Champions League Tips

Guimaraes have won four of their six clashes with sides above them, and they host an AVS side who are bottom of the standings after a winless start. The visitors have lost eight of 11, and each of their last three away trips. However, they head to a Guimaraes side who are yet to keep a home clean sheet.

Both teams have scored in each of Elche’s last three games, including clashes with Real Madrid and Barcelona. The visitors have seen BTTS land in five of their six away trips, while only Real and Atletico have kept clean sheets at Getafe this term.

Rennes have recorded impressive 4-1 wins over Monaco and Strasbourg either side of a gritty 1-0 victory at Paris FC and they can make it four victories on the bounce at second-bottom Metz.

FC Andorra lost 3-1 at home to Castellon in their last game, while they’ve suffered a 3-0 loss at Real Sociedad and a 4-1 defeat at Malaga. Sporting are above both in the table, while they’ve generated 21.1 xG across 15 games this term. The hosts’ should cause plenty of problems in the final third, so back them to score a couple of goals.

Three of Queen’s Park’s four Scottish Cup games last term featured at least four goals, while they’re expected to flex their muscles against Linlithgow Rose. The hosts shipped 42 goals in 34 Lowland League games last season, while they’ve let in 22 in 17 games this term. The visitors have only kept one away clean sheet this term, while they lost 4-3 at St Johnstone in their last game.

Como have won five of their eight home matches this season and that includes a 3-0 success over Sassuolo in the Coppa Italia at the end of September.

Two other rookies to impress in recent months are Isack Hadjar and Oliver Bearman, and both should be in contention to add to their points tally this weekend.

Hadjar has arguably had the best season of all the rookies on the grid and heads to Qatar with five top-ten finishes in his last eight races, including a stunning maiden podium in the Dutch Grand Prix. He will have one eye on a potential promotion to Red Bull and looks set for a strong finish to the season.

Bearman has had a more tumultuous season than his colleague, but he has shone in the improved Haas recently, taking a fifth successive points haul in Sin City last weekend.

Kimi Antonelli produced the best drive of his short Formula One career in Las Vegas, crossing the line fourth and ahead of George Russell. He was demoted to fifth due to an unfortunate start procedure infringement before being promoted back to third after McLaren’s disqualification, and he could earn his third successive podium in Qatar.

The Italian teenager has recovered from a difficult European leg of the season to shine in the latter stages of the campaign, finishing in the top six in five of his last six Grands Prix and, after playing second fiddle for most of the season, passing the chequered flag ahead of teammate George Russell in each of the last three.

Lando Norris may still have his first World Drivers’ Championship within reach, Max Verstappen is just 24 points behind the Briton heading into the penultimate race of the season, and the Dutchman thrives under this sort of pressure.

After spending much of the season out of contention for race wins, Red Bull’s improvement and Verstappen’s sheer brilliance have led him to eight consecutive podium finishes and four race wins in this period.

He has won each of the last two Qatar Grands Prix and knows that a win would keep him in the fight for the championship in Abu Dhabi next weekend.

Red Bull’s pit crew could play a defining role, too, with the Qatar Grand Prix effectively a mandated two-stop race.

After teams ran their tyres to the edge of safety last year, Pirelli and the FIA have limited each set of tyres to a maximum of 25 laps this weekend, locking teams into a two-stop strategy. Red Bull have won the DHL Fastest Pit Stop Award in four of the last six Grands Prix, with sister-team Racing Bulls taking the award in another, and that minute edge could make all the difference in a sport of extraordinarily small edges.

Both PEC Zwolle and Heerenveen can find the net in Saturday’s clash at PEC Zwolle Stadion. PEC have scored at least twice in three of their last four league games, while both sides have scored in ten of Heerenveen’s 12 Eredivisie matches this season.

Two of the top four in Serie B meet on Friday night, but fourth-placed Cesena have won only one of their five clashes with the top seven this term. Both teams have scored in four of the hosts’ five home matches, while Modena have drawn 2-2 at third-placed Frosinone and 1-1 at sixth-placed Palermo in their previous two trips.

Both teams have scored in six of Mechelen’s seven home matches this term, while they’ve kept one clean sheet in their last six starts. Standard Liege have struggled on the road this term, losing five of their first seven trips.

Both teams have scored in each of Elche’s last three games, including clashes with Real Madrid and Barcelona. The visitors have seen BTTS land in five of their six away trips, while only Real and Atletico have kept clean sheets at Getafe this term.

Over 3.5 goals has landed in five of PEC Zwolle’s last six starts, while their opponents have seen 19 goals scored across their last five games. The visitors have conceded at least twice on four occasions away from home, but the hosts have a patchy defensive record at home.

Three of Queen’s Park’s four Scottish Cup games last term featured at least four goals, while they’re expected to flex their muscles against Linlithgow Rose. The hosts shipped 42 goals in 34 Lowland League games last season, while they’ve let in 22 in 17 games this term. The visitors have only kept one away clean sheet this term, while they lost 4-3 at St Johnstone in their last game.

FC Andorra lost 3-1 at home to Castellon in their last game, while they’ve suffered a 3-0 loss at Real Sociedad and a 4-1 defeat at Malaga. Sporting are above both in the table, while they’ve generated 21.1 xG across 15 games this term. The hosts’ should cause plenty of problems in the final third, so back them to score a couple of goals.

Two of the top four in Serie B meet on Friday night, but fourth-placed Cesena have won only one of their five clashes with the top seven this term. Both teams have scored in four of the hosts’ five home matches, while Modena have drawn 2-2 at third-placed Frosinone and 1-1 at sixth-placed Palermo in their previous two trips. 

FC Andorra lost 3-1 at home to Castellon in their last game, while they’ve suffered a 3-0 loss at Real Sociedad and a 4-1 defeat at Malaga. Sporting are above both in the table, while they’ve generated 21.1 xG across 15 games this term. The hosts’ should cause plenty of problems in the final third, so back them to score a couple of goals.

Borussia Monchengladbach’s home goalscoring record is a concern and with RB Leipzig having lost just twice in the league this season, take the visitors to come out on top.

Oxford were lucky to snatch a point at struggling Norwich and could be outclassed by an Ipswich side that is back on track for promotion. Ipswich have won their last three away league games, They have kept back-to-back clean sheets and conceded only three goals in their last six games.

Two of the top four in Serie B meet on Friday night, but fourth-placed Cesena have won only one of their five clashes with the top seven this term. Both teams have scored in four of the hosts’ five home matches, while Modena have drawn 2-2 at third-placed Frosinone and 1-1 at sixth-placed Palermo in their previous two trips.

Sassuolo have faced 158 shots across their first 12 matches, while they concede 13.5 shots per away game. Como’s Ivan Smolcic has had a shot in each of his last three games, while his replacement in the previous two games, while his replacement in the previous two games, Mergim Vojvoda, has averaged 1.69 shots per 90 minutes this season.

Goodhram has had two shots in five of his seven appearances this season, including the midweek draw with Norwich City. Ipswich conceded 11 shots in their win over Hull in midweek, while they’ve faced 60 shots across their last six Championship away trips.

Vitoria have conceded 151 shots in their first 11 games, the fifth-highest total in the league so far. Perea has had at least two shots in each of his last three starts, including six and four in his last two appearances. The 19-year-old is averaging 3.7 shots per 90 this term, while his opponents have faced at least 15 shots in their last three games.

A 3-1 away win appeals most from a correct-score perspective given that both teams have scored in four of the last five meetings. Rennes have recorded impressive 4-1 wins over Monaco and Strasbourg, either side of a gritty 1-0 victory at Paris FC, and they can make it four victories on the bounce with a high-scoring win at second-bottom Metz.

Como have kept four clean sheets in six outings, which includes shutting out Juventus and Napoli, and they could also keep at bay Sassuolo. A smooth 2-0 success looks the way to go for correct-score punters.

Como have won five of their eight home matches this season and that includes a 3-0 success over Sassuolo in the Coppa Italia at the end of September, suggesting that they should be able to frank that form.

Oxford were lucky to snatch a point at struggling Norwich and could be outclassed by an Ipswich side that is back on track for promotion. Ipswich have won their last three away league games, They have kept back-to-back clean sheets and conceded only three goals in their last six games.

Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna has been rotating his strikers and it could be the turn of Ivan Azon to start this one. The Spaniard scored his first goal for the club in this month’s 4-1 win at Swansea and offers a good target for crosses into the penalty area, which Oxford have been failing to defend successfully of late.

Guimaraes have won four of their six clashes with sides above them, and they host an AVS side who are bottom of the standings after a winless start. The visitors have lost eight of 11, and each of their last three away trips. However, they head to a Guimaraes side who are yet to keep a home clean sheet.

The top two teams in Ecuador lock horns here, and goals should be on the cards. Over 2.5 goals has landed in ten of LDU Quito’s last 11 fixtures and in six of Independiente del Valle’s last nine, and these two teams have scored 125 goals in 70 combined league matches.

Both teams have scored in three of Santos’ last four games and bottom-of-the-table Sport Recife, despite losing their last eight fixtures, have seen both teams score in nine of their last 12.

Central Coast Mariners have taken four points from their two home games this season and should be able to avoid defeat against odds-on favourites Melbourne City, who have only won one of their four league away games this season.

Both teams to score has landed in four of Wellington Phoenix’s five A-League games so far and visitors Adelaide United have scored ten times in their five outings, with both teams scoring in four of them.

Western Sydney Wanderers have scored four and conceded three in their two home games this season, with both teams scoring in each of them. Sydney FC have seen goals at both ends in both their away days, too, while each of the last five meetings between these sides have seen both teams find the net.

Manchester City are favourites to bounce back from their St James’ Park defeat on Tuesday, but a clean sheet is unlikely for a Citizens’ defence that have looked vulnerable in recent times.They have scored 14 goals in their last seven matches, but they have just one clean sheet to their name in this period and face an attack-minded Bayer Leverkusen side that have scored in 16 of their 17 fixtures this season.

Sporting and Club Brugge have both averaged two goals per game in the Champions League this season, and another high-scoring affair is expected at Estadio Jose Alvalade on Wednesday.All four of the hosts’ European outings this season have featured goals at both ends, and Club Brugge’s six-goal thriller at home to Barcelona earlier this month made it eight goals scored and ten conceded in this competition.

Genk’s last Europa League outing was a stunning 4-3 win away to Sporting Braga, and both teams have scored in six of their ten home games this season.Basel have scored in three of their four Europa League assignments this season but have only managed one clean sheet, so expect the goals to flow at the Cegeka Arena on Thursday.

Borussia Monchengladbach put three past Heidenheim without reply on Saturday, but their back line is expected to come under more pressure when RB Leipzig visit Borussia-Park.Both teams have scored in the hosts’ last two home games and RB Leipzig have scored 12 and conceded five in their last four away games, with goals at both ends being scored in three of them.

Monaco suffered a shock 4-1 reverse at Rennes on Saturday to make it three defeats from their last four, but Les Rouge et Blanc still have one of the best attacking records in Ligue 1, and they should be able to trouble PSG’s defence.Only Les Parisiens and Marseille have scored more goals than Monaco, who have seen a league-high 50 goals across their 13 fixtures. They have scored in seven of their nine home games, while both teams to score has landed in six of PSG’s last eight on the road.

Only La Liga’s top four have a better attacking record than Sevilla and Real Betis this season, and the goals should continue to flow at Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan.Both teams have scored in five of Los Nervionenses’ six home games this term, and all seven of Real Betis’ domestic away games have featured goals at both ends.