Football Betting Tips

Atletico Madrid were handily beaten by Arsenal and Liverpool in the League Phase, while they were a mess defensively against Club Brugge in the last round. Spurs won all four home games on their way to finishing fourth in the first round, and they can match an Atletico side who have been far from dominant in Europe in recent seasons.

Sporting are arguably the weakest of the top-eight sides, while Bodo have won four straight European games including home and away victories over Inter Milan. The Norwegian side went to the semis in the Europa League last year, and they can see off a Sporting side who overperformed their xG numbers at a huge rate in the League Phase.

While Chelsea beat PSG 3-0 in the summer’s Club World Cup, Enzo Maresca’s tactical tweaks were key in that victory. Months on, and the Blues look to have gone backwards. PSG clearly took issue with the Blues, and they can claim some revenge after eliminating three Premier League sides on their way to last season’s final.

These two sides are meeting in the knockouts for the fifth straight year, and Real Madrid have won three of the previous four meetings, including the last two. The Spanish giants have won eight of their last 10 under new boss Arbeloa at the time of the draw, and they are one of the few sides in Europe with the individual talent to match City.

Laval sit in the bottom two and incredibly they are still waiting for their first home league win. A limp attack has been the hosts’ major problem with just 19 goals scored in 25 games, and Guingamp can keep their faint play-off hopes alive with a win on the road on Friday.

Nancy have four points from their last two home games, including a 2-1 win over leaders Troyes, and they can boost their survival hopes by beating poor travellers Montpellier. MHSC have lost half of their away games in the league and have four defeats in their last five trips across all comps.

Bastia are propping up the table but they’ve only lost one of their last five and are unbeaten in six on their travels. The struggling visitors can at least claim a point at Pau, who are on a three-game losing streak.

Rodez are on an 11-game unbeaten run and have won three of their last four. The hosts should be able to grind out a win over Grenoble, who have six defeats in 12 trips in Ligue 2 and have gone three games without scoring.

Bayern have won all of their last five, scoring at least three in four of them, they face a struggling Borussia Monchengladbach side and they look capable of scoring more than twice.

Over 2.5 goals has landed in four of PSG’s last six games and in four of Monaco’s last five, including both legs of the Champions League play-off between these two sides last month.

Preston have scored just once across their last three games and under 2.5 goals has landed in five of their last six, while Oxford United are the second-lowest scorers in the Championship and have scored just once in their last three on the road.

Rasmus Hojlund hit Napoli’s opener at Verona last time out and he can add to his haul against Torino on Friday. The Danish striker has nine goals in 23 Serie A games this season and has four goals in his last seven games across all competitions.

Both teams have scored in seven consecutive Napoli games and they have gone nine without a clean sheet. Torino may end up leaving empty handed but they should be able to get on the scoresheet. Il Toro, who won the reverse fixture 1-0, made a winning start under new boss Roberto D’Aversa last time out and have scored in five of their last six games.

Celta Vigo have scored in each of their last eight home games while Madrid are statistically the best team away. This should be an exciting clash with both teams finding the net

Barrow are in the midst of a disastrous run of form that has seen them fall into the drop zone. The Cumbrians have 20 defeats in 33 League Two games this season and nine of those have come in their last 10 games. Barrow have lost their last five on the road and could fall short again at Cheltenham, who are on a four-game unbeaten run and overcame promotion hopefuls Salford in their last home assignment. Barrow have scored in 13 successive away games and the Robins have just one clean sheet in their last nine so the visitors can strike in defeat.

Both teams have scored in seven consecutive Napoli games and they have gone nine without a clean sheet. Torino may end up leaving empty handed but they should be able to get on the scoresheet. Il Toro, who won the reverse fixture 1-0, made a winning start under new boss Roberto D’Aversa last time out and have scored in five of their last six games. Napoli are the only side with an unbeaten home record still intact in Serie A this season and Il Toro haven’t won at this venue since 2009, so Napoli can claim the points even if they do concede.

PSG have a strong record against Monaco with four wins in the last six meetings, but they’ve also conceded in each of the last four clashes. PSG have won their last seven home league games and should take the points, but Monaco have hit 12 goals across their last five games and can at least register a consolation effort. 

Madrid are statistically the best team away in La Liga. Celta are in good form and this should be competitive but Los Blancos are four points behind Barcelona in the title race and cannot afford many more slip-ups. The visitors quality should see them claim three points but they may concede as Celta have scored in each of their last eight home games.

Barrow are in the midst of a disastrous run of form that has seen them fall into the drop zone. The Cumbrians have 20 defeats in 33 League Two games this season and nine of those have come in their last 10 games. Barrow have lost their last five on the road and could fall short again at Cheltenham, who are on a four-game unbeaten run and overcame promotion hopefuls Salford in their last home assignment.

Both teams have scored in seven consecutive Napoli games and they have gone nine without a clean sheet. Torino may end up leaving empty handed but they should be able to get on the scoresheet. Il Toro, who won the reverse fixture 1-0, made a winning start under new boss Roberto D’Aversa last time out and have scored in five of their last six games.

Madrid are statistically the best team away in La Liga. Celta are in good form and this should be competitive but Los Blancos are four points behind Barcelona in the title race and cannot afford many more slip-ups. The visitors quality should see them claim three points.

Preston are favourites to get the win over the relegation-threatened Oxford United on Friday, but a share of the spoils may be the best they can hope for. North End are meandering towards a mid-table finish and have just one win in their last 10 across all competitions. Oxford are scrapping for survival and have avoided defeat in three of their last five road games, they can at least take a point at Deepdale. 

Barrow are in the midst of a disastrous run of form that has seen them fall into the drop zone. The Cumbrians have 20 defeats in 33 League Two games this season and nine of those have come in their last 10 games. Barrow have lost their last five on the road and could fall short again at Cheltenham, who are on a four-game unbeaten run and overcame promotion hopefuls Salford in their last home assignment.

Torino should score but the host can claim maximum points. Napoli are the only side with an unbeaten home record still intact in Serie A this season and Il Toro haven’t won at this venue since 2009. Napoli have scored exactly twice in eight of their last 12 home games and no more than twice in any of them, so a 2-1 home victory has a chance.

Two of Oxford United’s last three away games have ended all square and Preston, who are winless in four, have drawn two of these, including a 1-1 stalemate with Swansea.

Preston are favourites to get the win over the relegation-threatened Oxford United on Friday, but a share of the spoils may be the best they can hope for. North End are meandering towards a mid-table finish and have just one win in their last 10 across all competitions. Oxford are scrapping for survival and have avoided defeat in three of their last five road games, they can at least take a point at Deepdale.

Wolves secured a stunning comeback win over Liverpool in midweek and may defy the odds again after losing just one of their six games. They have drawn with Arsenal in this period, and Liverpool have failed to win four of their last seven away games.

Cambridge have won by two clear goals in three of their last four away trips, and their stellar defensive record should see them beat an Accrington side who have lost their previous two home games to nil.

Blackpool are in the thick of the relegation battle but they can boost their survival hopes by defeating fellow strugglers Wigan at Bloomfield Road. The Tangerines have been getting key players back from injury and they look equipped to inflict Wigan’s 15th loss of the league campaign.

Coventry look the bet at Ashton Gate. They are top, chasing a fifth straight win and have won their last two away games. They also carry the league’s best attack, scoring in 14 of their last 16. Bristol City are leaking goals, conceding in six straight, and remain winless in three at home.

Swindon are the best bet to win at Crawley on Saturday. The hosts have failed to win eight of their last nine League Two home games and are currently on a run of three without a win at Broadfield Stadium.

East Kilbride have won six straight league games as they chase promotion, but they’ve kept only one clean sheet in that run. Elgin are in fine form, and the visitors have seen BTTS in their last four away trips, but they’ve lost their first three meetings with East Kilbride this term.

Rochdale have scored three goals in consecutive home wins, and they’ve netted at least twice in four straight National League games. Boston United are in stellar form, and they’ve won three straight away games, with 17 goals scored across those matches.

Swansea look the best bet at home to Stoke. They have been strong at the Liberty, winning seven of their last nine home league games, and they tend to score well against bottom-half sides. Stoke are out of form, with one win in nine, and they are sliding on the road. Defensive issues are piling up too.

Notts County are the best bet to win at Walsall on Saturday. The hosts have not won at home in League Two for six games and have lost their last three on home soil.

It’s only one win in six matches for Ajax, who carried little attacking threat when having only two shots on target in a 0-0 draw at Zwolle last time out. Groningen have lost six games in a row, but they can’t be dismissed.

Moreirense have won all of their six home meetings with sides below them, and they host a Nacional outfit who have lost three on the spin. The visitors have suffered four consecutive away defeats.

Casa Pia have suffered seven away defeats this term, including five losses in six trips to top-half teams. Estoril have conceded in five of their six home wins, while BTTS has landed in their last four at home. The hosts are without a clean sheet in six league games, so back them to concede in another victory.

Mazatlan have lost six of their first nine games in this Liga MX campaign, and the struggling hosts have the league’s worst xG record so far. Visitors Club Leon have built up some confidence with back-to-back wins, while Mazatlan have lost three of their first four home games.

Necaxa have faced the second-highest Expected Goals tally this term, and they’ve lost all five clashes with the top nine, scoring just once across those defeats. Fifth-placed Pumas are unbeaten on the road, while Necaxa have lost their last three games.

Mazatlan have lost six of their first nine games in this Liga MX campaign, and the struggling hosts have the league’s worst xG record so far. Visitors Club Leon have built up some confidence with back-to-back wins, while Mazatlan have lost three of their first four home games.

Western Sydney Wanderers are bottom of the A-League, and they’ve lost all four visits to the top four. Newcastle Jets are the league’s form side, and the leaders already claimed a 2-1 win the reverse fixture.

Sydney FC have held their own at the back of late, with consecutive wins to nil. They’ve posted good underlying numbers at the back in those games too, while the visitors have already failed to score on four occasions away from home this term.

Western Sydney Wanderers are bottom of the A-League, and they’ve lost all four visits to the top four. Newcastle Jets are the league’s form side, and the leaders already claimed a 2-1 win the reverse fixture.

Noni Madueke has started both of Arsenal’s FA Cup ties so far, assisting twice against Portsmouth and scoring against Wigan. He has three goals in his last six starts and will be out to impress manager Mikel Arteta.

Pedro Neto was suspended in midweek and should return to the starting lineup here. He scored a hat-trick in the last round and found the net off the bench in Chelsea’s third-round tie.

Youngster Marc Bernal has hit some form for the visitors as he scored twice in the win over Atletico Madrid to take his tally to four goals in his last five games. He stands out as an outside contender for an anytime effort.

Antoine Semenyo has been superb since joining City from Bournemouth and he can find the net again having scored in his last two matches against Leeds and Nottingham Forest.

Blackburn have lost six of their last ten games and look set for more misery when they host Portsmouth, who have recorded some impressive expected goals figures as of late and could come out on top in this one.

Leaders Cardiff have struggled to shake off second-placed Lincoln in the League One title race, but they can increase the gap from one point to four with a victory in the Welsh capital. Lincoln’s first loss of 2026 looks likely against the Bluebirds, who are chasing a fourth successive home win.

Grimsby have moved to within one point of the top seven and they can maintain their promotion push by defeating leaders Bromley at Blundell Park. The Mariners are on a high after Tuesday’s 3-1 success at home to Salford and they appear ready to snap Bromley’s 17-game unbeaten sequence.

Huddersfield have been struggling for consistency but they can boost their playoff chances by defeating Yorkshire rivals Rotherham at Accu Stadium. The Terriers have posted 10 of their 15 league wins on home soil and should be successful against the third-bottom Millers.

The visitors have lost all of their visits to top half teams this season and they’ve lost 10 of their 13 away trips overall. Osasuna beat Real Madrid in their last home game, and they’ve won six of seven at home to sides below them.

Heidenheim have lost five of their last six Bundesliga games, while Hoffenheim can continue their Champions League push by picking up their fourth win away to the bottom four this season.

Bolton have enjoyed success in three of their last four home games in League One and they should be backed to put an end to Wycombe’s winning streak.

Coventry look the bet at Ashton Gate. They are top, chasing a fifth straight win and have won their last two away games. They also carry the league’s best attack, scoring in 14 of their last 16. Bristol City are leaking goals, conceding in six straight, and remain winless in three at home.

Swindon are the best bet to win at Crawley on Saturday. The hosts have failed to win eight of their last nine League Two home games and are currently on a run of three without a win at Broadfield Stadium.

Hearts’ title challenge has dominated headlines in Scotland, but Motherwell can put themselves just seven points behind the Jambos with a win in this game in hand. Dundee are capable, especially at home, but have tended to come up short against the Premiership’s stronger outfits lately.

Back Atalanta to win at home to Udinese. They are flying on their own patch, winning their last five home games and seven of the last eight, and they have a strong recent record in this fixture. Udinese are out of form and have lost three of their last four, including their last two away. Atalanta also look sharper at both ends.

Strasbourg are the best bet away at Auxerre on Saturday. The hosts have gone four Ligue 1 home games without a win and have lost three of their last four matches at Stade de l’Abbe-Deschamps.

Genk have lost all three of their clashes with the top two, while leaders USG have won 12 of their 13 home matches in the league this term.

Estoril are unbeaten in eight home games, and they meet a Casa Pia side who have lost five of their six visits to top-half teams. The hosts have put a fine run together at home, and they can continue that against a side who have lost three of their last four on the road by two goals or more.

Aidan: Wigan’s recent away form in the third tier is awful – they have lost to Stockport 4-2, Peterborough 6-1 and Wycombe 2-0 in their last three on the road. Blackpool were 2-0 victors at Wigan in December and can secure another vital win over their relegation rivals.

Henry: Bolton are unbeaten in their last ten third-tier matches and confidence is surging through the Whites following their 5-1 hammering of Exeter last weekend. The Chairboys have won only two of their last 12 away matches and failed to score in six of those games.

Tom: Championship leaders Coventry have rediscovered their groove following four wins on the bounce, scoring at least twice in each of those victories. The Sky Blues have netted 12 more goals than any other team in the division, while their opponents have only one fit, senior central defender available for selection.

Warren: Gary Bowyer has done an impressive job at Burton, who have managed to lift themselves four places above the League One relegation zone. Stevenage have lost six away games on the bounce and now face a Burton team who have taken nine points from their last five league games.

Gareth: Marseille edged out Toulouse on penalties after a 2-2 draw in a Coupe de France tie at the Velodrome earlier this week. Both defences look vulnerable as Toulouse have gone five games without a clean sheet and L’OM have conceded at least twice in five successive games.

Mansfield Town have failed to score in three of their last four games and are huge underdogs against Arsenal, who have the best defensive record in the Premier League. The Gunners have conceded just five goals in their last eight games, including a 4-0 thrashing of Wigan in the last round of the FA Cup.

Chelsea put in an eye-catching display against Aston Villa in midweek and have scored three or more goals in six of their last eight away games. They have notched nine in two FA Cup ties, while Wrexham have conceded four goals across their last two home fixtures.

Manchester City may have lost ground in the title race in midweek, but they have won six of their last seven games and have reached the FA Cup final in each of the last three seasons. Newcastle won in midweek, but they have lost five of their last nine domestic games and each of their last three meetings with the Citizens.

Fulham have already seen off Championship sides Middlesbrough and Stoke in the FA Cup this season and they face their third second-tier side in the competition when hosting Southampton on Sunday. Both teams have scored on each occasion while the Saints are in good nick having scored 15 goals in their last five matches.

Port Vale are rock-bottom of League One but their FA Cup performances have been in huge contrast to their woeful league efforts and they have been rewarded with a glamour home tie against Premier League outfit Sunderland on Sunday. However, this could be the end of the road for the Valiants who may have one eye on Wednesday’s league fixture with Bradford as they cling on to their chances of survival.

This FA Cup clash against Norwich could be a tricky encounter, but the Canaries’ recent run of good form has come against the Championship’s struggling sides and they may find this step up in class a bit too much.

Both teams to score looks the best bet. Sheffield United are scoring consistently, netting in eight straight league games and often scoring twice. They are not solid at the back though, with clean sheets rare. West Brom are struggling badly for results but their defence is worse, so chances should come at both ends.

Levante remain in serious relegation trouble in La Liga despite last weekend’s 2-0 home win over their survival rivals Alaves. Girona are uncomfortably close to the drop-zone so both teams must be positive and there should be goals at both ends for the sixth time in the visitors’ last seven games.

Heerenveen have scored three or more goals in eight of their 25 Eredivisie games this season and both teams have found the net in 18 of their matches. That points to goals for both sides when they visit Excelsior at Stadion Woudestein.

These sides played out a 2-2 Coupe de France thriller on Wednesday, with Toulouse eventually prevailing on penalties in that quarter-final, and another spectacle is on the cards. Both teams to score has landed in three of OM’s last four games, as well as three of their hosts’ last four, and looks a solid selection.

Cambridge United are in form on the road and can extend their current two-game winning streak away at Accrington on Saturday. Neil Harris’ side have been winners on five of their last six League Two away days and they can beat an out-of-form John Doolan side at the Wham Stadium.

Bolton have enjoyed success in three of their last four home games in League One and they should be backed to put an end to Wycombe’s winning streak.

Ipswich look the bet at home to Leicester. They are third, strong at Portman Road and come in winning eight of their last nine league games. Leicester are in a slump away, winless in eight road trips and leaking goals almost every week. Ipswich have been scoring freely and should have too much.

Notts County are the best bet to win at Walsall on Saturday. The hosts have not won at home in League Two for six games and have lost their last three on home soil.

BvB have scored at least twice in eight of their last 11 outings and with Cologne having kept one clean sheet in their last 18 league games, the visitors could head back east with a 3-1 success.

Chelsea have scored exactly three goals in three of their last seven away games and have won 3-1 twice in this period. They have only kept one clean sheet in these away fixtures.

Real Sociedad have scored in 11 games in a row, and Saturday’s clash with Atletico Madrid at the Metropolitano is unlikely to be any different. Back over 2.5 goals in this one.

Dortmund need to bounce back from defeats to Atalanta and Bayern Munich but they should come out on top of an entertaining game against Cologne, who have won just twice since the beginning of November.

Chelsea put in an eye-catching display against Aston Villa in midweek and have scored three or more goals in six of their last eight away games. They have notched nine in two FA Cup ties, while Wrexham have conceded four goals across their last two home fixtures.

There looks a strong chance there will be a few goals in this one. All of Estoril’s last nine games have featured at least three goals and Casa Pia have kept just one clean sheet in their last eight outings.

PSV lost 3-2 in the cup in midweek, but they’ve won four of their last five league games and 21 of 25 overall. AZ have suffered four defeats in six visits to top-half teams, while PSV won the reverse fixture 5-1. Defensive issues are a concern for the champions, who have kept two home clean sheets this term.

Leaders USG have won 12 of their 13 home league games this season, and they’re backed for another win over Genk. The visitors have lost all three meetings with the top two, scoring in each defeat. They’ve found the net in all but one of their 13 away trips, so back a high-scoring home win.

Casa Pia have suffered seven away defeats this term, including five losses in six trips to top-half teams. Estoril have conceded in five of their six home wins, while BTTS has landed in their last four at home. The hosts are without a clean sheet in six league games, so back them to concede in another victory.

Barcelona have beaten Bilbao 4-0 and 5-0 this season and they look capable of covering a -1 handicap at the San Mames. The hosts are in mixed form with three defeats in their last six at home, while Barcelona are flying again and they head to Bilbao seeking to extend their winning streak to four games.

Manchester City may have lost ground in the title race in midweek, but they have won six of their last seven games and have reached the FA Cup final in each of the last three seasons. Newcastle won in midweek, but they have lost five of their last nine domestic games and each of their last three meetings with the Citizens.

These sides played out a 2-2 Coupe de France thriller on Wednesday, with Toulouse eventually prevailing on penalties in that quarter-final, and another spectacle is on the cards. Both teams to score has landed in three of OM’s last four games, as well as three of their hosts’ last four, and looks a solid selection.

Estoril are unbeaten in eight home games, and they meet a Casa Pia side who have lost five of their six visits to top-half teams. The hosts have put a fine run together at home, and they can continue that against a side who have lost three of their last four on the road by two goals or more.

Antoine Semenyo has been superb since joining City from Bournemouth and he can find the net again having scored in his last two matches against Leeds and Nottingham Forest.

These sides played out a 2-2 Coupe de France thriller on Wednesday, with Toulouse eventually prevailing on penalties in that quarter-final, and another spectacle is on the cards. Both teams to score has landed in three of OM’s last four games, as well as three of their hosts’ last four, and looks a solid selection.