus (8)
Rot-Weiss Ahlen vs Greuther Furth (8)

Greek Super League:

Larissa vs Aris Salonika (7) 1-1
PAOK Salonika vs Xanthi (7) 2-1
Atromitos vs Olympiakos Piraeus (8) 0-2

Hungarian Soproni Liga:

MTK Budapest vs Gyori ETO FC (6) 1-1
Kaposvari Rakoczi vs Kecskemeti TE (7) 2-1
Zalaegerszegi TE vs Szombathelyi Haladas (7) 2-1
Nyiregyhaza Spartacus vs Budapest Honved (6) 1-0
Paksi SE vs Papa (7) 2-0
Ferencvaros vs Diosgyori VTK (7) 1-0

Italian Serie A:

Juventus vs SSC Napoli (8) 3-1
AC Milan vs Parma (7) under 2.5 goals

Italian Serie B:

Albinoleffe vs Gallipoli (6)
Ancona vs Cesena (7)
Crotone vs Piacenza (6)
Frosinone vs Sassuolo (7)
Grosseto vs Ascoli (6)
Lecce vs Empoli (7)
Modena vs Vicenza (7)
Reggina vs Salernitana (5)
Triestina vs Torino (6)

Lithuanian A Lyga:

FK Siauliai vs Banga Gargzdai (7) 1-0
FK Taurus Taurage vs Kruoja Pakruojis (7) 2-0
Suduva Marijampole vs LKKA Teledema Kaunas (8) 3-1
Vetra Vilnius vs Ekranas Panevezys (6) 1-1

Mexican Primera Division:

San Luis vs Monterrey (6) 2-1
Cruz Azul vs Atlante (7) 1-0
Indios vs Puebla (6) 0-1
Tigres UANL vs Estudiantes Tecos (7) 2-0
Atlas vs Pachuca (6) 1-1

Dutch Eredivisie:

Heerenveen vs ADO Den Haag (6) 1-0
Roda JC Kerkrade vs FC Twente Enschede (8) 0-2
PSV Eindhoven vs Vitesse Arnhem (9) -1.75 handicap
Groningen vs AZ Alkmaar (5) 1-1

Dutch Eerste Divisie:

RBC Roosendaal vs De Graafschap (7)
Excelsior vs Fortuna Sittard (8)

Polish Ekstraklasa:

Arka Gdynia vs Odra Wodzislaw (5) 1-0
Lech Poznan vs Slask Wroclaw (8) 2-0
Legia Warsaw vs Ruch Chorzow (6) under 2.5 goals
Jagiellonia Bialystok vs Polonia Warsaw (7) 2-1

Portuguese Liga Sagres:

Naval de Maio vs Leixoes (5) 1-0
Sporting Braga vs SL Benfica (8) over 2.5 goals

Portuguese Liga de Honra:

Portimonense vs Santa Clara (6)

Romanian Liga:

Astra Ploiesti vs Ceahlaul Piatra Neamt (6) 2-1
Unirea Urziceni vs Universitatea Craiova (7) 1-0

Russian Premier League:

FK Moscow vs Zenit St. Petersburg (5) 1-1
Dinamo Moscow vs Amkar Perm (6) 1-0

Scottish Premier League:

Celtic vs Kilmarnock (8) 2-0
Hibernians vs Aberdeen (7) 1-0
Motherwell vs Hearts (6) 1-1
St.Johnstone vs Falkirk (6) 0-0
St.Mirren vs Hamilton Academicals (8) 2-0

Serbian Super Liga:

Vojvodina Novi Sad vs Mladi Radnik (8) 2-0
Borac Cacak vs OFK Belgrade (5) 1-1
Javor Ivanjica vs Red Star Belgrade (7) 1-2
Hajduk Kula vs Smederevo (7) 1-0
Cukaricki vs Metalac GM (6) 0-0
BSK Borca vs Rad Belgrade (6) 1-1
Spartak Subotica vs Jagodina (5) 1-0

Singaporean S-League:

Young Lions vs Sengkang Punggol (8) 2-0

Slovakian Corgon Liga:

Ruzomberok vs Nitra (6) 1-1
Spartak Trnava vs MSK Zilina (7) 1-2
Dubnica vs Senica (5) 0-0
Artmedia Petrzalka vs Dukla Banska Bystrica (6) 1-2, draw no bet
Tatran Presov vs DAC Dunajska Streda (7) 1-1

Slovenian Prva Liga:

Nafta Lendava vs Domzale (6) 1-1
Olimpija Ljubljana vs Koper (7) 1-1
Gorica vs Interblock Ljubljana (6) 1-0
Rudar Velenje vs Drava (8) 2-0
Maribor vs Celje (7) 2-1

Spanish Primera Liga:

Real Madrid vs Getafe (5) 1-2
Deportivo Xerez vs Sevilla CF (8) -1.75 handicap
Osasuna vs Barcelona (7) 1-2
Athletic Club de Bilbao vs Atletico Madrid (7) 2-1

Spanish Segunda Liga:

Recreativo de Huelva vs Gimnastia de Tarragona (7)
Cordoba vs Huesca (7)
Albacete vs Real Murcia (6)
Cartagena vs Las Palmas (7)
Rayo Vallecano de Madrid vs Elche (8)
Real Union Club de Irun vs Celta de Vigo (6)
Castellon vs Cadiz (5)

Spanish Segunda B:

Group 1:

Osasuna II vs Racing Club de Ferrol (6)
Athletic Club de Bilbao II vs Lemona (6)

Group 3:

Valencia II vs Villajoyosa (6)

Swedish Superettan Relegation Play-Off:

Skovde AIK vs FC Trollhattan (6) 1-1

Swiss Super League:

FC Zurich vs Sion (7) 2-1
Basel vs Grasshoppers Zurich (8) 3-1, at least one red card in this game

Swiss Challenge League:

Kriens vs Wohlen (7)
Stade Nyonnais vs Yverdon Sport (6)

Turkish Super Lig:

Antalyaspor vs Bursaspor (6) 1-2
Besiktas JK vs Ankaragucu (8) 2-0

Ukrainian Premier League:

Vorskla Poltava vs Zorya Lugansk (6) 0-0
Dynamo Kiev vs Karpaty Lviv (9) 3-1

Uruguayan Primera Division:

Danubio vs Montevideo Wanderers (7) 2-1

Enjoy your free betting tips!