Football Outright Tips

Luton had the second-best record in the Championship in 2023 when the regular season finished and they meet a Coventry side who did struggle in big away clashes with the top teams this term. Rob Edwards has taken his team to a new level since arriving in November and he can take them up a division too.

Sevilla will be fancied in this one for name alone, but their great record in Europe’s second-tier tournament comes up against a man who has routinely conquered the continent. Jose Mourinho has won nine of 12 major finals he has taken charge of, while he’s five for five in European finals. His well-drilled Roma side can best a Sevilla side who don’t score enough.

Frankfurt are outsiders but they showed the kind of spirit necessary in their Europa League triumph last year. They’ve taken huge steps as a cup team in recent years and they’ve lost only once across their last eight meetings with Leipzig, including a 3-1 win the last time they met in this competition. Leipzig have been to three Pokal finals in their short history, losing two and winning another on penalties. Underdogs Frankfurt look capable of adding to the Red Bulls’ shaky record in big knockout games.

West Ham have been great in Europe this term, but they’ve yet to meet a side from the top five leagues, with their toughest assignments coming from the Netherlands and Belgium. Fiorentina are a solid Serie A side and they’ve been an excellent cup team this term. David Moyes is yet to win a trophy as a manager and his side’s European run has papered over clear cracks this season.

Manchester City are sweeping all before them, having taken out Bayern Munich and Real Madrid in the last two rounds. They landed on the hard side of the draw and progressed, while Inter Milan benefitted from a clearer path. The Italian side have been arguably underestimated coming into this one, but it’s hard to see any side in Europe getting in City’s way at the moment.