Champions League Tips

Mateus Mane has been one catalyst in Wolves’ recent revival and looks good value for a goal on Sunday. He has scored in his last two starts for the club and has three goal contributions this season.

Ollie Watkins looks to be back in form with four goals in his last four Premier League games. The England international was used sparingly in the FA Cup last time out and should come back in the starting side here, and he looks a strong contender for an anytime effort for Villa.

Brahim Diaz has been the top scorer in this tournament with five goals and the Real Madrid man could produce another moment of magic for his country to swing this final.

Adrien Rabiot has been putting in consistently solid displays lately with assists against both Verona and Cagliari. He also scored against Torino in December and he appeals as a bit of an outside option to grab an anytime effort after scoring twice at Como on Thursday.

Raphinha should come back into the Barcelona starting side after coming off the bench at Racing, where he weighed in with an assist during his late cameo. The Brazilian has seven goals in total across his last three starts so he looks a strong contender for an anytime goal.

Pavel Sulc is Lyon’s leading scorer with eight goals in 16 Ligue 1 games. Sulc has six goals across his last five appearances in all competitions and he looks a strong contender for an anytime effort against Brest.

Matias Soule has six goals in Serie A for Roma this season, while he scored and provided an assist in the win over Sassuolo in the last round of league games. The visitors will be seeking a bit of revenge after defeat o Torino in the cup earlier this week and Soule can get on the scoresheet in Turin.

Wolves’ win over Shrewsbury last weekend made it four games without defeat and they have only lost one of their last seven meetings with Newcastle at Molineux. The Magpies lost the first leg of their League Cup semi-final in midweek and have just two wins in their last nine away assignments.

Aston Villa drew 0-0 at injury-hit Crystal Palace in their last Premier League fixture but they are immensely strong at Villa Park and should defeat Everton, who have won just once in their last seven games.

Milan are looking to keep up the pursuit of city rivals Inter at the top of the table and they have not lost since a surprise home reverse against Cremonese on the opening weekend. No team in Serie A scored fewer goals in their opening 20 matches than Lecce this season and the strugglers look primed to draw another blank in this daunting trip.

Vallecano are seven points worse off than their hosts and only basement boys Real Oviedo (nine) have scored fewer goals than their 15, with that lack of firepower likely to cost them in Vigo.

Porto have averaged 2.22 goals per game on their travels, and they should add to that in Sunday night’s visit to Guimaraes. While Porto could cover this line on their own, Guimaraes have scored in seven of their nine home matches, netting 14 times.

Malaga are unbeaten in seven in this competition and have won back-to-back road games. The in-form visitors are seeking a fifth successive victory and look backable as big price underdogs against a Cordoba side who have been inconsistent at home.

We saw 266 points scored between the two teams just 2 days ago in the same building they play each other on Saturday. Not much has changed in the 2 days since that game, expect another high scoring output here. Utah is the worst defense in the NBA arguably, but they have enough offense to counter the Mavs here.

Charlotte is 7-1 ATS in 8 outings on the road, they are a lot younger than the Warriors are which should give them the edge in the athleticism department. The first meeting was decided by just 7 points in the Warriors favor, if the Hornets three-ball continues falling at a high rate they will keep this one close late.

We saw 266 points scored between the two teams just 2 days ago in the same building they play each other on Saturday. Not much has changed in the 2 days since that game, expect another high scoring output here. Utah is the worst defense in the NBA arguably, but they have enough offense to counter the Mavs here.

Houston heads northeast again after a dominant 30-6 Wild Card win over Pittsburgh, cashing as favorites and now shifting to a short underdog against AFC East champs New England, which beat the Chargers 16-3. The matchup pits an elite Texans defense (NFL-best 277.2 yards allowed per game) against a Patriots team that’s been reliable at the window, winning 11 straight as a favorite and going 12-5 ATS in the regular season. Houston has thrived in the underdog role, winning and covering 4 straight, including last year’s 41-21 rout of New England. If CJ Stroud cleans up the turnovers, the Texans profile as a live underdog once again.

4 of 6 road teams won on Wild Card weekend, one of which being this Rams team that edged Carolina 34-31 in a matchup that was a heck of a lot closer than many expected. Matthew Stafford delivered a late TD pass tp secure the win in a wild fourth quarter. Chicago delivered the biggest shock, rallying from a 21-3 halftime deficit to beat Green Bay 31-27 behind a huge playoff debut from Caleb Williams, who threw for 361 yards and 2 scores as the Bears won their first postseason game since 2010. With the Rams laying points again and the Bears thriving as underdogs, LA’s strong ATS history as a road favorite makes them the pick to survive the cold at Soldier Field and move on.

Houston heads northeast again after a dominant 30-6 Wild Card win over Pittsburgh, cashing as favorites and now shifting to a short underdog against AFC East champs New England, which beat the Chargers 16-3. The matchup pits an elite Texans defense (NFL-best 277.2 yards allowed per game) against a Patriots team that’s been reliable at the window, winning 11 straight as a favorite and going 12-5 ATS in the regular season. Houston has thrived in the underdog role, winning and covering 4 straight, including last year’s 41-21 rout of New England. If CJ Stroud cleans up the turnovers, the Texans profile as a live underdog once again.

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.

The Jags got a lot of betting support against the Bills last week but ultimately fell to Josh Allen and company, as Buffalo grabbed its first road playoff win since 1992. Allen powered through injuries to post 306 total yards and 3 touchdowns as the Bills’ offense once again carried the load, but a middling defensive showing suggests Buffalo will keep leaning on Allen as they head into a much tougher spot at altitude in Denver. The Broncos bring a top-five defense, a conservative but timely offense, and home-field rest, setting up a likely one-possession game where the intangibles tilt slightly toward Denver, despite Buffalo’s star power.

San Francisco’s win over Philadelphia wasn’t shocking, as Brock Purdy has the 49ers’ offense humming and delivered in key moments despite 2 interceptions, though the Eagles’ stagnant offense also played a role in the result. The Niners’ momentum faces a serious test against a Seahawks team coming off extended rest, fresh from a Week 18 domination of this same 49ers team in which Seattle controlled the trenches, ran for 180 yards, and never let the game get competitive. With San Fran’s star tight end George Kittle lost for the season and the 49ers on a short week after a bruising playoff game, this rematch sets up as a tough spot for the road team and a potential Seattle blowout.

Houston heads northeast again after a dominant 30-6 Wild Card win over Pittsburgh, cashing as favorites and now shifting to a short underdog against AFC East champs New England, which beat the Chargers 16-3. The matchup pits an elite Texans defense (NFL-best 277.2 yards allowed per game) against a Patriots team that’s been reliable at the window, winning 11 straight as a favorite and going 12-5 ATS in the regular season. Houston has thrived in the underdog role, winning and covering 4 straight, including last year’s 41-21 rout of New England. If CJ Stroud cleans up the turnovers, the Texans profile as a live underdog once again.

4 of 6 road teams won on Wild Card weekend, one of which being this Rams team that edged Carolina 34-31 in a matchup that was a heck of a lot closer than many expected. Matthew Stafford delivered a late TD pass tp secure the win in a wild fourth quarter. Chicago delivered the biggest shock, rallying from a 21-3 halftime deficit to beat Green Bay 31-27 behind a huge playoff debut from Caleb Williams, who threw for 361 yards and 2 scores as the Bears won their first postseason game since 2010. With the Rams laying points again and the Bears thriving as underdogs, LA’s strong ATS history as a road favorite makes them the pick to survive the cold at Soldier Field and move on.

The Jags got a lot of betting support against the Bills last week but ultimately fell to Josh Allen and company, as Buffalo grabbed its first road playoff win since 1992. Allen powered through injuries to post 306 total yards and 3 touchdowns as the Bills’ offense once again carried the load, but a middling defensive showing suggests Buffalo will keep leaning on Allen as they head into a much tougher spot at altitude in Denver. The Broncos bring a top-five defense, a conservative but timely offense, and home-field rest, setting up a likely one-possession game where the intangibles tilt slightly toward Denver, despite Buffalo’s star power.

San Francisco’s win over Philadelphia wasn’t shocking, as Brock Purdy has the 49ers’ offense humming and delivered in key moments despite 2 interceptions, though the Eagles’ stagnant offense also played a role in the result. The Niners’ momentum faces a serious test against a Seahawks team coming off extended rest, fresh from a Week 18 domination of this same 49ers team in which Seattle controlled the trenches, ran for 180 yards, and never let the game get competitive. With San Fran’s star tight end George Kittle lost for the season and the 49ers on a short week after a bruising playoff game, this rematch sets up as a tough spot for the road team and a potential Seattle blowout.

Felix Auger-Aliassime has been placed in a competitive quarter that looks a four-way fight between himself Alexander Zverev, Daniil Medvedez and Andrey Rublev – and the Canadian looks capable of coming through. Auger-Aliassime beat both Zverev and Rublev on his march through to the last four of the US Open, before beating the former again in the ATP Finals. Auger-Aliassime is the form player of this quartet and he looks capable of making a deep run in Melbourne.

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.

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.

Felix Auger-Aliassime has been placed in a competitive quarter that looks a four-way fight between himself Alexander Zverev, Daniil Medvedez and Andrey Rublev – and the Canadian looks capable of coming through. Auger-Aliassime beat both Zverev and Rublev on his march through to the last four of the US Open, before beating the former again in the ATP Finals. Auger-Aliassime is the form player of this quartet and he looks capable of making a deep run in Melbourne.

Bucaramanga finished 11 points ahead of Millionarios last season and they should be able to make the most of their home advantage here. Bucaramanga won seven of their 10 Clausura home games, while the visitors lost six of their 10 trips.

Sydney FC have a perfect record at home with three wins in as many games, and they are yet to concede in front of their own fans. The Sky Blues should be able to maintain their winning record against struggling Wellington, but the Phoenix can at least grab a consolation effort. The visitors have scored eight goals across five A-League trips and have scored in  of their  league assignments, hitting  19 goals in total.

Aston Villa are on an 11-game winning run across all comps at Villa Park and they should be able to claim a fairly comfortable win over Everton. The Villans have scored multiple goals in six of their last seven at home, while Everton arrive in mixed form with just one win and three defeats in their last seven games. Chelsea and Brentford have beaten Everton by more than one goal recently, and this in-form Villa side should be able to cover a -1 handicap.

Wolves endured a torrid first half of the season, but they head into this tie unbeaten in four games and have only lost one of their last seven home meetings with Newcastle, while the Magpies have only won two of their last nine away fixtures.

Aston Villa are on an 11-game winning run across all comps at Villa Park and they should be able to claim a fairly comfortable win over Everton. The Villans have scored multiple goals in six of their last seven at home, while Everton arrive in mixed form with just one win and three defeats in their last seven games. Chelsea and Brentford have beaten Everton by more than one goal recently, and this in-form Villa side should be able to cover a -1 handicap. Villa have conceded in each of their last three home games but no visiting team has managed to score more than once at Villa Park this season in any competition. Each of Everton’s last three away losses have come via two-goal margins so a 3-1 home win has a chance.

Wolves endured a torrid first half of the season, but they head into this tie unbeaten in four games and have only lost one of their last seven home meetings with Newcastle, while the Magpies have only won two of their last nine away fixtures. Four of the last seven meetings between these sides at Molineux have ended 1-1 and Wolves, unbeaten in four, have drawn two of their last four by a 1-1 scoreline.

Mateus Mane has been one catalyst in Wolves’ recent revival and looks good value for a goal on Sunday. He has scored in his last two starts for the club and has three goal contributions this season.

Ollie Watkins looks to be back in form with four goals in his last four Premier League games. The England international was used sparingly in the FA Cup last time out and should come back in the starting side here, and he looks a strong contender for an anytime effort for Villa.

Bologna should be backed to beat Fiorentina at home in Serie A on Sunday. The visitors are yet to win away this season – they have drawn five and lost five on the road – and Bologna can take advantage.

Strasbourg should be backed to beat Metz at home in Ligue 1 on Sunday. The visitors have lost eight of their last ten away games and Gary O’Neil’s side can take advantage.

Stuttgart have been ruthless at home this season and look well placed to claim another three points against Union Berlin in the Bundesliga. Stuttgart have won six of their eight home league games and arrive with momentum after a 3-2 win over Eintracht Frankfurt. They are perfect when priced as odds-on this season and have shown they can hurt strong opposition, averaging over 1.6 goals per game against top-half sides. Union Berlin’s away record is mixed and they face a step up in class here.

This is a meeting between the top two in La Liga 2 and Las Palmas arrive in the better form. Racing are on a four-game winless run and have lost their last two, going down 3-2 to Zaragoza in their last league game. Las Palmas won the reverse fixture 3-1 and are on a five-game unbeaten run, they can take the points here.

Atletico Madrid should be in control against Alaves in this La Liga clash, and that dominance could translate into goals. Diego Simeone’s side sit comfortably in the top four and have the firepower to punish an Alaves team that is badly out of form on the road. The visitors are winless in seven away league games and continue to concede regularly, while Atletico have already been involved in several high scoring home matches this season.

Eight of the last ten Africa Cup of Nations finals have gone under 1.5 goals and this latest one should follow suit. These two teams have only conceded three goals between them in 12 games at this tournament and another low-scoring affair looks likely.

Porto have scored in 19 of their last 20 league games and rarely shut matches down, even when in control. They arrive as runaway leaders of the Primeira Liga and have won 19 of their last 20 league matches overall. Guimarães are usually competitive at home but struggle defensively in this fixture, failing to keep a clean sheet in eight of their last ten home league games and in 18 of their last 19 meetings with Porto. With recent head to heads regularly producing goals, over 2.5 looks the sensible angle.

Goals could be at a premium when Nantes host Paris in Ligue 1 on Sunday, and under 2.5 goals looks the best bet. Nantes have scored an average of just 0.75 goals a game in their four Ligue 1 games against other teams in the bottom five this season, failing to score in two of those games. Paris, meanwhile, have failed to win three of their four away games against other bottom-half teams.

While both teams are rock-solid defensively, there is a possibility that Morocco have slightly more quality across the board and they could grind this result out. The Atlas Lions have won five of the last seven head-to-heads and have home advantage as the host nation.

Aston Villa are on an 11-game winning run across all comps at Villa Park and they should be able to claim a fairly comfortable win over Everton. The Villans have scored multiple goals in six of their last seven at home, while Everton arrive in mixed form with just one win and three defeats in their last seven games. Chelsea and Brentford have beaten Everton by more than one goal recently, and this in-form Villa side should be able to cover a -1 handicap.

Lyon have won their last five games across all competitions and have won six of their eight home Ligue 1 games. They should be able to see off poor travellers Brest, who have five defeats in eight league trips, but the visitors have gone six games without drawing a blank and can register a consolation effort.

Albacete pulled off a stunning giant killing last time out as they dumped Real Madrid out of the Copa del Rey but they could be brought back down to earth by Cadiz. Albacete have lost six of their  home games, while Cadiz sit 10 points above their hosts and come into this game in fine form with three wins in their last four game, drawing the other.

Aston Villa are on an 11-game winning run across all comps at Villa Park and they should be able to claim a fairly comfortable win over Everton. The Villans have scored multiple goals in six of their last seven at home, while Everton arrive in mixed form with just one win and three defeats in their last seven games. Chelsea and Brentford have beaten Everton by more than one goal recently, and this in-form Villa side should be able to cover a -1 handicap.

Albacete should be in confident mood after an incredible Copa del Rey win over Real Madrid in their last game but they may struggle to keep a clean sheet against Cadiz. Both teams have scored in five of Albacete’s last six games, while Cadiz have seen goals at both ends in seven of their last eight matches.

Both teams have scored in nine of Villa’s last 10 games and in each of Everton’s last three.

Both teams have scored in four consecutive Huesca games and that pattern could continue at Burgos, who have just one clean sheet in their last seven overall and score on average 1.2 goals per-game in the league.

Lyon have won their last five games across all competitions and have won six of their eight home Ligue 1 games. They should be able to see off poor travellers Brest, who have five defeats in eight league trips, but the visitors have gone six games without drawing a blank and can register a consolation effort.

Barcelona are on an 11-game winning run across all competitions and should be able to make it 12 in a row at the Anoeta, where Real Sociedad have been uncharacteristically inconsistent this season. Goals haven’t been the problem for La Real, however, as they have scored in eight of their nine home league games and overall have scored in six successive games. Sociedad have also scored in games against Villarreal (L), Real Madrid (L) and Atletico Madrid (L) this season – and all three of those sides have conceded fewer league goals than Barcelona. So back the visitors to win and concede.

Lyon have won their last five games across all competitions and have won six of their eight home Ligue 1 games. They should be able to see off poor travellers Brest, who have five defeats in eight league trips.

Barcelona are on an 11-game winning run across all competitions and should be able to make it 12 in a row at the Anoeta, where Real Sociedad have been uncharacteristically inconsistent this season. Goals haven’t been the problem for La Real, however, as they have scored in eight of their nine home league games and overall have scored in six successive games. Sociedad have also scored in games against Villarreal (L), Real Madrid (L) and Atletico Madrid (L) this season – and all three of those sides have conceded fewer league goals than Barcelona. So back the visitors to win and concede.

Milan are on a 19-game unbeaten run in Serie A and should have far too much for struggling Lecce, who have lost four of their last five games. The hosts have three clean sheets in their last five home games and have shipped just 16 goals in 20 league games. Lecce have failed to score in four of their last six games so a home win to nil stands out.

Malaga are unbeaten in seven in this competition and have won back-to-back road games, including an eye-catching 3-1 win at a decent Gijon outfit in their last trip. Cordoba sit ninth overall but they only have the 14th best home record in the division with just four wins in 10 games, and they look vulnerable against an in-form Los Albicelestes outfit.

Adrien Rabiot has been putting in consistently solid displays lately with assists against both Verona and Cagliari. He also scored against Torino in December and he appeals as a bit of an outside option to grab an anytime effort after scoring twice at Como on Thursday.

Raphinha should come back into the Barcelona starting side after coming off the bench at Racing, where he weighed in with an assist during his late cameo. The Brazilian has seven goals in total across his last three starts so he looks a strong contender for an anytime goal.

Pavel Sulc is Lyon’s leading scorer with eight goals in 16 Ligue 1 games. Sulc has six goals across his last five appearances in all competitions and he looks a strong contender for an anytime effort against Brest.

Atletico Nacional are unbeaten in their last 10 competitive home games and should be able to kick off the new season with a victory over Chico, who finished the previous campaign with three losses. Both teams scored in four of Nacional’s last six games, however, and Chico have scored in each of the last six head-to-head meetings so the visitors can at least strike in defeat.

Bucaramanga finished 11 points ahead of Millionarios last season and they should be able to make the most of their home advantage here. Bucaramanga won seven of their 10 Clausura home games, while the visitors lost six of their 10 trips.