Champions League Tips

Porto have won every league game bar one this term, but they host a Gil Vicente side who have seen both teams score in five straight games, including a clash with Sporting Lisbon in early January. The visitors have scored 1.33 goals per game on their travels, while Porto have scored 16 across their eight home matches, winning seven.

Norwich have been a bogey team for Coventry for an extended period, as they are unbeaten across the last 13 meetings, registering nine wins during that time. With the current Sky Blues team struggling for results on the road, a much-improved Canaries could nick the three points.

Verona have lost five of their last six home Serie A matches and could slip up again to an Udinese team that have won two of their last four away league games.

Le Mans haven’t won at home to a top-half side this season, and they meet a Dunkerque team who have scored twice in three straight games, while the visitors have netted two or more goals in three of their last four away trips. These two shared a 2-2 draw in the reverse fixture and the away side can continue that scoring form here.

Everton have picked up more points on their travels than they have at home this season and they may come unstuck against a much-improved Leeds side that have only lost once in 10 matches across all competitions and are looking to complete a league double over David Moyes’ team after winning 1-0 at Elland Road in August.

FEBRUARY –  The Texans’ suffocating defence has been the key to their eight-game winning run and with the AFC looking the less competitive conference this season after the demise of the Kansas City Chiefs, they have the talent to go a long way. Quarterback CJ Stroud is fully fit again and can look for an elite wide receiver in Nico Collins while former first-round picks Will Anderson Jr. and Derek Stingley Jr. are just two of their many defensive stars.

JULY – Elena Rybakina looks a bet in her bid to repeat her 2022 triumph at the All England Club. The Kazakhstani has had a tough couple of years, due in the main to off-court issues, but she finished last year on a high with victory at the WTA Finals. She’s a superb grass-court player who is as good as Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek when she’s on her game.

JULY – Alex Noren enjoyed a resurgence in his career in 2025, winning twice on the DP World Tour, and 2026 could finally be the year he ends his long wait for a maiden Major. The Swede has an affinity for links golf, evidenced by his victory at the 2016 Scottish Open and his two top-10 Open finishes, he could go all the way and land the Claret Jug in 2026.

DECEMBER – Mercedes may have botched the ground-effect era, but the Silver Arrows have a strong record of responding well to rule changes, and the sweeping regulation shift coming in 2026 should bring the title back into play. Their power unit has already come under, and been cleared, of scrutiny, suggesting it is likely to be among the strongest engines on the grid, and they have the driver lineup to win the consistent points necessary to land the constructor crown.

Aryna Sabalanka has reached each of the last six Grand Slam finals played on hardcourts and has won four of those. The Belarusian has won two of the last three editions of the Australian Open and can respond to the disappointment of losing last year’s final by taking the trophy in 2026.

Le Mans haven’t won at home to a top-half side this season, and they meet a Dunkerque team who have scored twice in three straight games, while the visitors have netted two or more goals in three of their last four away trips. These two shared a 2-2 draw in the reverse fixture and the away side can continue that scoring form here.

Norwich have scored 12 goals across their last three matches and will fancy their chances of netting against a Coventry side without a clean-sheet in their last six. Shutting out the league leaders may be an issue though, with the Sky Blues also leading the Championship scoring charts.

Everton will be missing creative forces such as Jack Grealish and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall for this game and they are already a side lacking in goals, with seven of their last eight games going under the 2.5 goal mark.  There have also been no more than two goals scored in four of Leeds’ last five league fixtures so don’t expect a classic on Monday night.

Over 2.5 goals has landed in three of Vitesse’s last four, and 73% of their games this term have featured at least three goals. Over 2.5 has landed in 91% of ADO Den Haag’s home matches, so goals are expected in this encounter.

De Graafschap have suffered 4-2 and 3-2 defeats in their last two home games, while Den Bosch have seen 17 goals scored across their last four on the road. There have been four or more goals in 64% of the hosts’ games at their own ground, so back a high-scoring affair.

Girona have won four of their last five La Liga matches while Getafe have lost five of their last six in the league. The visitors are struggling to score and keep goals at the other end – a recipe for disaster if it continues.

Verona have lost five of their last six home Serie A matches and could slip up again to an Udinese team that have won two of their last four away league games.

Norwich have scored 12 goals across their last three matches and will fancy their chances of netting against a Coventry side without a clean-sheet in their last six. Shutting out the league leaders may be an issue though, with the Sky Blues also leading the Championship scoring charts.

Cueta have seen both teams score in five of their last six games, and they meet a Cultural Leonesa side who lost 4-2 to Sporting Gijon last time out. The visitors are leaking too many goals, but they’ve averaged 1.45 goals per game on their travels this season.

Norwich have scored 12 goals across their last three matches and will fancy their chances of netting against a Coventry side without a clean-sheet in their last six. Shutting out the league leaders may be an issue though, with the Sky Blues also leading the Championship scoring charts.

Girona have won four of their last five La Liga matches while Getafe have lost five of their last six in the league. Getafe have failed to score in four of their last six La Liga contests and generated an XG of no more than 0.66 in any of their last three. Back them for a defeat against a Girona side that has kept four clean sheets in their last six games

Back the visitors to win to nil, as they have done away to Verona’s fellow strugglers Pisa, Parma and Torino this term, given that Verona have failed to score in four of their last six matches, and the hosts have lost five of their last six home Serie A games.

Verona have lost five of their last six home Serie A matches and could slip up again to an Udinese team that have won two of their last four away league games.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin made over 270 appearances across a nine-year spell with Everton, but the Leeds forward could come back to haunt his former club on Monday as he looks to build on an impressive run that has seen him score eight times across his last 10 appearances.

Jovon Makama has stepped up to the plate for Norwich in the continued absence of Josh Sargent and with nine goals across his last nine starts, he could have a decisive say on Monday.

Everton have picked up more points on their travels than they have at home this season and they may come unstuck against a much-improved Leeds side that have only lost once in 10 matches across all competitions and are looking to complete a league double over David Moyes’ team after winning 1-0 at Elland Road in August.

Norwich have been a bogey team for Coventry for an extended period, as they are unbeaten across the last 13 meetings, registering nine wins during that time. With the current Sky Blues team struggling for results on the road, a much-improved Canaries could nick the three points in a game featuring plenty of attacking endeavour.

Porto have won every league game bar one this term, but they host a Gil Vicente side who have seen both teams score in five straight games, including a clash with Sporting Lisbon in early January. The visitors have scored 1.33 goals per game on their travels, while Porto have scored 16 across their eight home matches, winning seven.

Blackpool have scored in their last nine League One games, while they’ve netted 23 goals across their 14 games at Bloomfield Road. However, only two sides in the third tier have conceded more goals than Blackpool’s 39. Opponents Stockport have found the net in 10 of their 13 away games this term, but all of the visitors’ away clean sheets have come against teams in the relegation zone.

Barcelona haven’t kept a clean sheet in their seven Champions League games this term. The Catalans have conceded at home to Olympiakos and Eintracht Frankfurt, and they host a Copenhagen side who are pushing to make the top 24 after winning 3-2 against Villarreal last time out. 

Feyenoord have conceded 13 times across their seven League Phase games, while they were beaten 4-3 at FCSB in their last European trip. Betis have scored twice in all three of their home games in the Europa League this term, but the visitors need a win to avoid elimination. 

BTTS has landed in 10 of 14 Genoa games since Patrick Viera was sacked, and they head to a Lazio side who have scored 13 times in their six home clashes with sides below them.

Wolves have conceded the second-highest number of goals at home, while Bournemouth have shipped the most goals away. BTTS has landed in the visitors’ last eight games, while Wolves can threaten after an upturn in performances under Rob Edwards.

Rangers return from a visit to Portugal aiming to continue some free-scoring form in the Premiership, but they visits a Hibs side that averages two goals per game at home. 

Liverpool look like the best value pick, with the Reds putting their struggles behind them with an eight-game unbeaten run. The Reds have the fourth-best Expected Goals record across the first six Champions League gameweeks, while they’ve recorded back-to-back 1-0 wins over Real Madrid and Inter Milan in Europe. Arne Slot’s side have a kind double-header in January, leaving them primed for a top-eight finish. With the Premier League coasting towards a fifth Champions League berth, the Reds should be in a good position to focus on European success in the spring.

Spain have some incredibly talented individuals, Lamine Yamal being the prime example, but are strong in all areas and don’t have any particular weaknesses. They won Euro 2024 with relative ease and they should be too good for their continental rivals at the World Cup. They also look a level above South American heavyweights Argentina and Brazil, suggesting they will be the team to beat at the World Cup this summer.