Stromsgodset vs Viking Stavanger

Today’s featured game is the Tippeligaen match in Drammen between Stromsgodset and Viking Stavanger. The hosts are battling against relegation although if we cast reality unto the wind, they’re virtually assured Tippeligaen football next season. Nonetheless, they’ll want three points today to make sure of it and what better side to face than an out-of-form Viking Stavanger side that has no motivation for this game? There aren’t many sides I’d personally prefer at the present time if I were a Stromsgodset fan, that’s for sure! The hosts bear a remarkable home record in that the only three sides to have won more home games than they have are the current top three sides in the Tippeligaen – Rosenborg BK, Molde, and Stabaek. I suppose it’s a clear indication of how close Stromsgodset deceptively are to being a real force in this division – well, if they could address their away form issues, that is! Years of dogfight experience gives Stromsgodset a real helping hand here and their home advantage is intimidating for away sides, particularly if the away side isn’t playing well or is entering the game without a great deal of motivation. Eight wins from fourteen games and an average of nearly two goals per home game are the fundamental reasons behind Stromsgodset’s continuous present in the Tippeligaen. Visitors Viking Stavanger are rapidly obtaining a reputation for being one of the biggest under-achievers in this division despite boasting one of the best Tippeligaen squads, in my opinion. They’re currently mid-table with no hope of achieving European football next year or of being relegated and their recent performances have shown that. Viking Stavanger have effectively been lax with their displays; disinterested, if you will. Draws at home to Aalesunds and Sandefjord Fotball are perfect examples to my point. Viking Stavanger simply want this season to be over; Stromsgodset want to ensure they’ll be here to play against them next year. Therefore, the home win at 11/10 looks something of a bargain here today.

Sunday’s Picks

My tips:

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

Stromsgodset vs Viking Stavanger – home win at 11/10 – see introduction for full details.

River Plate vs Boca Juniors – away win at 7/5. This game is arguably one of the biggest derbies in the world. Buenos Aires will be covered with the red-and-white of River Plate and the blue-and-yellow of Boca Juniors ahead of tonight’s clash. To say that tensions will be running high both in the stadium and outside of the stadium is something of an understatement. I expect cards galore in this game but the one thing that is unusually missing from this game is importance. These two sides are used to being the biggest and best sides in Argentina but neither has indicated that at all in this campaign or the last. River Plate have one just once in nine games so far in their current campaign, which simply isn’t good enough on any level for a club of such gigantic size. They’ve lost three of their last five games and have drawn the other two games. Visitors Boca Juniors started their campaign in a similar poor fashion to River Plate but have picked it up lately, as their recent form of three straight wins all too clearly indicates. With the additional confidence of having won this exact fixture last year, you have to feel that Boca Juniors really have the edge entering this game and have a touch more class so the away win at 7/5 does look rather inviting tonight. That said, derbies of this kind are certainly only worthy of low stakes at best given the relatively unpredictable nature of them, particularly in South America, so do approach with caution. 

Mechelen vs Anderlecht – away win at evens. Aside from their fortuitous victory over the 10 men of Anderlecht in this fixture last year, Mechelen have never beaten Anderlecht in a league game in over fourteen years! The records show something like thirteen games and twelve wins for Anderlecht. Any fool knows that Anderlecht boasts the better squad but do they have the momentum to do it tonight? In my opinion – yes. They’ve won three of their last four games and although their away form hasn’t been greatly convincing so far this season, Anderlecht simply have too much quality for Mechelen and will be looking to put some points between themselves and Standard de Liege, who drew yesterday. Hosts Mechelen have enjoyed a good start to this campaign with seven wins from eleven games. They’ve actually won four from their last five games, too. Have they proven themselves against the big guns, though? They’ve lost to Standard de Liege and AA Gent already this season, although they did manage to overcome current league leaders Club Brugge at the start of this season. However, what I notice about their fixtures played so far are that the majority of them are very “winnable” games for a side in form. Today is a really big test for them and it’ll be interesting to see if they can handle the attacking prowess of Anderlecht. For me, the away win at evens bears great value but feel free to make up your own minds, as ever!

Internacional vs Gremio – home win at 17/20. Let’s play a game here – how many derbies can we play in the Brazilian Serie A on the same day just to really piss everyone off? Answer: three games out of seven! Are the Brazilian FA suicidal?! All of these games are going to have riots with the biggest riot no doubt being at this game between Internacional and Gremio! These two rivals have a mass dislike for each other (shock!) but the main difference here tonight is that Internacional have a very real chance of claiming the Serie A title this year. They’re currently five points behind out-of-form league leaders Palmeiras but have a game in hand. Wheras Internacional’s form of late has been far from perfect, they’re a very good home side (nine wins from fifteen games) and have beaten Gremio the last three times they’ve been here in any competition. Visitors Gremio are also struggling a little for form but have seen their title aspirations all but crushed as a large ten point gap has opened up between themselves and first place Palmeiras with just eight games remaining. Gremio will naturally now fall back to their second aspiration of the season; stopping Internacional winning anything. The desire of both sides to win this game will be strong for varying reasons but hosts Internacional are very good at home, as they’ve proven already this season, and they’re also very good against Gremio in general. Given that Gremio’s away form indicates just one win in fifteen games and a staggering ten defeats, you have to feel that this bloody encounter will end with a home win at 17/20.

Sportist Svoge vs Levski Sofia – home win at 11/2 or lay Levski Sofia at 17/10. If you read my preview midweek for Salzburg vs Levski Sofia then you’ll know where I’m heading with this call. If you didn’t, then go and do so now, lazy fucker! Effectively, Levski Sofia have massive issues on and off the field and have sold numerous big players so their squad is not only demoralised and thin on the ground but also lack cohesion together, something their results have indicated all too well of late. Levski Sofia are suffering against any opponent so I’m sticking my neck out to say that Sportist Svoge will be able to trouble them too, much as fellow promoted side Beroe have already done in the A PFG. For me, the home win at 11/2 or even laying Levski Sofia at 17/10 bears tremendous value today as their problems simply cannot be solved overnight.

Once Caldas Manizales vs Boyaca Chico – home win at evens. Despite an impressive campaign last time out, Boyaca Chico have really struggled for form in this campaign and it’s only as it draws towards a close that they’re making any kind of attempt to move up the table. That said, a poor away record indicating one win, two draws, and four defeats from seven games is a good marker as to why Boyaca Chico are where they are. Once Caldas Manizales are a simply side to Boyaca Chico in this respect, although their home form is better and their away form is poorer – in fact, they’ve lost all of their away games in this campaign, the worst record in the entire league. However, Once Caldas Manizales are a force at home – and they have to be – as is indicated by the fact that only five sides have won more home games than they have. Both sides are struggling for consistency but all of the above information points to a home win here at evens.

Olympique de Marseille vs Paris Saint-Germain – home win at 3/4. This game was very nearly called off due to an illness, allegedly, which certainly would have been a talking point! However, the game is set to go ahead and the big news regarding this game is that Paris Saint-Germain are missing Hoarau, Giuly, and Sakho. What does this mean? It means that any hope Paris Saint-Germain had of obtaining a point, or even three points, from this game have now vanished because their squad isn’t good enough to cope with these losses. Despite poor domestic form of late, Olympique de Marseille will have gained some momentum from their arduous but aesthetically pleasing victory away to FC Zurich of Switzerland mid-week in the UEFA Champions League. Olympique de Marseille already have a better squad than Paris Saint-Germain without their visitors missing key players but they also boast the home advantage too. Personally, I can only recommend taking the home win at 3/4 here before the odds inevitably drop.

Aris Salonika vs AEK Athens – home win at 6/4. This is quite a risky call but I rate Aris Salonika enough to believe they can win this game and feel that AEK Athens have enough problems at the moment to enable them to lose it, basically. AEK Athens have lost three out of their last four domestic games and also return from a difficult and ultimately disappointing trip mid-week to Belarus as they lost 2-1 to BATE Borisov in the UEFA Europa League match. AEK Athens’ season just seems to get worse and worse at each possible opportunity with issues behind the scenes that are clearly affecting the players enough to earn them a red card or two in the majority of the games that they’ve played lately. The problem with AEK Athens is that they don’t have the “big name” players to pull them through difficult times like these. They have a finely balanced squad that is easily disrupted but very difficult to repair. For me, we’re starting to witness something of a crisis at AEK Athens and I think this tricky tie with Aris Salonika today could pile further misery upon them. To further my point, Aris Salonika have played three home games so far in the Super League, winning all three games without even conceding a goal. Aris Salonika had no game mid-week so they’re fresh and ready for this game and can no doubt smell the blood on AEK Athens, as indeed most sides currently can. Lastly, AEK Athens have managed to beat Aris Salonika in their last two meetings and haven’t won here on their last two trips. Therefore, the home win at 6/4 looks to have significant value on it today.

Atalanta Bergamo vs Parma – home win at 11/10. After an impressive away win against Udinese last match, the gritty Atalanta Bergamo look back in business as they host Parma today. Atalanta Bergamo are now unbeaten in four games and are beginning to appreciate their quality and compliment it with confidence and momentum, which is always a dangerous combination – well, for opposing sides, at least! Visitors Parma have made a good start to their Serie A campaign with four wins in eight games, losing just twice along the way. However, Parma have won just one game in their last three and tend to struggle on the road. Bergamo is a tough place for any side lacking in quality and work-rate and Parma are unfortunately missing the former of those two points. This should be a close game between two sides but Atalanta Bergamo’s experience in grinding out results should give them the advantage here as well as the momentum they’ve gained from beating rivals Udinese last match. For me, the home win at 11/10 has some value in it today if everything goes according to plan!

Kawasaki Frontale vs Sanfrecce Hiroshima – home win at 4/5. Hosts Kawasaki Frontale know that a win today will see them leapfrog league leaders Kashima Antlers into first place, something that could prove crucial as there’s just four games remaining after this one in the J-League. The hosts take an impressive three-game winning streak into this match, which obviously grants them tremendous momentum. That coupled with the fact that Kawasaki Frontale have won nine from fourteen home games so far this season makes me think that the hosts are set for another win here today, particularly as they appear to be thriving on the pressure whilst title rivals Kashima Antlers are seemingly buckling under the pressure. Visitors Sanfrecce Hiroshima have had a good campaign but I don’t think they’re good enough to match Kawasaki Frontale and their recent form certainly isn’t as they’ve not won any of their last four games, drawing three times and losing once. Their main strength is being hard to beat but the above suggests that Kawasaki Frontale have more than enough to win this game. For me, the home win at 4/5 bears significant value today.

AZ Alkmaar vs AFC Ajax Amsterdam – away win at 11/8. Despite a fortunate last-minute equaliser against Arsenal mid-week in the UEFA Champions League, I think it’s fair to say that AZ Alkmaar are heavily under-performing. Four defeats in their last five games leaves the reigning champions looking more like a side destined for relegation rather than a title challenge! Unfortunately for AZ Alkmaar, they’re today facing a side that almost always competes for the Eredivisie title – experience has taught them to do that regardless of what players are available to them. Four wins from their last five games leaves AFC Ajax Amsterdam looking their usual potent selves, particularly as they’re actually averaging scoring over three goals per game currently. Ultimately, I think today we’re going to witness the reigning champions get taught a lesson in football by a side that has been a real champion many times – AFC Ajax Amsterdam. The visitors should dish out a lesson in quality and consistency today as the above supports so the away win at 11/8 looks like a good bet today.

Fredrikstad vs Molde – home win at 5/4. Although it’s realistic to consider Fredrikstad virtually assured of relegation, there’s also the additional “what if?” factor that football likes to throw up on occasion so Fredrikstad will be keen to obtain the three points they need to stay in the Tippeligaen for next year’s campaign. They’ve won their last three games in a row, leaving them a daunting opponent for any away side. Poor Molde couldn’t be worse placed for this game as they’ve lost three of their last four games, including their last two away games in a row. Aside from that, whatever happens in this game really doesn’t affect Molde as second place has now been officially confirmed as their own. Therefore, a demoralised Molde side lacking in motivation look susceptible to defeat against a highly-motivated and confident Fredrikstad today at 5/4.

Lechia Gdansk vs Lech Poznan – away win at evens. Although suffering injuries on the striker front, Lech Poznan still managed to overcome Wisla Krakow in their last match by a sole goal from hot prospect Robert Lewandowski. The win will have done their confidence a world of good after a shaky run of games that saw them claim just one win in three games. Lech Poznan may still have striker issues as Rengifo and Chrapek are both ruled out of this game but today they’re facing much easier opponents – Lechia Gdansk. The hosts have had a massively impressive Ekstraklasa campaign so far but they’re drastically punching above their weight, something that I feel is gradually becoming exposed as they’ve won just one game in their last five, losing three along the way. Lechia Gdansk have injury problems in defence with Kawa, Kozans, Cvirik, and Mysona missing. For a side that suffers a lot defensively when they are at full-strength, this is a hefty blow and one that plays right into the hands of Lech Poznan. The biggest loss of the afore-mentioned is Cvirik, who tends to keep the Lechia Gdansk defence as organised as can be expected. Without him, I fully expect Lechia Gdansk to have issues today with defending. Although I expect a close and somewhat gritty game here, there surely has to be value in the away win at evens in light of the above information!

Maritimo vs Pacos de Ferreira – home win at 4/5. In my eyes, this is something of a no-brainer. Maritimo are simply too good for Pacos de Ferreira. Neither side has made an impressive start to their respective campaigns but the hosts finally won their second game in the Liga Sagres lately against Academica de Coimbra, a result that will have gifted the hosts some good momentum ahead of this game. Neither side are playing their best football at the moment but Maritimo at least have an extra gear they can move up to in due course and also possess the momentum to take them there – Pacos de Ferreira currently have neither of those things. Therefore, the home win at 4/5 looks a good call today.

International vs Astra Ploiesti – home win at 11/10. This is a very risky call indeed when you consider that International have lost all of their five home games so far in the Romanian Liga. However, their away form is stunning; they’ve won four out of five away games so far, a record matched only by giants Steaua Bucharest! You have to feel that the hosts can surely utilise their impressive away form at home somepoint and I can’t see a better opportunity than today as they hosted a fellow promoted side – Astra Ploiesti. The visitors have lost three and drawn two of their five away games so you sense that something has to give between these two sides today! International have got the ability and form to start winning games at home, something their away form shows all too clearly, so I think the home win at 11/10 could prove to be good value today.

CFR Cluj vs FC Poli Timisoara – home win at 11/10. This was definitely a close contender for my featured game today! I had to do a double-take when I saw that the home win for CFR Cluj against FC Poli Timisoara was at 11/10! I almost laughed out loud, I can tell you! Why on earth are they so high? CFR Cluj are twice as good as FC Poli Timisoara – fact! They’ve beaten FC Poli Timisoara at home in the league for two out of their last three seasons in the Romanian Liga, drawing the other encounter. The visitors may be unbeaten in the Romanian Liga this season but it’s only a matter of time before that record is shattered. Have FC Poli Timisoara really been tested yet, though? True, they gained a respectable 0-0 draw at Unirea Urziceni but they were well out of form at the time. FC Poli Timisoara claimed a slender victory over Rapid Bucharest but Rapid Bucharest entered that game on the back of another defeat, thus a loss in morale. Today FC Poli Timisoara take on a very dangerous CFR Cluj that will have been riled from their defeat away to Sparta Prague mid-week. It’s not for no reason that CFR Cluj have won four out of five games at home this season, drawing the other, with just two goals conceded. CFR Cluj are a much better side and I can only urge you all to back the home win at 11/10 before the odds inevitably drop!

Real Valladolid vs Deportivo La Coruna – away win at 17/10. These odds surprise me somewhat, too. Deportivo La Coruna aren’t a very good away side – facts from past seasons indicate this all too clearly. However, they’ve looked very good in this campaign with five wins from seven games, winning their last four games consecutively. Having already claimed two wins away from home this season, Deportivo La Coruna are beginning to show that they’re a threat both at the Riazor and away from it. To make matters easier for them, they’re facing lowly Real Valladolid, a side that I really think will be playing Segunda Liga football next season because they don’t have enough quality to stay in the Primera Liga. They’ve lost three of their last four games and are yet to win a home game in three attempts so far this season. To make matters worse, they can barely gain any squad cohesion to ultimately lead to momentum/consistency because they’re often having men dismissed and thus suspended. Real Valladolid have got a lot of problems, to be blunt, and I think Deportivo La Coruna are perfectly placed to take advantage of that at 17/10.

Atletico Gramenet vs Badalona – home win at 5/6. Hosts Atletico Gramenet have won three from four home games so far this season, drawing the other game, thus leaving them unbeaten at home so far. Their form is patchy but they’re always reliable on their own turf when it comes to producing the goods. Visitors Badalona (no – not a childish pun on Barcelona!) have lost three of their four away games, winning just once. Although both sides are barely stringing together two wins in a row, both are very similar in the sense that they only turn up in their home games. For that reason, the home win at 5/6 looks something of a no-brainer to me 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:

Arsenal de Sarandi vs Gimnasia De La Plata (7) 1-1
River Plate vs Boca Juniors (6) 1-2, at least one red card in this game
Tigre vs Argentinos Juniors (7) 0-1
Colon de Santa Fe vs San Lorenzo de Almagro (5) 1-1

Australian A-League:

Wellington Phoenix vs Gold Coast United (7) 1-1
Sydney FC vs Brisbane Roar (7) 2-1

Austrian Bundesliga:

Austria Vienna vs LASK Linz (8) -1.75 handicap
Salzburg vs SV Ried (9) over 2.5 goals
Wiener Neustadt vs Sturm Graz (6) 0-1
Rapid Vienna vs SV Mattersburg (8) -1.75 handicap

Belarusian Vysshaya Liga:

Dinamo Minsk vs Torpedo Zhodino (8) 1-0
BATE Borisov vs MTZ-RIPO Minsk (8) 3-1

Belgian Eerste Klasse:

Roeselare vs Club Brugge (9) 1-2
Mechelen vs Anderlecht (7) 0-1

Belgian Tweede Klasse:

Antwerp vs Turnhout (7)

Brazilian Serie A:

Coritiba vs Atletico Paranaense (5) 2-1
Goias vs Fluminense (4) 1-1
Internacional vs Gremio (7) 1-0, at least one red card in this game
Santos vs Sao Paulo (5) 1-2, at least one red card in this game
Botafogo vs Flamengo (5) 1-1
Corinthians vs Cruzeiro (6) 1-0
Avai vs Sport Recife (7) 2-0

Bulgarian A PFG:

Sportist Svoge vs Levski Sofia (5) 1-0
CSKA Sofia vs Minior Pernik (9) -2.75 handicap

Colombian Futbol Profesional:

Deportivo Pasto vs Real Cartagena (5) 1-1
Once Caldas Manizales vs Boyaca Chico (7) 2-1
Cucuta Deportivo vs Envigado (7) 2-0
Deportes Quindio vs La Equidad Bogota (6) 1-1
Atletico Junior Barranquilla vs America de Cali (8) 3-1
Atletico Nacional de Medellin vs Independiente de Santa Fe Bogota (7) 1-1

Croatian Prva Liga:

Dinamo Zagreb vs Cibalia (8) 2-1

Cypriot Division 1:

APOP/Kinyras vs AEL Limassol (6) 1-2
APEP vs Doxa (6) 1-0
Ermis vs Aris (6) 1-2, draw no bet

Czech Republic Gambrinus Liga:

Ceske Budejovice vs Viktoria Plzen (6) 0-0
Bohemians Prague vs Sparta Prague (8) 0-2

Danish Superligaen:

Esbjerg vs SonderjyskE (8) 2-0
Midtylland vs HB Koge (7) 2-0
FC Copenhagen vs Silkeborg (8) 2-1
Aalborg BK vs Brondby (5) 1-1

Danish 1st Division:

Fyn vs Vestjaelland (6)
Viborg vs Kolding (9)
AB Copenhagen vs Vejle (5)
Frem vs Skive (6)
Fredericia vs Roskilde (9)
Lyngby vs Hvidovre (7)
Naestved vs Thisted (7)
AC Horsens vs Braband (7)

Finnish Veikkausliiga/Ykkonen Play-Off:

JJK Jyvaskyla vs KPV Kokkola (7) 2-1

English Premier League:

Bolton Wanderers vs Everton (7) 1-1
Liverpool vs Manchester United (6) 0-1
Manchester City vs Fulham (7) 2-1
West Ham United vs Arsenal (8) 1-2

French Ligue 1:

Auxerre vs LOSC Lille (7) 1-1
Racing Club Lens vs Toulouse (5) 1-0, draw no bet
Olympique de Marseille vs Paris Saint-Germain (7) 2-1, at least one red card in this game

German Bundesliga:

Hertha BSC Berlin vs VFL Wolfsburg (7) 0-2
Schalke 04 vs Hamburger SV (6) 1-1
VFL Bochum vs Werder Bremen (7) 1-2

German Bundesliga 2:

Karlsruher SC vs Rot-Weiss Oberhausen (5)
Alemannia Aachen vs Union Berlin (6)
St.Pauli vs Energie Cottbus (7)

Greek Super League:

Levadiakos vs Iraklis (5) 1-0
Panthrakikos vs Larissa (6) 0-1
Aris Salonika vs AEK Athens (7) 2-1
Panathinaikos vs PAOK Salonika (9) 3-1
Xanthi vs Kavala (6) 0-0

Greek B Ethniki:

Diagoros Rodos vs Rhodos (8)
Ilioupoli vs Anagennisi Karditsas (6)
OFI Crete vs Ethnikos Piraeus (8)
Pierikos Katerini vs Thrasivoulos (5)

Hungarian Soproni Liga:

Fehervar vs Debreceni VSC (6) 1-2

Italian Serie A:

Atalanta Bergamo vs Parma (7) 1-0
Bari vs Lazio (6) 0-0
Cagliari vs Genoa (4) 1-0
Fiorentina vs SSC Napoli (8) 2-1
Palermo vs Udinese (7) 2-1
AS Roma vs Livorno (8) 2-0
Siena vs Juventus (8) 0-2
Chievo Verona vs AC Milan (6) 0-0

Japanese J-League:

Nagoya Grampus vs Jubilo Iwata (6) 2-1
Urawa Red Diamonds vs Omiya Ardija (8) 2-0
Shimizu S-Pulse vs FC Tokyo (6) 1-1
Kawasaki Frontale vs Sanfrecce Hiroshima (8) 2-1

Lithuanian A Lyga:

Kruoja Pakruojis vs Vetra Vilnius (8) 0-2
LKKA Teledema Kaunas vs FK Siauliai (6) 1-2
FK Taurus Taurage vs Banga Gargzdai (5) 1-1
Ekranas Panevezys vs Suduva Marijampole (6) 2-1

Mexican Primera Division:

Pumas UNAM vs Monterrey (4) 1-1
Puebla vs Morelia (6) 1-2
America vs Guadalajara (7) 1-0

Dutch Eredivisie:

FC Twente Enschede vs Groningen (8) 2-1
AZ Alkmaar vs AFC Ajax Amsterdam (7) 1-2
Willem II vs Heerenveen (5) 0-1
NEC Nijmegen vs PSV Eindhoven (8) 0-2

Norwegian Tippeligaen:

Fredrikstad vs Molde (6) 2-1
Stabaek vs Bodo Glimt (8) 3-1
Odd Grenland Skien vs Lyn Oslo (8) -1.75 handicap
Lillestrom vs Brann Bergen (5) 1-1
Tromso vs Start Kristiansand (7) 2-1
Rosenborg BK vs Aalesunds (4) 1-1
Valerenga Oslo vs Sandefjord Fotball (7) 2-0
Stromsgodset vs Viking Stavanger (8) 2-0

Norwegian Adeccoligaen:

Lov Ham Bergen vs Alta (6)
Nybergsund vs Moss (7)
Mjondalen vs Honefoss (7)
Tromsdalen vs Kongsvinger (6)
Skeid Oslo vs Haugesund (9)
Bryne vs Notodden (7)
Sarpsborg vs Hamarkamaratene (7)
Sogndal vs Stavanger (9)

Polish Ekstraklasa:

Odra Wodzislaw vs Cracovia Krakow (6) 0-0
Lechia Gdansk vs Lech Poznan (7) 0-1

Portuguese Liga Sagres:

Maritimo vs Pacos de Ferreira (8) 1-0
Vitoria Setubal vs Leixoes (6) 0-0
Porto vs Academica de Coimbra (9) -1.75 handicap

Portuguese Liga de Honra:

Freamunde vs Feirense (7)
Carregado vs Sporting Covilha (5)

Romanian Liga:

International vs Astra Ploiesti (6) 1-0
Dinamo Bucharest vs Gloria Bistrita (8) 2-0
Steaua Bucharest vs Rapid Bucharest (5) 1-1, at least one red card in this game
CFR Cluj vs FC Poli Timisoara (8) 1-0

Russian Premier League:

Amkar Perm vs Tom Tomsk (7) 2-0
CSKA Moscow vs FK Moscow (8) 2-1
Zenit St Petersburg vs Spartak Nalchik (8) 2-0
Kuban Krasnodor vs Dinamo Moscow (5) 1-0, draw no bet
FK Rostov-na-Donu vs Rubin Kazan (6) 1-2

Russian Division 1:

Alaniya Vladikavkaz vs NoSta Novotroitsk (9)
FK Nizhnyi Novgorod vs Vityaz Podolsk (6)
Metallurg Lipetsk vs FK Krasnodor (7)
Salyut Belgorod vs Cherno Novorosisk (8)
Luch-Energiya Vladivostok vs Anzhi Makhachkala (5)
Energiya Khabarovsk vs Volgar Gazprom Astrakhan (6)
Sibir Novosibirsk vs Volga Nizhyni Novgorod (8) over 2.5 goals
Ural Sverdlovskaya Oblast vs KamAZ Nab Chelny (6)

Scottish Premier League:

Hamilton Academicals vs Celtic (8) 0-1

Serbian Super Liga:

Rad Belgrade vs Partizan Belgrade (7) 1-2

Slovakian Corgon Liga:

Slovan Bratislava vs Spartak Trnava (8) 2-0

Spanish Primera Liga:

Villarreal vs Malaga (5) 1-2, draw no bet
Tenerife vs Deportivo Xerez (8) 2-0
Real Valladolid vs Deportivo La Coruna (7) over 2.5 goals
Getafe vs Athletic Club de Bilbao (5) 1-1
Racing Santander vs Osasuna (6) 0-0
Almeria vs Valencia (6) 1-2
Barcelona vs Real Zaragoza (8) 2-1

Spanish Segunda Liga:

Celta de Vigo vs Rayo Vallecano de Madrid (7)
Numancia vs Salamanca (7)
Elche vs Cartagena (5)
Cadiz vs Real Union Club de Irun (5)

Spanish Segunda B:

Group 1:

Ponferradina vs Osasuna II (7)
Pontevedra vs Sestao River Club (7)
Izarra vs Athletic Club de Bilbao II (5)
Deportivo Alaves vs Eibar (7) at least one red card in this game
Guijuelo vs Compostela (7)
Zamora vs Racing Club de Ferrol (6)
Lemona vs Barakaldo (6)

Group 2:

Atletico Madrid II vs Vecindario (6)
Real Sporting de Gijon II vs Universidad Las Palmas (5)
Cerro Reyes Badajoz vs Real Oviedo (5)
Alcala Henares vs Real Sociedad Gimnastica Torrelavega (7)
Tenerife II vs Lanzarote (6)
Conquense vs Guadalajara (7)
Cacareno vs Toledo (6)
Leganes vs Real Madrid II (7)

Group 3:

Atletico Gramenet vs Badalona (7)
Villajoyosa vs Terrassa (6)
Sant Andreu vs Mallorca II (6)
Espanyol Barcelona II vs Orihuela (6)
Sabadell vs Denia (5)
Logrones vs Gava (6)
Alcoyano vs Benidorm (6)
Alicante vs Valencia II (8)
Ontinyent vs Lleida (8)

Group 4:

Sevilla II vs Melilla (6)
Ceuta vs Moratalla (7)
Sangonera Atletico vs Polideportivo Ejido (7)
Lucena vs Caravaca (7)
Ecije Balompie vs Real Jaen (6)
Aguilas vs Real Murcia II (5)

Swedish Allsvenskan:

Hammarby vs AIK Solna (8) 0-2
Elfsborg Boras vs BK Hacken (8) 2-1
Gefle vs Trelleborgs (5) 1-0

Swiss Super League:

St.Gallen vs FC Zurich (6) 0-1
Sion vs Neuchatel Xamax (7) 1-2
Luzern vs Basel (6) 1-1

Swiss Challenge League:

Biel-Bienne vs Gossau (7)

Turkish Super Lig:

Diyarbakirspor vs Genclerbirligi (7) 0-1
Kasimpasa vs Denizlispor (6) 2-1
Manisaspor vs Antalyaspor (6) 1-1

Ukrainian Premier League:

Zorya Lugansk vs Illichivets Mariupol (6) 2-1
Zakarpattya Uzhhorod vs Shakhtar Donetsk (9) 1-4
Metalist Kharkiv vs Vorskla Poltava (8) under 2.5 goals

Venezuelan Primera Division:

Aragua vs Deportivo Tachira (7) 1-2
Atletico El Vigia vs Deportivo Anzoategui (6) 1-1
Deportivo Lara vs Zulia (7) 2-0
Mineros de Guayana vs Zamora (7) 1-0
Caracas vs Yaracuyanos (9) 2-0
Monagas SC vs Deportivo Italia (5) 1-1
Trujillanos vs Real Esppor Club (8) 2-1
Llaneros de Guanare vs Carabobo (6) 2-0
Centro Italo vs Estudiantes de Merida (5) 0-1

Enjoy your free betting tips!

Espanyol vs Malaga

Today’s featured game is in Barcelona and features Espanyol and Malaga. Hosts Espanyol got off to a slow start after the death of Captain Daniel Jarque pre-season, losing away to Athletic Club de Bilbao and emphatically at home to Real Madrid. However, a morale-boosting victory at the Riazor last match against a difficult Deportivo La Coruna may have been the catalyst they desperately needed to fulfill their potential this season, something I’ve highlighted in my posts leading up to the start of the season. Espanyol actually have a very strong and capable side and I thoroughly expect them to have a very good season although losing Jarque is a massive loss to them. Today, Espanyol are hosting a Malaga side that seem undecided as to what kind of season they’re going to have. I don’t rate this Malaga side very highly as they’ve lost their manager and a whole host of players over summer but you can’t argue with the fact that they’ve already annihlated Atletico Madrid this season, something that needs to be taken into consideration. Since then, Malaga have lost both games, something I had expected from their opening game as opposed to their second game. I can accept their defeat away to Deportivo La Coruna but I cannot accept their defeat at home to Racing Club de Santander if this side intends to become even a shadow of the side they were last year. As the season I develops, I fully expect Malaga to become cannon fodder barring a miracle. They no longer have the quality to compete at this level and I expect Espanyol to thoroughly ram that home today. Frankly, a home win today at evens looks a fantastic bet to me!

Wednesday’s Picks

My tips:

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

Espanyol vs Malaga – home win at evens – see introduction for full details.

Liga de Quito vs Lanus – home win at 10/11. A poor start to their domestic campaign has seen Lanus claim just one win from their opening five games, a fact that will disappoint Lanus after an impressive campaign last time out. They’ve lost three of their five games so far domestically and appear to be struggling a considerable amount. Despite a slender victory over River Plate last week in the Nissan Sudamericana, Lanus just aren’t convincing at the moment and I can’t help but feel they’re going to get “found out” in the dizzying heights of Quito tonight. They’re travelling to an experienced Ecuadorian outfit in Liga de Quito, who boast a good squad and a very impressive home record. A crushing defeat away to bitter rivals Deportivo Quito last match (domestically) will have hurt Liga de Quito, something I expect to inspire them to victory tonight to at least compensate their fans. In my opinion, this venue is one of the hardest away trips in South America due to the massive distance above sea level Quito is and the quality of the home side. I can’t quite believe that the bookies are giving 10/11 on a home win and I thoroughly expect that to drop before too long so take it whilst you can!

Tampere United vs HJK Helsinki – home win at 9/4. This is a very interesting call but one I like an awful lot. In fact, I’ve liked this bet since I looked at HJK Helsinki’s final fixtures of the Veikkausliiga season a few weeks ago. Why? Well, HJK Helsinki may be in good form but they’re not playing very reliably, which is important to me ’cause it means they’re prone to errors. Today they travel to an in-form Tampere United that are currently the best home side in the Veikkausliiga with eight wins from eleven games. In fact, they’ve only lost at home twice this season so HJK Helsinki have one hell of a task on their hands to come away with a result here. Interestingly enough, HJK Helsinki have lost two of their last three trips here, one of which was this season in the Liiga Cup. I have to confess that I didn’t have Tampere United down as a potential Veikkausliiga winner entering the final stretch of the campaign and I still don’t really believe it will happen but try telling a confident and in-form Tampere United that! The final point I’ll make is that if Tampere United do win this game, the gap between themselves and HJK Helsinki (and potentially TPS Turku if they overcome KuPS Kuopio) will be six points, which is only two games of football. With all this in mind, 9/5 on a home win looks very tempting indeed with both sides needing three points here!

AEK Athens vs Olympiakos Piraeus – away win at 6/4. I really wanted to make this bet when it was initially scheduled a few weeks back when AEK Athens were struggling and Olympiakos Piraeus were flying. However, circumstances dictated that this could not occur so now we have this fixture in more…difficult circumstances, shall we say! Why? Well, Zico is boss of Olympiakos Piraeus now and he’s pretty damn shit as a manager, in my humble opinion! The only credit I’ll give him is that he tends to guide his side to victories against bigger opponents – it’s games against lesser opponents where he struggles. Fortunately, AEK Athens are still struggling to gain any kind of consistency so they do look ripe for defeat here. Olympiakos Piraeus are a far better side than AEK Athens these days and managed to win this fixture last season too. For me, there is value in the odds of 6/4 on the away win although I emphasise caution whilst shitty Zico is in town!

Gorica vs Maribor – home win at 2/1. This is a very dubious call as Gorica are extremely demoralised currently and Maribor are sleeping giants. However, a change in management personnel may just give Gorica the boost that they desperately need. Five straight defeats lead to the dismissal of their previous coach but Maribor are hardly faring much better than Gorica currently with three defeats and a draw in their last four games, which is arguably worse as Maribor are expected to do a lot better. Both sides really need three points and I expect a really close game here because of it. As a final bit of food for thought, Gorica have won this fixture for five seasons running now. 2/1 is starting to look pretty damn good, isn’t it?

Nafta Lendava vs Rudar Velenje - away win at 6/5. Three wins in their last four games says Rudar Velenje are gathering momentum and consistency at great speed and look set to pose a legitimate title challenge this year. They’re currently second in the Prva Liga, just one point behind league leaders Koper. They’ve won an impressive seven games from nine so far and average just under two goals per game. They concede the least goals and frankly have everything in their favour at the moment. Hosts Nafta Lendava are in atrocious form and are currently second bottom of the Prva Liga. They’ve won just once in their last five games, suffering four defeats along the way. To their credit, they’re only taking points at home at the moment but they’re facing something of a winning machine today so I’m not sure that run will continue. I expect a lot of goals in this game but there’s value in the away win at 6/5.

Tenerife vs Athletic Club de Bilbao – away win at 13/8. I’m wondering just when this magical run of my beloved Athletic Club de Bilbao will end with some expectation that it’ll be against a powerful Sevilla CF at weekend. However, I can’t afford to look beyond this game because Tenerife are nothing if not resilient and compact. Athletic Club de Bilbao, however, have now won three successive domestic games and look extremely potent. Their youthful side mingled with the experience of Fran Yeste and Joseba Etxeberria looks to be one of their best for some time with great variety in all forms of attack, as well as mass potential. As usual, the Basque side cannot be relied upon defensively but their attacking prowess at the present time is compensating for that. Hosts Tenerife have lost two games this season without scoring a goal, placing a great deal of pressure on the side to deliver the goods when playing at home to stay in the Primera Liga. They’ve beaten a tough Osasuna at home already this season but they face an even more challenging game against in-form Athletic Club de Bilbao, a test I don’t think they’re capable of winning. I really fancy the away win at 13/8 gievn the above information but I’m aware that Athletic Club de Bilbao’s defence is dodgy, as ever, so I may encourage DNB. Either way, I can’t see a home win so lay Tenerife if you can find good odds on it.

Young Boys Bern vs FC Zurich – home win at evens. I do love Young Boys Bern! They’re a tipster’s dream most of the time! They beat all the big sides and are generally very reliable. This clash sees arguably the two best sides in the country compete but it’s worth noting that Young Boys Bern won the last clash between these two sides (at FC Zurich) and won this exact fixture last season too. Despite their first domestic defeat being a surprise loss last match at Neuchatel Xamax, Young Boys Bern are still the better of these two sides in my opinion and have more than enough quality to win the game. They average over two goals scored per game and are unbeaten at home this season with three wins from four games. FC Zurich have drawn too many games to be considered on the same level as Young Boys Bern currently which is also why I’m favouring the home win. I don’t think the defeat will have hurt the hosts too much and I fully expect a full-blooded game here with some cards and a lot of goals. However, for me, a home win at evens boasts some good value!

As ever, any questions/explanations required, feel free to email me at thefootytipster@gmail.com. For the complete picks listing, see below!

Asian Champions League:

Kawasaki Frontale vs Nagoya Grampus (6) 2-1
FC Bunyodkur vs Pohang Steelers (5) 1-0
Umm Salal vs FC Seoul (7) 1-2

Baltic League:

FK Jurmala vs Ekranas Panevezys (6) 0-1
Sillamae Kalev vs Skonto Riga (8) 1-2
Taurus Taurage vs Levadia Tallinn (7) 1-2
FK Siauliai vs Flora Tallinn (6) 2-0

Copa Nissan Sudamericana:

River Plate Montevideo vs Vitoria (6) 2-1
Alianza Atletico Sullana vs Fluminense (7) 2-0
Velez Sarsfeld vs Union Espanola (9) 2-0
Internacional vs Universidad de Chile (8) under 2.5 goals
Botafogo vs Emelec Guayaquil (4) 0-0
Liga de Quito vs Lanus (8) 2-1

Austrian Bundesliga:

SV Kapfenberg vs Rapid Vienna (8) 1-3
Salzburg vs Sturm Graz (7) 2-1
LASK Linz vs Austria Karnten (9) -1.75 handicap
Austria Vienna vs SV Ried (8) 2-1

Belarusian Vysshaya Liga:

Torpedo Zhodino vs FC Gomel (7) 2-1
FC Minsk vs Shakhtyor Soligorsk (6) 0-1
Dinamo Minsk vs Granit Mikashevichi (8) 2-0
FC Smorgon vs Naftan Novopolotsk (8) 0-1
Dnepr Mogilev vs MTZ-RIPO Minsk (7) 1-0
Dinamo Brest vs Neman Grodno (7) 2-1

Belgian Eerste Klasse:

Club Brugge vs Zulte-Waregem (6) 2-1
Standard de Liege vs Cercle Brugge (9) 2-0
Charleroi vs Mechelen (6) over 2.5 goals
AA Gent vs Westerlo (8) 2-1
Roeselare vs Lokeren (5) 0-1, draw no bet
Germinal Beerschot vs Kortrijk (6) 1-1

Brazilian Serie A:

Cruzeiro vs Palmeiras (7) 1-1

English League Cup:

Chelsea vs Queens Park Rangers (8) 2-1
Hull City vs Everton (7) 0-1
Preston North End vs Tottenham Hotspur (5) 1-1
Aston Villa vs Cardiff City (7) 1-0
Manchester United vs Wolverhampton Wanderers (7) 2-0
Manchester City vs Fulham (8) 2-1

Finnish Veikkausliiga:

VPS Vaasa vs Inter Turku (7) 0-1
TPS Turku vs KuPS Kuopio (7) over 2.5 goals, both sides to score
Tampere United vs HJK Helsinki (6) 2-1
Jaro Pietersaari vs FC Honka Espoo (8) 1-2
RoPS Rovaniemi vs MyPa Anjalankoski (7) 1-1
FC Lahti vs JJK Jyvaskyla (6) 1-0
Haka Valkeakoski vs IFK Mariehamn (6) 0-1

Greek Super League:

Panionios vs PAOK Salonika (7) 0-1
AEK Athens vs Olympiakos Piraeus (7) 1-2

Italian Serie A:

Atalanta Bergamo vs Catania (6) 2-1
Bari vs Cagliari (8) 2-0
Bologna vs Livorno (6) 1-1
Fiorentina vs Sampdoria (5) 1-1
Internazionale vs SSC Napoli (8) 3-1
Lazio vs Parma (7) 2-1
Palermo vs AS Roma (6) 1-1
Siena vs Chievo Verona (5) 0-0
Udinese vs AC Milan (5) 1-1

Latvian Virsliga:

Tranzits Ventspils vs FK Ventspils (8) 1-3

Norwegian Tippeligaen:

Rosenborg BK vs Tromso IL (8) over 2.5 goals

Norwegian 2 Divisjon:

Sford Sunnhordland vs Algard (6)

Singaporean S-League:

Armed Forces vs Albirex Niigata (9) 3-1

Slovenian Prva Liga:

Drava vs Domzale (7) 1-1
Nafta Lendava vs Rudar Velenje (8) 1-2
Interblock Ljubljana vs Olimpija Ljubljana (7) 1-0, at least one red card in this game
Gorica vs Maribor (4) 1-0
Celje vs Koper (6) 1-2

Spanish Primera Liga:

Espanyol vs Malaga (8) 2-0
Deportivo Xerez vs Deportivo La Coruna (7) 1-2
Villarreal vs Real Madrid (6) over 2.5 goals, both sides to score
Real Valladolid vs Osasuna (6) 1-1
Atletico Madrid vs Almeria (7) 2-1
Tenerife vs Athletic Club de Bilbao (7) 1-2
Getafe vs Valencia (5) 1-1

Spanish Segunda B:

Group 1:

Osasuna II vs Cultural y Deportiva Leonesa (7)
Athletic Club de Bilbao II vs Palencia (8)
Barakaldo vs Ponferradina (6)
Sestao River Club vs Mirandes (6)
Eibar vs Montaneros (8)
Lugo vs Celta de Vigo II (5)
Racing Club de Ferrol vs Izarra (6)
Guijuelo vs Deportivo Alaves (8)
Compostela vs Pontevedra (5)
Zamora vs Lemona (7)

Group 2:

Real Madrid II vs Real Sporting de Gijon II (6)
Universidad Las Palmas vs Alcorcon (6)
Real Sociedad Gimnastica Torrelavega vs Cacereno (5)
Real Oviedo vs Real Racing Club Santander II (7)
Alcala Henares vs Cerro Reyes Badajoz (6)
Villanovense vs Conquense (7)
Leganes vs Tenerife II (8)
Vecindario vs Puertollano (5)
Toledo vs Guadalajara (7)
Lanzarote vs Atletico Madrid II (6)

Group 3:

Barcelona II vs Denia (6)
Valencia II vs Logrones (7)
Mallorca II vs Alicante (7)
Benidorm vs Gava (8)
Badalona vs Sant Andreu (7)
Terrassa vs Alcoyano (8)
Lleida vs Sporting Mahones (7)
Ontinyent vs Atletico Gramenet (8)
Villajoyosa vs Espanyol Barcelona II (6)
Orihuela vs Sabadell (6)

Group 4:

Real Betis II vs Ceuta (6)
Moratella vs Union Estepona (5)
Real Murcia II vs Sevilla II (6)
Roquetas vs San Roque (7)
Caravaca vs Real Jaen (6)
Polideportivo Ejido vs Ecija Balompie (7)
Granada vs Lucena (7)
Marbella vs Aguilas (7)
Melilla vs Sangonera Atletico (8)

Swedish Allsvenskan:

Hammarby vs GAIS Goteborg (7) draw no bet
BK Hacken vs Kalmar (7)
Orebro vs IFK Goteborg (6)

Swiss Super League:

Grasshoppers Zurich vs Aarau (6) 2-1
Basel vs St.Gallen (6) 1-0
Young Boys Bern vs FC Zurich (8) over 3.5 goals

Swiss Challenge League:

Biel-Bienne vs Winterthur (8)
Gossau vs Stade Nyonnais (6)
Lausanne Sports vs Locarno (8)
Lugano vs Wil (9)
Thun vs Schaffhausen (8)
Vaduz vs Kriens (6)
Yverdon Sport vs Le Mont (8)
Servette vs Wohlen (6)

Ukrainian Premier League:

Metalist Kharkiv vs Shakhtar Donetsk (8) 1-2

Enjoy your free betting tips and feel free to visit our forum!