Champions League: Red Bull Need A Result Against The Might Of Madrid

Borussia Dortmund vs Manchester City

There has been many a night of Champions League highlights in the Westfalenstadion – known to others as Signal Iduna Park – and it is where the hosts, usually cheered on by almost 80,000 ardent followers, love seeing their boys give the opposition a bloodied nose.

For a club which has spent much of its modern life selling its top players, such scalps are now greeted even more sweetly.

So, it could be quite a welcome which awaits Manchester City as they travel to Germany to face Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday night.

It may also be an opportune time to play the side considered by many as favourites to win this season’s tournament.

Talking Points

Both sides warmed up in their domestic leagues in fine fashion on Saturday afternoon.

Talented England youngster Jude Bellingham scored twice as Borussia Dortmund thrashed Stuttgart to move into the Bundesliga top four.

The midfielder, who has been linked with a move to the English champions, started and finished a slick move as Dortmund made a fast start, then curled in a sumptuous fourth soon after the break.

Dortmund led 3-0 at half-time after further strikes from Niklas Sule and Giovanni Reyna, with Youssoufa Moukoko adding a fifth.

There was also a home win for City in the Premier League, although Brighton put up a bit more resistance before eventually going down 3-1.

That was a match which saw the return to the starting XI of Aymeric Laporte, while fellow centre back John Stones was fit enough to be named on the bench and young midfield gem Phil Foden was also among the substitutes.

That really highlighted the strength at the disposition of manager Pep Guardiola who returns to Germany where he had three years managing Dortmund’s rivals Bayern Munich.

Of course, Dortmund have spent more than a decade selling their best players, mainly to Bayern – who they drew with recently – but potentially the player who will turn out to be the biggest name of all was captured by City in the summer.

There was a certain inevitability when Erling Braut Haaland scored a late winner against his former employers in their Champions League meeting in Manchester last month.

Haaland also netted a brace in the weekend victory over Brighton to take his tally to 17 in 11 league games.

While many eyes will again be on the Norwegian, the development of Bellingham, who scored against City in that Etihad Stadium encounter, is being closely tracked by other leading clubs and media alike – and not just because the World Cup is less than a month away.

With City’s place in the last 16 already secured and Dortmund probably requiring only a point to seal their route to the knockout stages, this may not have quite the intensity of the first meeting.

Nevertheless, it should be as entertaining – the sides’ respective styles of play will dictate that.

History

Before last month’s meeting, which City edged 2-1 thanks to goals from Stones and Haaland, the two sides had met on four the other occasions – all in this tournament and all in the past decade.

The first meeting in October 2012 saw the sides play out a 1-1 draw in Manchester with City needing a last-minute penalty from Mario Balotelli to cancel out a Marco Reus opener.

The return a few months later saw Julian Scheiber score the only goal as City were eliminated at the group stages. Dortmund went onto reach the final.

By the time they next met, the emerging force of City was a full force and they won both legs of the 2021 quarter-final tie.

A 2-1 home success, sealed by Kevin de Bruyne and a last gasp Foden goal, was repeated in Germany with Foden on target again, along with a Riyad Mahrez penalty.

Betting Tip

Borussia Dortmund VS Manchester City

October 26, 03:00 (GMT+8)

1X2 Draw

@4.00

City are clear favourites with the SBOTOP Champions League betting odds and can be backed 1X2 @ 1.61 and Asian Handicap -1.00 @ 2.07.

Dortmund, meanwhile, are well adrift of that with 1X2 @ 5.00 and Asian Handicap +0.75 @ 2.17 among the options.

A fourth successive 2-1 City victory will pay out @ 6.80 with Correct Score, while the unlikely outcome of a goalless draw is on offer @ 18.00.

I do not think it will be goalless but I do think it will be tight.

City do not need to win, but will not want to lose. Likewise, Dortmund would love the scalp of the club which snared their prized asset this summer.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 02-Nov-2022 at 7:52 PM

Champions League: Point of No Return for Barcelona

Barcelona vs Bayern Munich

You could be excused for thinking Champions League: Barcelona vs FC Bayern sounds like a fixture from the later stages of Europe’s premier competition but it could be the Blaugrana’s swansong if they fail to beat the German champions at the Camp Nou on Wednesday night.

Xavi’s team may be out of the competition and into the Europa League by Thursday morning, and possibly even earlier. With four wins from four Julian Nagelsmann’s Bayern have been relentless in Group C and they sit five points clear of Inter Milan. Meanwhile one win in four has left the Blaugrana in serious peril. I Nerazzurri need to beat Viktoria Plzen to guarantee their place in the knockout phase and as they kick off at the San Siro over two hours earlier than Barca, it could be curtains for the Catalans before they step on the pitch.

If that’s the case the Barcelona vs FC Bayern updates won’t really worry the Italians, but it will be a matter of huge pride for the Blaugrana, and particularly their star striker Robert Lewandowski, who left Bayern for the Camp Nou in summer.

Barca come into the game on the back of a thumping 4-0 win over Athletic Bilbao, while Bayern won 2-0 away to TSG Hoffenheim.

Talking Points

Will Xavi continue with a four man midfield?

Following a damaging El Clasico loss just over a week ago Barca have responded by slapping Villarreal 3-0 and then Athletic Bilbao 4-0, but they are still playing catch-up as Real Madrid show little sign of any weakness. The Barca boss started the game against Athletic with four midfielders, Sergio Busquets, Gavi, Pedri and Frenkie de Jong, with Lewandowski alongside Ousmane Dembele in attack. Barca’s midfield dominance eventually paid dividends and Barca romped home with four different goal scorers, Lewandowski, Dembele, Sergi Roberto and Ferran Torres.

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Xavi was delighted, saying: “We thought it was a game of intensity and rhythm. We understood that they were going to pressure us high. We added one more midfielder and today we attacked inside. Ousmane was especially good and the team understood that.”

Lewandowski is the main man though, in addition to scoring 12 league goals, five more than anyone else, the Polish striker has hit five Champions League goals and he would dearly love to add to that tally against his old employers.

FC Bayern have a point to make

Ultimately this game may be just about pride for the Catalans, but that is already the case for Bayern who are safely through. And Nagelsmann’s team is particularly keen to ram home to Lewi that he made a wrong decision in leaving Bavaria.

Following the departure of their star striker Bayern recruited Sadio Mane from Liverpool and he has settled well, scoring two goals in the Champions League, but it is another former Premier League star, Leroy Sane, who is top scoring with four. Attacking midfielder Leon Goretzka is as influential as ever and he has contributed two goals and three assists to Bayern’s near perfect campaign.

The German champions are currently trailing Union Berlin in the Bundesliga and a trip to Hoffenheim was a good test of Bayern’s current form, which they passed with flying colours. Goretzka set up Jamal Musiala’s opener, and his ability to pick out passes has been a key feature to Bayern’ success in recent years. Playing in the centre or out wide he is always one of the first names on the team sheet and Goretzka is well up for this game: “When we play against FC Barcelona at the Camp Nou, be it a friendly game or a Champions League final, it doesn’t matter, “ he says. “It’s going to be a great game that we’re looking forward to and we will also do everything we can to win it.” 

History

In terms of head to head records the Bundesliga champions have won eight of these encounters to Barca’s five and there has been one draw; but the last five games have all gone the way of Die Bayern, the last being a 2-0 win in Munich just six weeks ago as Sane and Musiala struck early in the second half.

Bayern’s recent form is better too, with five wins and a draw from the last six games, and they have won their last three away matches, scoring 11 goals and conceding four. Meanwhile Barca have won three, drawn one and lost two, including a damaging 1-0 defeat to Inter Milan.

Betting Tip

Barcelona VS Bayern Munich

October 27, 03:00 (GMT+8)

Barcelona Asian Handicap 0.00

@ 1.77

The Barcelona vs FC Bayern betting oddsare backing a home win, for all the good it may do the Catalans, with Barca at SBOTOP odds of 2.32, the draw at 3.30 with Bayern at 2.73. Whatever is at stake both teams have a point to prove, for differing reasons, and I expect a full on attacking game. For an alternative bet Over 3.25 goals is available at 1.96 and a correct score line of 2-2 is at 9.40. If there is a positive result then I think Barca, and Lewi, might just edge it.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 02-Nov-2022 at 7:54 PM

Champions League: Just One More Step For Club

Club Brugge vs Porto

Champions League: Brugge vs Porto may not sound like the biggest or most glamorous of European ties, but in Belgium and Portugal it’s a huge clash.

And let’s not forget, in Madrid there will be plenty of nervous watchers too, as Diego Simeone’s Atletico are in serious danger of going out at the group stage, particularly if Porto can get a result on Wednesday. Club Brugges lead Group B on ten points, four ahead of FC Porto and six ahead of Atletico Madrid. The Belgian side has been the surprise package across the competition, dominating a group with heavyweights such as Atleti and Bayer Leverkusen, not to mention a strong Porto side.

Brugges have beaten all three and are the strong favourites to win the group at SBOTOP odds of 1.13, while Porto are second favourites at 6.00; and both teams are in good form as they prepare to meet in the penultimate round. But the hosts come into the game on the back of a 2-2 draw away to Union Gilloise while Porto lost a five match winning run with a 1-0 home defeat to Benfica.

Talking Points

Brugges have been clinical

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The Belgium champions have stormed Group B so far and they are the only side not to let in a single goal in the competition. They have won three matches and played out a goalless draw with Diego Simeone’s Atletico away from home. Head coach Carl Hoefkens has put together a strong and well organised unit with former Liverpool goalkeeper Keeper Simon Mignolet as the last line of defence and ex Fulham centre back Denis Odoi as a key figure in the back four. And this team has a serious attacking threat with former Barcelona striker Ferran Jutgla leading the line with six goals from 12 league games while Danish under 21 international Andreas Skov Olsen has also scored six goals in the league.

Jutgla may not be in the running for the Champions League Golden Boot but he has scored two goals and two assists in the four games so far and, at 23 years of age, he has plenty of time to improve. Jutgla left Barcelona to get game time and Brugges are benefiting.

And now Porto must be ruthless

Currently sitting third in the Portuguese Primera Division, FC Porto lost to Benfica at the weekend but they have been in superb form in recent weeks. They battered Anadia 6-0 in the Portugal Cup and beat Bayer Leverkusen 3-0 in their last Champions League outing. And Porto have a brilliant record in defence this season, conceding just seven goals in ten games. Following his transfer from Club Braga 6ft 5in David Carmo has stepped in alongside Fabio Cardoso with club captain Pepe another stalwart of the back line. Up front, Iranian striker Mehdi Taremi has two goals and two assists so far. He bagged his brace with two second half penalties in the 3-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen and he is Porto’s best chance of breaking down the hosts.

Head coach Sergio Conceicao has brought his side to the brink of success and Porto are now at odds of 1.50 to advance to the knockout phase, with Atletico Madrid at 2.80. But Los Rojiblancos are at home to bottom side Bayer Leverkusen on Wednesday and are odds on at a price of 1.80 to take all three points. The last meeting between Atleti and Bayer resulted in a 2-0 home win for the Germans, but Leverkusen are currently struggling in 15^th place in the Bundesliga and Atleti will smell blood.

Porto need a result.

History

Both teams have impressive records in their domestic leagues. Brugges are 18 times Belgian league winners and 11 times cup winners and were runners up in the 1978 European Cup, the forerunner of the Champions League; while FC Porto are 30 times Primera Liga winners and 18 times Portuguese Cup champions.

There is little to work on in terms of head to head Brugges vs Porto results as the two teams have met just three times, Porto winning two and Brugges winning the other, crucially a 4-0 victory in Portugal earlier in the competition.

In terms of recent form the Portuguese side has the edge, with five wins and one draw from the last six games, while Brugges have won three, drawn two and lost one; and Porto have a winning streak of three matches away from home, scoring 11 goals without reply.

Betting Tip

Club Brugge VS Porto

October 26, 23:45 (GMT+8)

1X2 Draw

@3.25

The Brugges vs Porto betting odds reckon the visitors could easily win this game. The hosts are at 3.30 while Porto are favourites at a price of 2.08. This is a finely balanced contest and as Brugges need just a point to progress, I think they will get over the line with a draw; and a 1-1 score line is the most likely outcome at 6.50.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 02-Nov-2022 at 7:56 PM

Champions League: Amsterdam Encounter Provides Reality Check

Ajax vs Liverpool

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp said Saturday’s Premier League reverse at newly-promoted Nottingham Forest had caused to him feel as ‘low as possible’.

The frustration was etched all over his face, just six days after his side had defeated the champions.

However, assessing the wider picture, how Ajax would love to be in the position Klopp finds himself in.

For this Wednesday’s Champions League meeting in the Johan Cruyff ArenA in Amsterdam sees them welcome a team which is in rude health compared to their own.

Talking Points

Indeed, for the proud Ajax of Amsterdam, this has been a summer just like so many others in recent memory; a club again forced to sell many of its star players.

This year was a case in point as Holland’s finest parted company with, amongst others, Noussair Mazraui and Ryan Gravenberch for Bayern Munich, Sebastien Haller to Borussia Dortmund, Lisandro Martinez and Antony for Manchester United and even their manager.

So, forgive Ajax for having little sympathy with the issues of many of their opponents in the Champions League who are able to regularly cherry-pick their leading talents, often developed through the Dutch club’s fabled academy.

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Yet here we are and Ajax still have a chance, albeit slim, of qualifying for the knockout stages of the tournament with two games remaining.

They will need to beat Liverpool though to keep alive their hopes.

It would be fascinating to see how Ajax would fare if they had managed to keep hold of the likes of Frenkie de Jong, Matthijs de Ligt and Hakim Ziyech in recent years That is not the case, of course and so the class of 2022 take on last season’s defeated finalists very much as underdogs.

They did come within a few minutes of an impressive point at Anfield last month.

Since then, they have shipped 10 goals in two games to Serie A high-fliers Napoli so, first and foremost, will need to tighten up if they are to create Champions League highlights.

The reigning Dutch champions are at least back on track domestically after dropping five points in two matches either side of the international break, having smashed 15 goals past their opponents in their last three games to open up a four-point gap over PSV Eindhoven at the top of the Eredivisie table.

This will be a much bigger test though for new boss Alfred Schreuder who will be without youngsters Ahmetcan Kaplan, Devyne Rensch and Mohamed Ihattaren due to injuries, while midfielder Kenneth Taylor is a doubt with a muscle strain.

Despite bagging a brace in his side’s 4-1 victory away to RKC Waalwijk at the weekend, Brian Bobbey is likely to make way for Mohammed Kudus in attack.

Liverpool, meanwhile, will travel to Holland without Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota and Joel Matip due to injury, although could welcome back Darwin Nunez, Thiago Alcantara and Ibrahima Konate to their matchday squad.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita have both resumed training after long-term muscle injuries, but neither were included in their Champions League squad which just shows the depth they have.

Ajax have overcome the odds so often in the past but there comes a time when constant rebuilding takes its toll. This will be an acid test of how equipped they are following another summer exodus.

History

Liverpool defeated Ajax 1-0 home and away in the group stages of the competition two seasons ago.

There was the first meetings between the two clubs since the mid 1960s (1966/67) in the second round of the European Cup.

It was one-way traffic then, however, as Ajax, managed by the late great, Rinus Michels, thrashed Liverpool 5-1 in Amsterdam before drawing 2-2 in the second leg on Merseyside.

The scorer of the two Liverpool goals that night was Roger Hunt who had lifted the World Cup wit England just a few months earlier.

Betting Tip

Ajax VS Liverpool

October 27, 03:00 (GMT+8)

Over 3.25

@2.08

The SBOTOP Champions League betting odds clearly back Liverpool.

The visitors are priced 1X2 @ 1.88 and Asian Handicap -0.75 @ 2.11.

Ajax are available to tip 1X2 @ 3.65 and Asian Handicap +0.50 @ 2.05.

The Draw is on offer @ 3.80, whereas a repeat of Liverpool’s 2-1 victory from last month will pay out @ 7.20 with Correct Score.

One option which has caught my eye was Half Time Full Time Home Draw @ 17.50. I would imagine both teams will go on the attack in this one and should lead to a fair few goals.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 02-Nov-2022 at 8:01 PM

Champions League: Juve Embarrassment but No Surprises in Quest for Last 16

The Champions League group stages are drawing to a close and we are getting closer to knowing who will make the last 16, who will have the ‘consolation’ prize of the Europa League and who will miss out altogether.

Of course, holders Real Madrid and the favourites for this season’s tournament with the SBOTOP Champions League 2022 betting odds, Manchester City, had already qualified with two matches to spare and that would likely have played a part in their penultimate group games.

A Westfalenstadion welcome greeted City in Germany and the result went exactly the way this SBOTOP writer predicted.

Level-pegging suited both sides as it meant City topped Group G and Dortmund made it through as runners-up, consigning Sevilla to third place.

City had a golden chance to win the contest just before the hour mark but Riyad Mahrez’s penalty was saved by Gregor Kobel after the Algerian had been fouled by Emre Can.

In truth, it didn’t matter in a match in which both sides were risk averse knowing they didn’t have to win.

It was a similar story elsewhere in Germany where RB Leipzig put themselves in the box seat to get out of Group F along with Real.

Croatia defender Josko Gvardiol headed the hosts ahead before France forward Christopher Nkunku doubled the lead.

Vinicius Jr, the matchwinner in last season’s final, reduced the deficit but ex-Chelsea forward Timo Werner made sure of a memorable win for the hosts.

Again though, Real – who notched a late second with a penalty from Rodrygo – won’t be too disappointed at going down to a first defeat of the season and their destiny remains in their own hands.

Some of the Champions League 2022 highlights of the night came in Portugal where Benfica edged a seven-goal thriller with Juventus to send the 2017 finalists packing.

The Portuguese side were 4-1 ahead before two quick goals for the Italian visitors from Arkadiusz Milik and Weston McKennie reduced the deficit to 4-3.

The Bianconeri knew anything less than a victory would cast their die after managing just three points in four games.

At one point in the first half they equalised an early goal from Antonio Silva, albeit in chaotic fashion, not aided by the fact goal-line technology was not working due to a fault.

A corner was flicked on by Danilo for Dusan Vlahovic at the back post, his header was parried from point-blank range, but a combination of Vlahovic and Moise Kean managed to bundle the rebound over. It took a very long VAR check for both the goal line and a potential offside, until it was eventually given.

However, Joao Mario soon converted a penalty to put Benfica back in front and they then extended the advantage before the break when Rafa Silva completed a give-and-go with Joao Mario down the right and completed the move totally unmarked with a cheeky back-heel flick from six yards.

It was the first time in Champions League history that Juventus had conceded three goals in the first half of a game.

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ARSENAL

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1X2 Arsenal @ 1.20

Arsenal Asian Handicap -2.00 @ 2.05

Over 3.25 @ 2.03

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Silva completed his brace with a dinked finish to seal the victory and more misery for Juve, whose only bright spark saw teenage substitute Samuel Iling-Junior set up two goals in three minutes, the first volleyed in by Milik, the second fumbled by the goalkeeper until McKennie turned in the rebound.

The ‘Old Lady’ of Turin are out and one suspects the inquest is only beginning with very little sympathy for boss Max Allegri, even with a lengthy injury list.

There were no such issues for Paris St-Germain who have also qualified from Group H after a 7-2 rout of Israeli’s Maccabi Haifa.

The sight of Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar lining up must have added to the foreboding before a ball was kicked and, sure enough, the former netted two each with the Brazilian also on the scoresheet for a club which craves success in this competition.

All it means after tonight is that Juve could still face the ignominy of being knocked out of Europe altogether, that Chelsea, who only took one point from their opening two encounters, are home and hosed with Italian champions AC Milan likely to join them, and that Celtic have been dumped out.

A 1-1 home draw with w by Shakhtar Donetsk consigned them to a bottom-placed finish in Group F ahead of their final game against Real in Spain next week and blocked their escape route to the Europa League.

Hot on the heels of Rangers’ humbling in the same competition, this was yet another nail in the coffin for the standard of Scottish football.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 02-Nov-2022 at 8:04 PM

Champions League: Drama, Desire and Damn Disappointment

After another night of Champions League action, there was always going to be drama, uncertainty and, as predicted at the outset of a ‘group of death’, a big name casualty.

And so it all proved as, for the second season running, the mighty Barcelona failed to progress beyond the group stages of the tournament.

In truth, the point of no return had already been reached for Xavi’s Barca before they entertained Bayern Munich – my tip to win the tournament this season.

What followed though was an emphatic Bayern victory as they delivered another group-stage masterclass to make it five wins out of five and show a gulf in class.

Bayern didn’t have to give it their all as Simone Inzaghi’s Inter Milan had outplayed Viktoria Plzen earlier with a 4-0 home victory to send Barca out before a ball was kicked in the Nou Camp.

The Bavarians still turned on the style though and were ahead inside 10 minutes when Sadio Mane latched onto Serge Gnabry’s brilliant through-ball and chipping an exquisite finish over Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting doubled the advantage with a clinical strike through the legs of the goalkeeper.

It had long been over by the time Benjamin Pavard turned in a Joshua Kimmich corner in the closing moments.

The manner in which Barcelona have been despatched from the group raises many questions so soon after the club spent a small fortune to sign several top players, such as ex-Bayern man Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha, Jules Kounde and Marcos Alonso.

They spent more than 150 million euros and put together a competitive team ready to fight for all titles.

Tonight, they didn’t have a shot on target and haven’t scored in their last four Champions League games. They still have some way to go.

If Bayern (and Inter) – for whom Romelu Lukaku scored within four minutes of coming off the bench in his first appearance since August because of a hamstring injury – enjoyed a night of Champions League highlights, there was a certain predictability about some of the events elsewhere.

Ajax’s home encounter with last season’s beaten finalists Liverpool provided a reality check as the gap between England’s leading sides (which strengthen) and Holland’s leading teams (which regularly sells its prized assets) was clear.

The SBOTOP Champions League betting odds still tip Napoli to top Group A though after Giovanni Simeone’s brace in the opening 16 minutes saw off Rangers.

The son of Atletico Madrid boss Diego, his double portended a chastening contest for the Scottish Premiership side, and the Serie A leaders added a late third through Leo Ostigard.

This was all for a team which was without the likes of Pitor Zielinski, Hirving Lozano, Victor Osimhen and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, all rested, – presumably with tougher tests in mind.

It’s fair to say Giovanni had a better night than his dad who saw his Atletico team eliminated after they could only draw 2-2 at home with Bayer Leverkusen

Twice they fought back but Los Rojiblancos could not net a winner and the 2014 and 2016 finalists and bowed out of Group B following the most dramatic of endings.

It was Bayer who twice went into the lead, first through Moussa Diaby and then Callum Hudson-Odoi, but Atleti pegged them back through Yannick Carrasco and Rodrigo De Paul.

Premier League

LEICESTER CITY

MANCHESTER CITY

1X2 Draw @ 5.60

First Half Under 1.25 @ 2.05

Total Goals 2-3 @ 2.20

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Then, with the full-time whistle already sounded, match official Clement Turpin was told there was an incident he needed to review. He duly went to the screen and awarded the home side a penalty, only for Carrasco’s spot-kick to be saved by the excellent Lukas Hradecky before Saul crashed the rebound against the crossbar.

FC Porto go through with Club Bruges and that was something no-one predicted at the start of the group stages.

If one animated manager was frustrated in Spain, the scene in North London was of a another passionate boss briefly enjoying himself and then becoming angry.

The match between Spurs and spirited Sporting Lisbon was level at 1-1 deep into stoppage time when an Ivan Perisic cross was knocked back down by Emerson Royal for Harry Kane to fire in from close range.

Antonio Conte let out all his pent- up frustration, running and hugging everyone on the touchline. Yet it wasn’t over because, after a lengthy check, VAR ruled it was offside and Conte let rip at the officials, earning him a red card.

It means only two points separates the four sides in Group D with Spurs (eight points) followed by Sporting and Eintracht Frankfurt (seven points) who were 2-1 winners over Marseille (six points).

Next week’s final fixtures in that group should be the ones to watch.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 02-Nov-2022 at 8:06 PM

Champions League: Liverpool Need Recovery…and Revenge

Liverpool vs Napoli

Liverpool entertain Napoli in their last group stage match in the 2022/23 Champions League and, on paper, it is a meeting with little pressure on either side. 

Both teams have qualified from Group A; Napoli with five wins from five and Liverpool with four wins and one loss, and they leave Ajax and Rangers in the far distance. So what’s at stake when Liverpool vs Napoli plays out in front of a packed Anfield crowd on Tuesday? 

Well, Gli Azzurri humiliated Liverpool in the return match, the opening tie of the group stage, with a 4-1 hammering at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium. So revenge is a dish the Anfield faithful would like to taste. But a more serious matter for Jurgen Klopp is the worrying lack of momentum in his side’s Premier League challenge as their latest defeat, a 2-1 loss at home to Leeds, left Liverpool languishing in ninth place and a whopping 13 points behind leaders Manchester City.

The gap to the top may get even bigger if, as expected, Arsenal beat Nottingham Forest on Sunday. The fact that Liverpool’s loss to strugglers Leeds came on the back of a defeat to rock bottom Forest is a big worry on Merseyside and Klopp needs a quick recovery from his beleaguered stars.

Luciano Spalletti’s Napoli, in stark contrast, are flying high as Serie A league leaders and have a 100 per cent record in the Champions League; they are unbeaten in both competitions and will be very keen to maintain their own impressive momentum.

Talking Points

Liverpool need a reset, not a revolution 

The Reds lost 2-1 to Leeds at Anfield in 2001 but nobody outside Leeds expected them to lose to the Whites again. But, on Saturday lightning stuck twice as Crysencio Summerville scored an 89the minute winner after Mo Salah had cancelled out Rodrygo’s early opener. It was the Reds’ fourth league defeat of the campaign and another frustrating one, as Liverpool dominated possession and the shot count, with ten on target as Leeds keeper Illan Meslier put in a man-of-the-match performance.

A title-challenging team doesn’t suddenly become bang average overnight and, while the loss of Sadio Mane to FC Bayern has had an impact, with players such as Salah, Virgil Van Dijk and the fit-again Andrew Robertson in the side, Klopp has leaders on the pitch who can lead a recovery.

The Champions League 2022 odds reckon the hosts should beat the red-hot Italians and six-goal Salah  is a contender for the Golden Boot. It is surely a matter of time until the Reds start to click; and the fans on the Kop would dearly love their team to make a statement at Anfield on Tuesday.

Osimhen is back and firing for Napoli

Luciano Spalletti’s Napoli have been simply sensational this season, in Italy and in Europe, and a 4-0 win over Sassuolo cemented their place at the top of Serie A, with a six-point gap before the Sunday games. Ten wins and two draws is a fantastic return for a team which began the season wondering how they would cope without the departed talisman Lorenzo Insigne and with star striker Victor Osimhen trying to shake of an injury his year.

Spalletti has put together a confident, well organised and dangerous side in the post-Insigne era and they were at their brilliant best when they swept Sassuolo aside on Saturday, and it was Osimhen who wrote the headlines with a brilliantly taken hat-trick. But this is a team with multiple threats. Giacomo Raspadori and Giovanni Simeone have provided plenty of Champions League 2022 highlights with four goals each while midfield general Piotr Zielinski has three goals and Andre Frank Anguissa has weighed in with three assists.

But the clash to watch out for is Van Dijk vs Osimhen. 

History

The head-to-head Liverpool vs Napoli results see the Azzurri with their noses in front with four victories to Liverpool’s three, and there have been two draws between the two sides.

UEFA – Champions League

BAYERN MUNICH

INTER MILAN

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TO SEE UPDATED ODDS

Of course, the Azzurri whacked Liverpool 4-1 in September as Zielinski scored twice after Osimhen had hit the post, and Anguissa and Simeone both piled on the agony for the Reds while Luis Diaz scored a consolation. 

In terms of recent form; Napoli are unbeaten in 27 games and have won the last 13 but Liverpool’s eight-match unbeaten run at Anfield came crashing down against Leeds. 

Betting Tip

Liverpool VS Napoli

November 2, 04:00 (GMT+8)

Napoli or Draw

@2.01

Liverpool are the clear favourites to win this last game of the group at SBOTOP odds of 1.64 while Napoli are out at 4.55 and the draw is 3.88.

With a huge match away to Spurs next weekend Liverpool may have one eye on the future and Napoli too have a big game away to Atalanta. So, while the Liverpool fans will desperate for some revenge I suspect this game will go with form.

●●●

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Champions League: Can Inter Prevent Another Perfect Bayern Group Stage?

Bayern Munich vs Inter Milan

Bayern Munich are closing in more Champions League history. The German giants are one win away from becoming the first club to complete back-to-back perfect Champions League group-stage campaigns, which would be an incredible feat.

Standing in their way are Inter Milan, who are also in fantastic form at the moment. The Nerazzurri have already sealed a place in the last 16 along with Bayern, though, and may opt to rest their stars ahead of their big Derby d’Italia clash with Juventus on the weekend.

Talking Points

Bayern on the brink of history

Bayern Munich are looking unbeatable once again. After a bumpy start to the Bundesliga campaign, they have since reeled off eight wins in their last nine games in all competitions, three of which have come in the Champions League.

Bayern’s form in the Champions League has been simply outstanding, with five wins out of five, 16 goals scored, and a mere two goals conceded. They are now unbeaten in their last 12 Champions League group games and could very well become the first team to go perfect in the group stage in two successive seasons.

Europa League

ARSENAL

ZURICH

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TO SEE UPDATED ODDS

After their 3-0 beatdown of Barcelona in their last Champions League match, they then handed out a 6-2 mauling of Mainz in the Bundesliga on the weekend.

As expected, the in-form Eric Choupo-Moting once again got the start at centre-forward for Bayern, and he was excellent again. The Cameroonian has now collected six goals and two assists in his last five games.

Meanwhile, Sadio Mane had one of his best games for Bayern while playing on the left wing as he finished with a goal and two assists. Not to be outdone, teenage sensation Jamal Musiala scored yet another goal and is now up to seven Bundesliga goals and four assists on the season, both of which lead the team.

While Bayern are in flying form at the moment and are on the cusp of making history, there is a decent chance that coach Julian Nagelsmann will make wholesale changes to his side and rest star players with top spot in the group already secured.

But Leroy Sane and Lucas Hernandez, who have both been missing with their respective injuries, are returning to fitness and could get a run out against Inter.

Inter in irresistible form

Inter had an even worse start to their domestic campaign than Bayern, which put some pressure on coach Simone Inzaghi. But the Nerazzurri have successfully navigated through that rough patch and are back to their dominant ways.

Inter beat struggling Sampdoria 3-0 over the weekend to extend their unbeaten run to seven games in all competitions (six wins, one draw). During that stretch, Inter have scored three or more goals in four games.

And there’s even more good news for Inzaghi as Romelu Lukaku continues to get back into shape after missing several weeks with a hamstring injury. Lukaku has come on as a substitute in each of the last two games, but he could be in line to start at the Allianz and try to make some Champions League 2022 highlights.

Like Bayern, Inter have already secured their spot in the knockout round, so they may very well rest some of their key players. And that scenario is even more likely considering they have the Derby d’Italia against fierce rivals Juventus coming up on the weekend. The likes of Lautaro Martinez, Nicolo Barella, and Hakan Calhanoglu could be rested so they are fresh for that massive match.

History

This will be the ninth ever meeting between Bayern Munich and Inter. The two famously met in the 2010 Champions League final, with Jose Mourinho’s Inter winning 2-0.

But Bayern have now edged ahead with 4 wins to 3 after beating Inter 2-0 in their first meeting in Milan thanks to a Leroy Sane goal and a Danilo D’Ambrosio own goal.

However, Inter are unbeaten in three away games at Bayern Munich, with two wins and a draw, which makes them the team that has faced Bayern the most times away from home in European competition without suffering defeat.

Bayern are currently on a 33-game unbeaten run in the Champions League group stage and have won each of their last 12 group games – both tournament records.

Betting Tip

Bayern Munich VS Inter Milan

November 2, 04:00 (GMT+8)

1X2 Draw

@4.90

SBOTOP Champions League 2022 betting odds have Bayern installed as 1.42 favourites to win and clinch their second straight perfect group stage. Inter Milan are priced at 6.20, while a Draw is 4.80.

In all honesty, a draw would probably suit both teams, and I think that’s what the result will be. As impressive as finishing the Champions League group stage perfect for a second straight season would be, I doubt Bayern would be all that motivated to go all out for that record. Similarly, Inter will likely have their focus shifted toward Juventus and will be content to just go through the motions without much trouble in Munich.

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Champions League: Top 5 Performers of 2022-23 Group Stage

The 2022-23 Champions League group stage is coming to a close. The tournament has once again seen some terrific performances from established superstars such as Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland.

But this year has also seen some unexpectedly strong showings from surprising players, who have led their respective clubs to much success.

So without further ado, here are SBOTOP’s picks for the top five performers in the 2022-23 Champions League group stage.

Simon Mignolet, Club Brugge

Club Brugge were the biggest surprise of the group stage as they made their way to the knockout round for the first time in the club’s history. Touted as likely last-place finishers, they could potentially finish top of a group that includes Atletico Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen, and FC Porto.

Much of the Belgians’ success has been down to their fine defence – they had not conceded a single goal before getting smashed 4-0 by Porto – and the brilliant form of goalkeeper Simon Mignolet.

The 34-year-old former Liverpool shot-stopper has turned back the clock this season and put up some outstanding performances. His superhuman showing against Atletico Madrid stands out among the rest as he made nine saves to help Brugge claim the point they needed to qualify for the last 16.

Mignolet will now look to make more Champions League 2022 highlights with Club Brugge in the knockout rounds.

UEFA – Champions League

SHAKHTAR DONETSK

RB LEIPZIG

1X2 RB Leipzig @ 1.74

Over 2.50 @ 1.72

Total Goals 2-3 @ 1.95

Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.

CLICK HERE

Lionel Messi, Paris Saint-Germain

As great as Kylian Mbappe has been in these group stages – six goals (tied with Mohamed Salah for the tournament lead) and two assists – he still isn’t the best Champions League performer on his own team.

That honour goes to the GOAT Lionel Messi, who has turned in a vintage performance in the group stages. The Argentine has scored four goals and provided three assists while playing one game fewer than his PSG teammate.

Messi joined PSG with the main goal of becoming European champion one last time, and in the form he is in at the moment, PSG’s Champions League 2022 odds of winning the title are looking rather enticing.

Leroy Sane, Bayern Munich

Bayern Munich have basically mastered the Champions League group stage at this point. The German giants are unbeaten in group play for five years now and have a chance to seal back-to-back perfect group stages if they beat Inter Milan.

It’s hard to pick a standout performer from what has been a tremendous collective, but Leroy Sane has likely been the best of the bunch.

The German international has been in terrific form this season, and especially in the Champions League. He leads the team with four goals and scored against both Inter Milan and Barcelona.

If Jamal Musiala – arguably Bayern’s best player in the Bundesliga – can raise his mediocre play in Europe and match Sane’s, Bayern will definitely be a dangerous side to face in the knockout round.

Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa, Napoli

Napoli have been the most dominant side in the Champions League group stage this season, with five wins out of five, 20 goals scored and a +16 goal difference.

While the young strikers, Giacomo Raspadori and Victor Osimhen, and breakout star Kvicha Kvaratskhelia, have grabbed the headlines, it’s been Andre-Frank Zamba Anguissa who has been every bit as crucial to the team’s success.

The Cameroonian midfielder is known more for his defensive abilities, but he has been unleashed as a true box-to-box beast this season. He has already contributed a goal and three assists in the Champions League, and more could be coming in the knockout rounds if the Neapolitans are able to make a deep run.

Erling Haaland, Manchester City

Haaland has been an absolute goal machine throughout his career in the Champions League, and this season has been no different.

With five goals in just 248 minutes played for Manchester City – 45 of which he played with a fever and an injured foot against former club Borussia Dortmund – Haaland has now scored an incredible 28 goals in just 23 Champions League games, with a strike rate of a goal every hour.

With Haaland continuing to bang goals in for fun, Manchester City fans are hoping that he could be the missing piece they need to finally claim that elusive European crown.

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Europa League: Five Matches to Look Forward to in Penultimate Round

The Europa League group stage is slowly coming to an end, but there is still much to play for heading into the penultimate round of matches.

Although, tournament favourites Arsenal essentially have top spot in Group A all sewn up, but they can officially secure their place in the last 16 when they face PSV again.

Elsewhere, Real Betis are hoping to hold onto their Group C lead as they take on Ludogorets, while there is still everything to play for in the most competitive group of all – Group F – where all four teams are locked on five points.

Read on below as SBOTOP selects the five most intriguing matches in the second-to-last round of the Europa League group stage.

PSV Eindhoven vs Arsenal

Arsenal are in firm control of Group A. They have won all four games thus far and have a five-point lead over closest rivals PSV.

Arsenal utterly dominated PSV in their first meeting at the Emirates last week. The Gunners had an overwhelming 25-4 shot advantage, although they only got their lone goal through Granit Xhaka in the 70th minute.

PSV suffered a shock 4-2 defeat away to FC Groningen over the weekend, but they will be looking to bounce back at the Philips Arena to keep Bodo/Glimt at bay in the battle for second in Group A.

PSV have been incredibly prolific at home this season, with 15 goals scored in their last three games. They also smashed FC Zurich 5-0 in their last Europa League home game.

Lazio vs FC Midtjylland

Lazio may be flying high in Serie A – they have won five of their last six in the league and are up in third place – but they have a fight on their hands in the Europa League.

Lazio are locked in an extremely tight battle in Group F, which sees all five teams in the group tied at five points through four rounds.

The Europa League 2022 odds still have the Italian side as favourites to go through, and they could take a major step toward the last 16 if they can beat Midtjylland at the Stadio Olimpico.

The Danish club caused one of the biggest shocks in the Europa League to date as they thrashed Maurizio Sarri’s side 5-1 in the reverse fixture.

Lazio will still be without captain and star striker Ciro Immobile, but they are still more than capable of producing plenty of Europa League 2022 highlights.

Sturm Graz vs Feyenoord

Speaking of revenge, Sturm Graz will similarly be hoping to get some against Feyenoord in Group F’s other match.

Sturm Graz were smashed 6-0 by Feyenoord in their first meeting this season, although they recovered quite well to take two points in two games against group favourites Lazio.

Feyenoord have been the biggest entertainers of the Europa League thus far. All four of their group games have involved four or more goals, with two seeing six goals fly in.

And with both clubs still very much in contention to claim top spot in the group, they will be going all out for the win in what could be another high-scoring contest.

Ludogorets vs Real Betis

Few gave Ludogorets much hope of getting out of Group C, which included two leading Europa League contenders in Real Betis and Roma. But lo and behold, the Bulgarian champions are second in the group with just two games to go.

Although, Ludogorets face a tough assignment as they host group leaders Real Betis at the Huvepharma Arena this midweek.

Betis are navigating Group C quite well as they remain unbeaten with three wins and a draw and went unbeaten in two games against Roma. But the Spanish side’s overall form has dipped of late, with just one win in their last five games.

This recent Betis wobble could be the opening Ludogorets need to see them claim top spot in the group.

UEFA – Champions League

AJAX

LIVERPOOL

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TO SEE UPDATED ODDS

Union Berlin vs Braga

Is the comeback on for Union Berlin? It could be. After losing each of their first two games, the surprise Bundesliga leaders have reeled off back-to-back wins and are back in contention for knockout round qualification.

But Union’s hopes of making it through hinge on their match against Braga. The Portuguese club are heading in the opposite direction to Union as they’ve gone winless in their last two after winning their first two group games.

With just one point separating Braga and Union, the winner of this match would take one massive step toward making it out of Group D alongside Union St. Gilloise, who might seal top spot if they beat bottom-side Malmo.

●●●

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 02-Nov-2022 at 8:20 PM

Europa League: Ronaldo is a Stretford End Hero Once Again

Cristiano Ronaldo was back on the scoresheet after being handed a disciplinary cut against Chelsea last week, and it was the icing on the cake for Manchester United as they’re one step closer to fully confirm their place in the Europa League knockout stage.

Elsewhere, Arsenal missed their chance to seal the top spot in Group A following an upset loss to PSV, while several teams from the Champions League were relegated here in the second-tier, which should make the competition proceedings much more intriguing.

As the group stage is slowly coming to an end, continue to read on below as SBOTOP brings to you the latest Europa League 2022 updates in case you missed the entertainment from Thursday night football.

Premier League

LEICESTER CITY

MANCHESTER CITY

1X2 Manchester City @ 1.28

Over 3.25 @ 1.89

Total Goals 2-3 @ 2.28

Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.

CLICK HERE

Manchester United and Real Sociedad set for final showdown

Manchester United and Real Sociedad took care of business last night as they defeated Sheriff Tiraspol and Omonia via 3-0 and 2-0 scorelines.

Diogo Dalot opened the scoring for the Red Devils two minutes before the break, before half-time sub Marcus Rashford and Cristiano Ronaldo wrapped up the game with two more goals in the second half.

Ronaldo’s 701^st club goal was his first at Old Trafford this term, and after the game Erik ten Hag said that he expects more from the five-time Ballon d’Or awardee.

Over at Cyprus, Imanol Alguacil rotated his lineup and they didn’t skip a beat as Robert Navarro also scored before the break, while Brais Mendez added one for good measure.

With five group stage wins on the bounce, Real Sociedad lead Group E with 15 points, while Manchester United are right behind them with 12. Next Thursday will be the rematch between these two sides at the Estadio Anoeta in Spain.

The Red Devils have mathematically qualified for the knockout phase of this competition, but they’ll need to win against La Real by two goals to ensure they win the group and avoid a Round 32 clash.

Real Sociedad won the reverse fixture 1-0 courtesy of a phantom penalty decision, so you better believe that Manchester United have next week’s match circled on their calendars.

PSV deliver shock upset to Arsenal

Another (former) Manchester United man has won against Arsenal this season as Ruud van Nistelrooy’s PSV secured a 2-0 home win in order to boost their Europa League 2022 odds of qualifying to the knockout stage.

After a scoreless first half, Joey Veerman and substitute Luuk de Jong netted in just a span of nine minutes, which was enough to subdue the Gunners and leave Mikel Arteta disappointed.

Arteta was frustrated because his team didn’t bring it on the defencive end. Other than the two goals scored by Veerman and de Jong, there were three goals that were ruled out for offside which would’ve made it worse for the Premier League side.

A point from this match would’ve secured the Group A top spot for the Gunners, but now they need to beat Zurich – who they defeated 2-1 last September – in their final group stage match next at the Emirates to guarantee their Round 16 berth. 

If they fail to win and PSV beat Bodo/Glimt next week in Norway, Arsenal are going to be in a precarious position since they’ll have to face two more games in the knockout round playoffs, which also includes teams who were demoted from the Champions League.

Arsenal are still the favourites to come out of Group A, but Arteta no longer has the luxury to rest key players before their upcoming London derby versus Chelsea next Sunday at Stamford Bridge.

Several UCL teams join the UEL fray

Ajax, Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, and Juventus are going to make the Europa League more interesting following their unceremonious exits from the Champions League. The funny thing about these four clubs, though, is that they’ve slighted Manchester United in one way or another this year.

Atletico Madrid were the ones who eliminated Manchester United in the Champions League last season. Ajax manager Alfred Schreuder ridiculed Antony for moving to Old Trafford during the summer. Frenkie de Jong and Paul Pogba both spurned United for Champions League football with Barca and Juve, and look where they are now.

Because of this, Xavi and Max Allegri’s coaching seats are getting warmer in particular, although they have the capability to make some noise here in the second-tier like Ajax and Atletico Madrid.

Four more teams are going to join them soon, but first we’ll have to wait and see the results in the final matchday.

●●●

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 02-Nov-2022 at 8:22 PM

Europa League: Sociedad and Manchester Clash for Group E Supremacy

Real Sociedad vs Manchester United

Two of Europe’s biggest clubs are in the Europa League spotlight on Thursday as Manchester United head to the beautiful city of San Sebastian in Northern Spain to take on Real Sociedad.

Both clubs are safely through to the knockout phase, sitting first and second in Group E with 15 points and 12 respectively. Sociedad have the 100 per cent record and the Red Devils are looking for revenge after losing the return fixture at Old Trafford. La Real come into the game on the back of a 2-0 home defeat to Real Betis while Manchester United fought hard for a 1-0 victory over West Ham United. And last time out in the Europa League Sociedad beat Omonia Nicosia 2-0 while the Red Devils saw off Sheriff Tiraspol 3-0.

This is a clash between two teams with genuine aspirations of winning the trophy, and it’s a chance for either to set down a marker; but United must win by two clear goals to topple the Spaniards.

Talking Points

Sociedad keen to avoid a serious stumble

Back to back defeats in La Liga have seen Real Sociedad drift to fifth place in La Liga and ten points off the lead. A home match against Real Betis gave them a chance to cement their place in the top four, but they fluffed it and Betis took advantage. Having lost to Valladolid the previous week, you could class this as a stutter. But another defeat would make Real’s predicament start to look like a full on stumble in the run up to the World Cup break.

Head coach Imanol Iguacil has led his team to a perfect set of Europa League 2022 results, so clearly La Real are doing plenty right, but he is using his full squad with a seemingly never ending injury list to manage. Mikel Oyarzabal, Umar Sadiq and Aihen Munoz were are all sidelined against Betis but Brais Mendez and Martin Zubimendi returned after missing out in the win over Nicosia.

Manchester United fans know plenty about Sociedad’s number ten, David Silva, and the former Manchester City man will be a key player sitting in behind strikers Alexander Sorloth and Takefusa Kubo. And midfield man Robert Navarro is another man to watch; the 20 year old Spain U21 star has scored two goals and made two assists already in this competition.

Hope is returning to Manchester

Erik Ten Hag’s first three months in charge have given the Old Trafford faithful reasons to be cheerful, with a decent start in the Premier League, a return to form of Marcus Rashford and a sign that the boss is the first in a while to have full authority over his player, after slapping down Cristiano Ronaldo when CR7 refused to come on in a game against Spurs.

If I were to offer a United fan (maybe my SBOTOP writing colleague James) three things; a trophy in 2023, a top four place in the Premier League and finishing above Liverpool…I suspect he’d bite my hand off!

But Ten Hag’s men are pretty much on track for all three, thanks to the Merseysiders’ miserable start to the Premier League campaign.

Rashford’s bullet header from a Christian Eriksen cross gave the Red Devils their hard fought 1-0 win over West Ham United in Sunday; and there was credit too for David De Gea who made two brilliant late saves to keep the Hammers at bay and ensure Ten Hag’s team could hang on to all three points. Rashford is looking back to his confident best and is top scoring with three goals in the Europa League.

Eriksen has turned out to be a shrewd signing for United and with two assists in this competition and he is providing real creative quality in the final third. And, of course, Cristiano Ronaldo is back in the fold after he resolved his spat with the boss.

Manchester United fans need to manage their own expectations, but at least Ten Hag is giving them hope.

Serie A

UDINESE

US LECCE

CLICK HERE

TO SEE UPDATED ODDS

History

The Red Devils have an illustrious history in European football with three Champions League titles and a Europa League win in 2017. But they have the painful memory of the 2021 final which they lost to Villarreal on penalties. The shootout went all the way to the goalkeepers at 10-10, and when Gero Rulli saved David De Gea’s penalty the Spaniards celebrated.

While Real Sociedad are twice winners of the La Liga title, in 1981 and 1982, they are yet to taste European success, but the Europa League 2022 betting odds give Iguacil’s side a decent chance of at least making the last four of the 2022/23 competition.

These two teams have met five times so far and Manchester United have the edge, with two wins to one and there have been two draws. Real Sociedad claimed their victory in the return match in this competition with an impressive 1-0 win at Old Trafford, as Mendez slotted home the winning penalty.

In terms of recent form, both teams have won four of the last six, but while the Spaniards lost the other two, United drew theirs and are unbeaten in eight matches in all competitions.

Betting Tip

Real Sociedad VS Manchester United

November 04, 01:45 (GMT+8)

Under 2.75

@1.85

The Red Devils are favourites to win this tie at odds of 2.14, while La Real are priced at 2.72 and the Draw is at 3.16. Both teams have been in good form though Real’s recent blip might spark them to make a strong response. Neither side will hand this tie over and I can see a tight match, maybe ending in a low scoring draw.

●●●

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 02-Nov-2022 at 8:32 PM

Champions League: An Ace Coach for Champions and Last-Gasp Benfica Bamboozle Parisians

And so, in double quick time, the Champions League group stages are over.

The World Cup in Qatar has seen to that but there has been no less excitement these past two months and, now we know the final 16, many fans and players will be eagerly anticipating next Monday’s draw.

What we witnessed on the final night of group games were few surprises as the big hitters flexed their muscles – whether they needed to or not – yet there was still late drama as the tournament often provides.

None more flexed their muscles than holders Real Madrid.

Memorably crowned champions of Europe for a record 14^th time last May, they despatched Scottish champions Celtic with almost arrogant ease.

To show you how impressive the triumph was, the victory means boss Carlo Ancelotti now has 102 Champions League wins to his name, moving level with the great Sir Alex Ferguson for most wins in the history of the competition by a manager.

Real were 2-0 up after 21 minutes as Luka Modric and Rodrygo converted penalties awarded for handball.

Celtic then missed a penalty of their own before Marco Asensio, Vinicius Junior and Federico Valverde made it a rout for the defending champions, the visitors managing a late consolation.

It means that Real have won all three home group stage matches in a Champions League season for the first time since 2015-16, a campaign in which they went on to win the competition.

Victory meant they secured top spot in Group F with RB Leipzig netting four without reply against Shakhtar Donetsk to end the Ukrainians’ hope of pipping them to second spot.

It was a similar story in Group E where the two clubs expected to progress created more Champions League 2022 highlights to do exactly that.

Chelsea were in trouble when they took just one point from their opening two group matches but four successive victories – culminating in a 2-1 success against Dinamo Zagreb, courtesy of Raheem Sterling and Denis Zakaria – secured top spot from Italian champions AC Milan, themselves 4-0 winners over Red Bull Salzburg.

The only downside for Chelsea was the sight of Ben Chilwell hobbling off at full-time with a suspected hamstring injury and the World Cup not far away.

Manchester City, favourites to win the tournament with the SBOTOP Champions League 2022 betting odds, showed why as they rested a number of key players and still saw off Sevilla 3-1 at home.

They had already won their group with Borussia Dortmund guaranteed second spot.

That left Group H where Juventus were already embarrassed and eliminated.

La Liga

GETAFE

CADIZ

1X2 Getafe @ 2.00

Over 2.00 @ 2.00

Total Goals 2-3 @ 1.96

Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.

CLICK HERE

There was one more twist though as Benfica pipped big-spending Paris St Germain to top spot in Group H in the most dramatic of fashions.

Benfica thrashed Maccabi Haifa 6-1 and PSG won in Turin 2-1.

Yet the order at the top was not as predicted.

Amazingly, two late goals – in the 88^th and 92^nd minutes – meant Benfica topped the group on… away goals after finishing level with the Parisians on points, goal difference, goals scored and wins.

That won’t happen again for a long time, if ever.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 03-Nov-2022 at 1:06 PM

Europa League: Arsenal Finish on Top While United Missed the Mark

The excitement of Thursday night football was in full display once more and the playing field in the knockout phase of the Europa League is almost all set.

The top teams from Group A to H have moved on to the Round of 16, but the second-seeded sides behind them will have to wait on Monday’s draw since they’ll be joined by the relegated sides from the Champions League.

Arsenal and Real Sociedad are some of the clubs who would no longer have to wait until Monday since they’re already through. Meanwhile, Manchester United are among those whose fate is going to be determined next week.

In case you missed the final matchday, don’t fret as SBOTOP is here to bring to you the latest Europa League 2022 updates.

Arsenal secure Round of 16 berth in narrow win

The Gunners needed to win against Zurich to guarantee their top spot in Group A, and they did earn it the way.

With PSV – a team who beat them last time – winning over Bodo/Glimt, Arsenal were under pressure to deliver at the Emirates Stadium, although their confidence never wavered as they’re fresh from a 5-0 rout against Nottingham Forest on Friday to remain on top of the Premier League.

It took Arsenal 17 minutes to get in front, courtesy of Kieran Tierney’s thumping strike from 20 yards. However, tensions grew as the game went on since the visitors were aggressive in searching for the equaliser.

After a dominant first half display from the Gunners where they outshot their visitors 12-4 and spending most of the time on the offencive, Zurich frustrated them throughout the second half to set up a nervy finale.

Adrian Guerrero’s left-foot effort almost pegged the game back to even terms, but was flagged for offside. And if it weren’t for a couple of inches too wide, Zurich would have snatched a point thanks to Bohdan Viunnyk’s rocket attempt at the 80^th minute.

Arsenal are winners of 10 in their last 12 matches across all competitions and they’ve now won all eight of their meetings against Swiss clubs in European competition.

Mikel Arteta’s side remains one of the favourites in the Europa League 2022 odds and they’ll learn their Round of 16 opponent in the draw on February 2023 when the knockout playoffs are done and dusted.

Almost but not quite for Manchester United

Alejandro Garnacho was living the dream in Spain last night as he tallied his first-ever senior goal for Manchester United to give them the 1-0 victory over Real Sociedad.

The strike was made even more memorable for him since it was his idol and Streford End hero Cristiano Ronaldo who put him in the ideal position to score through a sumptuous through ball.

Despite with the win, however, Manchester United fell short of achieving their main objective of topping Group E and progress directly to the Round of 16 since they needed to win by a two-goal margin.

But while they didn’t get the desired result, there was plenty to cheer about for the Red Devils as other than Garnacho’s maiden goal, David de Gea remained solid at the back since he prevented certain chances from Real Sociedad that would’ve turned the match into a draw.

Manchester United’s path to winning the Europa League just got even harder as they’ll have to go through the knockout playoffs first before the Round of 16. But with the way that they’re playing right now, they’re certainly ready for the challenge.

Premier League

LEEDS UNITED

AFC BOURNEMOUTH

1X2 Draw @ 3.85

Over 2.75 @ 2.02

Total Goals 0-1 @ 3.80

Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.

CLICK HERE

Feyenoord and Midtjylland make it out of crazy Group F

Group E saw all four teams finish level with eight points apiece, but it was Feyenoord and Midtjylland who are in the top two after last night.

Feyenoord defeated Lazio 1-0 in Rotterdam as Santiago Gimenez came off the bench and delivered the marginal goal at the 64^th minute and forward Luka Romero was dismissed late to cap off the frustrating defeat for Lazio.

Midtjylland also beat Sturm Graz at home despite having fewer shots. Top scorer Anders Dreyer was the difference maker for the Danish side as his brace was pivotal to secure the 2-0 victory.

Feyenoord and Midtjylland both have a healthy goal difference of four, but the Eredivisie side is the one who was given the top spot since they netted one more than the Danish side. Furthermore, rounding out the top finishers from the other groups are PSV, Fenerbahce, Rennes, Real Betis, AS Roma, Union Saint-Gilloise, Union Berlin, SC Freiburg, Nantes, Ferencvaros, and AS Monaco.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 04-Nov-2022 at 3:57 PM

Champions League: Real Madrid and Liverpool Meet Again in Round of 16

For the third season in a row, Real Madrid and Liverpool will meet in the Champions League knockout rounds.

Real have had gotten the better of the Reds in their recent meetings, including in last year’s final. And with Liverpool lacking in form this season, Los Blancos may just break Liverpudlian hearts once again.

Meanwhile, there’s another Champions League final rematch in the round of 16 as Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich – who contested the 2020 final, which Bayern won – meet once again.

Read on below as SBOTOP breaks down the Champions League round of 16 draw, complete with key matchups, top storylines, and other interesting tidbits.

AC Milan vs Tottenham Hotspur

Antonio Conte will lead his Tottenham side against Italian champions AC Milan.

Conte will be well familiar with Milan from his days coaching Juventus and Milan’s main city rivals, Inter. Recent Serie A imports Dejan Kulusevski, Rodrigo Bentancur, and Ivan Perisic will also know what to expect.

On the other side, Olivier Giroud has much experience taking on Tottenham. He has faced Spurs 18 times during his career and will be keen to outshine Spurs talisman Harry Kane.

Paris Saint-Germain vs Bayern Munich

The Champions League 2022 odds have both PSG and Bayern Munich among the favourites to win the title, but one top contender is sure to crash out early.

This will be the third time in four years that Bayern and PSG will meet in the knockout rounds. Bayern famously beat PSG in the 2020 final thanks to a goal from former PSG youngster Kingsley Coman, although the Parisians got their revenge the following season by beating Bayern in the quarter-finals.

PSG’s much-improved defence has been among the best in Europe this season, but it will be put to the ultimate test against Bayern, who have scored 41 goals in just 13 Bundesliga games and 18 goals in six Champions League group games.

Club Brugge vs Benfica

Benfica’s big 6-1 win over Maccabi Haifa – which saw them top Group H over PSG – paid off in a big way as they drew arguably the weakest team left in the competition, Club Brugge.

Benfica are still unbeaten this season and could emerge as this season’s dark horses. But they must not overlook the Belgian giants Brugge, who have finally made it to the Champions League knockout round for the first time on the back of some outstanding performances from veteran keeper Simon Mignolet.

Borussia Dortmund vs Chelsea

Christian Pulisic and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang are set to meet their old club as Chelsea drew Borussia Dortmund.

Neither Pulisic nor Aubameyang is in particularly good form at the moment, though, as the Blues’ new manager bounce under Graham Potter has begun to wane.

As for Dortmund, they will be led by their budding English superstar Jude Bellingham, who has been fantastic in the Champions League this season with four goals in five games.

Bundesliga

BORUSSIA MONCHENGLADBACH

BORUSSIA DORTMUND

1X2 Draw @ 3.35

Borussia Dortmund Asian Handicap -0.25 @ 1.95

Over 3.25 @ 1.90

Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.

CLICK HERE

Liverpool vs Real Madrid

Liverpool and Real Madrid are about to go at it again. The two European giants will meet for the third year running and the fourth time in six seasons in the knockout rounds.

But the Reds have yet to get one over on Los Blancos, who have gone undefeated in each of their last six matches, including a couple of Champions League finals.

Liverpool no longer look like the force they once were and are languishing in midtable in the Premier League, but the Reds have still been able to raise their game in the Champions League. Mohamed Salah is the tournament’s co-leading scorer with seven goals and will be looking to outduel Real’s rising star, Vinicius Jr.

Eintracht Frankfurt vs Napoli

Napoli were one of the biggest surprises of the Champions League group stage as they topped Group A despite suffering a 2-0 defeat to Liverpool in their last game.

Luciano Spalletti’s side – led by the brilliant Kvitcha Kvaratskhelia – were the highest scorers in the group stage with 20 goals, and they will be looking to secure safe passage to the quarter-finals as they face reigning Europa League champions Eintracht Frankfurt.

The Eagles were tied with Club Brugge as the lowest-scoring side to progress to the round of 16 with just seven goals. But they do have a capable goalscorer in Daichi Kamada, who has already scored 12 goals this season.

RB Leipzig vs Manchester City

Man City and RB Leipzig meet again after they squared off in the group stage last season. City smashed Leipzig 6-3 in Manchester, but the Red Bulls got their revenge with a 2-1 win in the reverse fixture.

Erling Haaland had a fantastic record against the Red Bulls during his time in the Bundesliga. The big Norwegian scored six goals in just four games against Leipzig and will be out to deliver more Champions League 2022 highlights over the two legs.

Inter Milan vs Porto

Former team-mates collide as Simone Inzaghi leads his Inter side against Sergio Conceicao’s Porto. The two were part of Lazio’s Scudetto-winning side in 1999-2000. Conceicao went on to leave that summer and also wound up playing a couple of seasons for Inter.

Inter qualified despite top striker Lautaro Martinez scoring just once in six Champions League appearances. He and Romelu Lukaku will need to be on their best to overcome Porto’s prolific strike partnership of Mehdi Taremi and Evanilson, who have already scored 19 goals in all competitions, including six in the Champions League.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 09-Nov-2022 at 1:14 PM

Europa League: No More Pleasantries Needed Between United and Barca

Barcelona vs. Manchester United is the pick of the Europa League draw since it pits two sides who share a history together.

The Catalan giants have had the Red Devils’ number in Europe, and this also marks the first time in two years that Cristiano Ronaldo meets his old La Liga nemeses.

Elsewhere, Sevilla – the competition’s winningest team with six titles – are back and they’re slated to go up against an up-and-coming side. The same can be said for Ajax and AS Monaco.

Read on below as SBOTOP examines the compelling matchups to give football fans a preview of what to expect in the Round of 32.

RB Salzburg vs AS Roma

Jose Mourinho is keen to add the Europa League trophy to AS Roma’s cabinet after winning the Conference League last season, but it’ll be easier said than done with RB Salzburg currently in their way.

The Red Bulls, after all, are the defending Austrian Bundesliga and Cup champions and they offer plenty of European experience after making it to the Round of 16 in the Champions League last term before falling to Bayern Munich.

Benjamin Sesko – one of the most coveted youngsters today – is the one to watch out for from RB Salzburg, but he’ll be up against AS Roma’s Nicolo Zaniolo and Paulo Dybala.

Barcelona vs Manchester United

Failing to secure the second goal versus Real Sociedad proved to be costly for Manchester United as they’ll now take on Barcelona.

This matchup means that one of the two managers, Erik ten Hag and Xavi, will be out of European contention so early, so there’s a huge sense of urgency for both squads.

Another backdrop of this fixture is Frenkie de Jong since he spurned Manchester United to stay at Barcelona to play in the Champions League, but fate has a funny way of putting things into place.

Ajax vs Union Berlin

Ajax have suddenly emerged as one of the favorites in this competition, but Union Berlin will look to defy the Europa League 2022 odds once again.

This is going to be a battle of two different styles as Ajax love to have possession of the ball, while Union Berlin are happy to play on the counter.

Both teams have some young attackers that can easily put up Europa League 2022 highlights, namely Brian Brobbey, Steven Bergwijn, Sheraldo Becker, and Theoson Siebatcheu.

Shakhtar Donetsk vs Rennes

This is going to be an attacking affair since both sides aren’t exactly known for their defences.

Shakhtar Donetsk bowed out of the Champions League after a winless group stage, while Rennes fell short behind Fenerbahce in Group B that’s why they’re here.

Strikers Junior Moraes and Martin Terrier are tasked to lead their respective teams up front. Whoever wins this particular matchup is likely to move on to the Round of 16.

Sevilla vs PSV

Jorge Sampaoli is looking to revive Sevilla’s season and winning the Europa League is their ideal scenario. However, they are struggling right now since they haven’t won in their last three matches.

In contrast, PSV are on the rise. They’ve beaten Arsenal in the group stage and Ruud Van Nistelrooy has an exciting project in his hands.

PSV are hoping that Cody Gakpo stays after January since it’s their best shot of beating Sevilla and making it far in this competition.

UEFA – Europa League

BARCELONA

MANCHESTER UNITED

1X2 Barcelona @ 1.81

Barcelona Asian Handicap -0.50 @ 1.82

Over 2.75 @ 2.00

Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.

CLICK HERE

Sporting CP vs Midtjylland

Sporting and Midtjylland square off for the first time since 2001/02 at this exact stage. Back then, it was the Portuguese team who won via an aggregate tally of 6-2.

The key matchup for this fixture is the one between strikers Pedro Goncalves and Anders Dreyer. The two of them have combined for 14 goals so far this season.

Juventus vs Nantes

Nantes head into this matchup with nothing to lose and they can give Juventus some problems.

Given I Bianconeri’s inconsistencies at the back, Ignatius Ganago and Mostafa Mohamed can score a goal or two for the Ligue 1 side, although they might be overpowered by the likes of Dusan Vlahovic, Arek Milik, and Filip Kostic.

Max Allegri’s side has yet to convince anyone that they can contend for trophies this season, so they’re keen on stamping their authority here.

Bayer Leverkusen vs AS Monaco

This matchup against Monaco is Xabi Alonso’s first real test. And compared to his coaching counterpart Philippe Clement, the Spaniard is quite inexperienced.

Die Werkself are hopeful that their top hitman Patrik Schick is 100-per cent fit come January and they’ll need him for them to outgun the likes of Monaco’s Wissam Ben Yedder and Breel Embolo.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 10-Nov-2022 at 1:10 PM

Champions League: Bother for Bayern Before a Paris Match

Europe’s flagship competition is back on the agenda folks, because next week, the Champions League Round of 16 will hit our screens with the first eight clubs set to do battle.

While favourites Manchester City and Serie A runaway leaders Napoli are scheduled for the 21^st and 22^nd of February, the pick of the first week’s fixtures sees the blockbuster clash between Paris Saint-Germain and FC Bayern.

Of all the Champions League 2023 results over the next couple of weeks, this clash between the champions of France and Germany is the most highly anticipated.

At SBOTOP odds of 7.00 and 7.50, PSG and Die Bayern are second and third favourites for the title and the winner of this clash will rapidly drop in price. The first leg outcome might throw up a favourite, but at odds of 2.44 and 2.50 to win, it’s hard to split Paris and Munich.

It’s a rather different story in their domestic leagues though, as PSG have moved eight points clear at the top of Ligue 1 while Bayern are in a real fight, just one point clear of Union Berlin at the top of the Bundesliga and with Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig breathing down their necks.

UEFA – Champions League

PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN

BAYERN MUNICH

1X2 Bayern Munich 2.56

Bayern Munich Asia Handicap 0.00 @ 1.99

Over 3.00 @ 1.71

Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.

CLICK HERE

And the club has had off-field problems to deal with, which head coach Julian Nagelsmann really doesn’t need at the moment.

Club legend and national team goalkeeper Manuel Neuer has been busy doing interviews in the German press which have been less than complimentary of the club. His gripe surrounds the sacking of goalkeeper coach Toni Tapalovic and that hasn’t gone down well with the Munich hierarchy, particularly after their star returned from a midseason skiing trip with a broken leg.

Bayern moved immediately to bring the excellent Yann Sommer in as a replacement, but Neuer is a big character who epitomizes the success the club has enjoyed over the past decade.

The fact that he has broken ranks will not help the mood at Bayern, but officials say they will not follow the example of Manchester United, who parted company with Cristiano Ronaldo after he did his media revelations in the UK press.

This latest headache for Bayern came a week after their forward Serge Gnabry was photographed at the Paris Fashion Week during a day off training. The club’s sporting director, Hasan Salihamidzic, called Gnabry’s behavior amateurish and it’s difficult to disagree with him.

It’s hardly the way the German champions expect their players to carry themselves and the once unbreakable unit is showing signs of weakness off the pitch.

These problems won’t necessarily translate themselves onto the pitch, of course, but they won’t help and Die Bayern will think themselves fortunate that Kylian Mbappe is doubtful for their clash with PSG; but a certain Lionel Messi will be looking forward to making Bayern’s problems worse.

Conflicting form of London’s Big Two

Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea are both in action next week in fascinating duels with AC Milan and Borussia Dortmund. Spurs will meet I Rossoneri; on the crest of a wave having just beaten Manchester City as Harry Kane became the club’s top scorer of all time, notching his 267^th goal in the shock 1-0 victory.

In contrast, Milan have just lost their third league match on the bounce to drop to sixth in the Serie A table and 18 points behind leaders Napoli. To make matters worse, the latest defeat was in the Milan derby, and in their previous two matches they were spanked 5-2 by Sassuolo and 4-0 by Lazio.

Kane will be licking his lips.

While Tottenham are well in the hunt for a top four place, Graham Potter’s Chelsea are ninth in the Premier League with just one win from their last six league games and they could only pick up a point from their West London derby against Fulham last Friday.

Owner Todd Boehly has spent upwards of £400-M on players since his arrival last summer and, while this is a transitional period for the club, such expensive talent really can’t take too long to blossom.

And next week they will meet a BVB side banging in form. Borussia’s 5-1 win over top four rivals SC Freiburg made it six wins on the bounce, scoring a whopping 22 goals along the way.

The latest Champions League 2023 betting odds back neither Club Brugges nor Benfica to make it to the last four, but one of them will be a single step away after this two-leg battle, which starts in Belgium on Wednesday 15^th February.

Benfica come into the game in better form but Brugges have been brilliant in this competition so far, seeing off Bayer Leverkusen and Atletico Madrid at the group stage.

Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 08-Feb-2023 at 4:41 PM

Champions League: Conte Returns to Milan

AC Milan vs Tottenham Hotspur

The Italian stallion Antonio Conte is going back home on Tuesday for a Champions League clash with some old Serie A ‘friends’ as Tottenham take on AC Milan at the San Siro Stadium.

The last time Conte prowled the touchline in this stadium he was leading Inter Milan to the 2021 Scudetto and he is highly unlikely to get a warm welcome from the Rossoneri fans! Stefano Pioli’s Milan ended a run of four consecutive defeats with a 1-0 victory over Torino, so the stadium will be packed to the rafters with fans baying for another win.

Meanwhile, Spurs were thumped 4-1 by Leicester City on Saturday, a result which left them outside the Premier League top four and Conte will expect a reaction. Tottenham are SBOTOP’seighth favourites to win the tournament at odds of 18.00 with AC Milan 11^th at 55.00 and that makes this the tightest tie of the Round of 16… and I’m expecting an Italian classic.

Talking Points

Giroud lifts Milan

Former Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud has been Milan’s most productive player with four goals so far in the competition and he has also made two assists; and he scored the goal to earn Milan a much-needed win over Torino. His trademark glancing header from a Theo Hernandez’ cross ended a seven match winless run and, while Milan were never fully in control of the game, they could have doubled their lead when Rafael Leao teed up Hernandez but he dragged his shot wide.

Leao is having another strong campaign, as he did last year when he became one of the hottest properties in European football, and he’s sure to provide some Champions League 2023 highlightson Tuesday night. He’s scored eight goals and made five assists in his 21 games in the league and he’s ready to give the Spurs defence a torrid time.

Milan’s hopes of retaining the Scudetto have all but disappeared. They are in fifth place, 15 points behind leaders Napoli but on the same points as Atalanta in third. They have important business to complete in the domestic game, but I Rossoneri love a European game and they will be right up for this one.

Which Spurs will turn up in Milan?

After beating Manchester City last week, a 4-1 spanking at the hands of Leicester City was not exactly what Spurs fans expected. And after the game assistant boss Cristian Stellini apologised for his players’ limp performance against the Foxes. Leicester were impressive though, recovering from a Rodrigo Bentancur opener to fight back with two goals in three minutes. First Nampalys Mendy scored a screamer to level the scores and when James Maddison turned the game around with the second Spurs simply had no answer. Kelechi Iheanacho and Harvey Barnes piled on the misery for Spurs who’s problems continued to mount up in the physio room.

Captain and goalkeeper Hugo Lloris is out for up to eight weeks and Bentancur picked up a niggle during the mauling in Leicester and is doubtful. And Conte has problems in the left wing back position as Ryan Sessegnon has also been sidelined with an injury. That means Ivan Perisic is the only fit player in the squad who can fill that position. He has made three assists in the competition but his role will be more defensive in Milan. 

Of course, Harry Kane is the man I Rossoneri will be wary of. He has recently become Spurs highest scorer of all time and can win any game with his lethal finishing.

Spurs don’t need to dominate…they just need one moment.

UEFA – Champions League

PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN

BAYERN MUNICH

CLICK HERE

TO SEE UPDATED ODDS

History

Of course, Milan are Champions League royalty having won seven titles, the last in 2007, while Spurs came close in 2019 but failed to show up in the final against Liverpool.

But here’s a worrying stat for the home fans: Milan have met Spurs four times without yet scoring a goal, losing three games and drawing one.

And in terms of recent form neither team is pulling up trees. With three wins and three defeats from the last six games Tottenham are struggling for consistency but Milan have been in the doldrums, losing four of the last six and finally winning on Saturday.

Betting Tip

AC Milan VS Tottenham Hotspur

February 15, 4:00 (GMT+8)

Under 2.50

@1.86

Our Champions League 2023 betting oddsmake this a wide open leg with Milan the slight favourites at a price of 2.52. Tottenham are slightly longer at 2.61 and the draw is at 3.11.

This is going to be a tight game. Milan want to build on their hard earned win over Torino while Spurs need to prove they are not the pushovers who met Leicester on Saturday and a 1-1 draw, at odds of 5.11, is the most likely outcome.

Conte would bite your hand off that right now!

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 21-Feb-2023 at 1:05 PM

Champions League: Big Guns Clash in City of Love

Paris Saint-Germain vs Bayern Munich

A repeat of the 2020 Champions League Final when a Frenchman won the day and broke Parisien hearts.

Now, on Valentine’s night, more hearts could well be broken in the city of love.

For that 2020 showpiece remains the closest the French champions have come to what many consider their holy grail and, as they prepare to face my tip for this season’s tournament, in my opinion they are actually further away from glory than they have been for some time.

How come you may ask.

After all, this is the club which has been able to buy a place at the top table of European football ever since it was taken over by Qatari investors QSI in 2011 and has made its presence firmly felt.

Bundesliga

BORUSSIA MONCHENGLADBACH

BAYERN MUNICH

CLICK HERE

TO SEE UPDATED ODDS

Yet even with the likes of Angel di Maria, Thiago Silva, Marquinhos, Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and now Lionel Messi in their ranks, Paris St Germain has fallen short over the past decade when it comes to Europe.

Talking Points

Now let’s be fair. The team has suffered a stroke of misfortune to be without its best player for this last-16 tie and it was a massive blow when it emerged Mbappe had been ruled out with a thigh injury.

The irony will not be lost on Bayern Munich who were without their main man, Robert Lewandowski, when the two clashed at the quarter-final stage two seasons ago and the tie went the way of PSG.

Form wise, though, they are not in a good place either.

Indeed, after they went down to their second defeat in four days on Saturday night, defender Presnel Kimpembe apologised to the team’s fans through a megaphone.

The 3-1 reverse at Monaco in Ligue 1 followed a midweek loss at Marseille which saw them eliminated from the French Cup.

Not only is top scorer Mbappe out of the first leg at the Parc des Princes, but PSG coach Christophe Galtier is unsure if Messi will recover in time from the hamstring problem that ruled him out of the trip to Monaco.

All in all, it means the club from the French capital have lost three of their seven league matches in 2023 which is why only a minority of their supporters will be confident of Champions League highlights.

By contrast, Bayern seem to be coming into a run of form.

Their 3-0 home win against Bochum on Saturday maintained their one point lead at the top of the Bundesliga and, after three successive draws, was their third victory in a row – including an impressive outing at Wolfsburg last weekend.

That extended their unbeaten run to 19 matches in all competitions.

When you consider the Bavarians have reached the Champions League quarter-finals in 10 of the last 11 seasons, winning the competition for the sixth time in 2020, and that Julian Nagelsmann’s class of 2022/23 are the second-highest scorers (18) after Napoli (20) – and boast the joint-best defence (just two conceded) in this season’s competition – it’s easy to see why PSG have it all to do.

History

Aside from the 2020 Final in Lisbon, won by a Kingsley Coman goal, there have been some thrillers.

The following season, PSG edged out a Lewandowski-less Bayern on away goals after the two-legged quarter-final had ended 3-3 on aggregate – Mbappe with two of the PSG goals.

They also had three home victories apiece when they met in the group stages in 1997, 2000 and 2017.

Their very first meeting in this competition came in 1994, also at the group stage, when George Weah and Daniel Bravo scored in a 2-0 win in Paris before Weah scored the only goal of the return in Munich.

Overall, PSG have six wins to Bayern’s five with no draws.

Betting Tip

Paris Saint-Germain VS Bayern Munich

February 15, 04:00 (GMT+8)

1X2 Draw

@ 3.55

As betting odds go, these two teams could barely be closer – odds which are backed up by the closeness of their encounters.

For a PSG victory, the best options are 1X2 @ 2.50 and Asian Handicap -0.25 @ 2.23.

For a Bayern success, it’s worth considering 1X2 @ 2.56 and Asian Handicap 0.00 @ 1.99.

Then there’s the chance of a re-run of their last meeting two seasons ago when Bayern won 1-0 in Paris but went out of the competition on away goals.

That is available with Correct Score @ 13.50.

A 1-0 home triumph will also pay out @ 13.50 – again illustrating the closeness between these two.

Goal options to feature include over 3.25 @ 1.91 – which suggests there will be a fair few goals – Total Goal 0-1 @ 5.80, 2-3 @ 2.16 and 4-6 @ 2.35.

Ultimately, after 11 meetings, I think it’s about time these two had a draw.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 21-Feb-2023 at 1:06 PM

Champions League: Can Potter’s Chelsea stand up to the Yellow Wall?

Borussia Dortmund vs Chelsea

The Champions League is back folks; and it returns with a bang, with a Wednesday night looming that Chelsea fans are unlikely to forget in a while when they visit Bundesliga high-flyers Borussia Dortmund.

The Yellow Wall will be at its magnificent best, 25,000 fans producing an atmosphere like no other, and Graham Potter’s Blues can expect a torrent of pressure on the pitch too from Borussia’s exciting young team. While Chelsea have been stuck in mid-table in the Premier League, currently ninth, Edin Terzic has guided BVB to third place in the Bundesliga table and just three points behind leaders Bayern Munich.

The latest Champions League 2023 betting odds price Chelsea’s star studded side at 1.55 to navigate this tie with Dortmund at 2.44, an offer which will be good enough to interest many of the German side’s fans after watching their boys rip up the Bundesliga in recent weeks.

Talking Points

Borussia on the rampage 

Five successive wins in the league, scoring 15 goals along the way has rocketed Die Schwarzgelben up from mid table to a title challenging position. After beating Bayer Leverkusen 2-0 and spanking top four hopefuls Freiburg 5-1, they kept the run going away to Werder Bremen on Saturday. Jamie Brynoe-Gittens opened the scoring with a screamer into the top left corner before Julian Brandt added a last second, latching onto a through ball from Raphael Guerreiro and slotting coolly home.

Bynoe-Gittens is the latest player to come off the Dortmund academy conveyor belt and, at 18 years of age, he’s a superb prospect for both BVB and England. And we might see more of Borussia’s young guns on Wednesday, led by England’s Jude Bellingham who already has four goals in the competition and is still, remarkably, only 19. Then there is 21 year old Karim Adeyemi, the fastest player in the Bundesliga registering a blistering 36.65 kph, and he scored against Freiburg alongside Gio Reyna, 19 years of age and back to his best after a lengthy injury.

And the return of striker Sebastian Haller has been a huge boost for both the player and the club after he returned from cancer treatment to lead the line.

There is a lot for Dortmund fans to be excited about… 

James return is so good for Chelsea

And there is plenty for Chelsea fans to look forward to, but they may have to be patient, although they did see a glimpse of what is to come as new recruits, Joao Felix and Enzo Fernandez were both superb in the first half of Chelsea’s match with West Ham.  

The Blues started strongly against the Hammers and when the two new boys combined Potter’s side took a deserved early lead. Fernandez floated over a delightful ball which Felix met and fired home for his first goal in the Premier League, the perfect way to return from suspension. Emerson equalised for West Ham but Chelsea should have won all three points when a shot from Conor Gallagher was blocked by Tomas Soucek’s hand in the penalty area and, predictably, the VAR officials didn’t see a ‘clear and obvious error’! 

Potter wasn’t impressed and it was a harsh way to lose two points but, as well as his new players shining, there was a big performance from the returned Reece James. Chelsea have had a terrible time with injuries and the England wingback is the player they have missed the most.

This could be a turning point for the Blues. 

UEFA – Champions League

CLUB BRUGGE

BENFICA

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History

Both teams were previously European champions, Dortmund in 1997 and Chelsea in 2012, and then again in 2021 when a Kai Havertz goal was enough to beat Manchester City.

This is the first time these two teams have met but, in terms of recent form the hosts have the edge. Chelsea are unbeaten in four (drawing the last three), but have not won away on their last eight away trips, while BVB are unbeaten in ten at home.

Betting Tip

Borussia Dortmund VS Chelsea

February 16, 4:00 (GMT+8)

Dortmund Asian Handicap 0.00

@1.78

With some exciting young players on both sides we can expect to see plenty of Champions League 2023 highlights in this fixture and there will be a tough edge to the match too, with both sides determined to stay in the competition.

Chelsea are at SBOTOP odds of 17.00 to win the tournament and Die Schwarz Gelben at 55.00, neither are front runners but they could both be a decent dark horse for a final place with the Blues priced at 7.00 and BVB at 21.00.

Neither Borussia nor Chelsea would be a quarter final pushover whoever they face, but in this Round of 16 clash first leg, I’m predicting a particularly hard test for the Premier League side.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 21-Feb-2023 at 1:08 PM

Champions League: Coman Returns to Haunt Paris

FC Bayern took a grip on their Round of 16 Champions League clash away to Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday, as Kingsley Coman scored the only goal of the game to give his former employers a European headache.

The ex PSG star volleyed home the winner early in the second half to stun the Parc des Prince crowd and the hosts’ Qatari owners, who are desperate to win the Champions League. But they will have to overturn this deficit when they visit Munich on 8^th March or it will be curtains again.

They hosts were at full strength with Lionel Messi declared fit to start and Kylian Mbappe on the bench, and they also blooded midfielder Warren Zaire-Emery who, at 16 years and 343 days, became the youngest ever player to start a Champions League knockout fixture. 

Coman scored on 53 minutes and Christophe Galtier brought Mbappe on four minutes later and the World Cup top scorer thought he’d levelled, late in the game, when he smashed a cross from Nuno Mendes into the roof of the net. But as the home crowd celebrated wildly VAR was hard at worked and found that Mendes was a whisker offside in the build up. Hard as they tried PSG couldn’t beat Yann Sommer in the Bayern goal and that meant it was three losses on the run for the French champions, having recently fallen to Monaco in the league and Olympique Marseilles in the Coupe de France. TheChampions League 2023 betting odds have drifted away from Paris and now they need to cause an upset in March.

Coman also scored the winner when Bayern beat PSG to win the 2020 Champions League three years ago and the Parisiens will find it hard to get him out of their minds. 

La Liga

GIRONA FC

UD ALMERÍA

1X2 UD Almeria @ 3.90

Girona FC Asian Handicap -0.75 @ 2.11

Under 2.25 @ 2.21

Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.

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Adeyemi too fast for Chelsea 

The Dortmund Yellow Wall is one of the most daunting sights a visiting player can witness, but Graham Potter’s Chelsea kept the Borussia fans quiet, for a half at least. At the break the hosts were winning the shot count by 11 to five but neither team had a single effort on target. Joao Felix came close twice for Chelsea while Sebastian Haller was the nearest BVB player to break the deadlock, but his shot went into the side netting.

But a breakaway goal slotted home by Karim Adeyemi, the fastest player in the Bundesliga, made it 1-0 on the hour. He outpaced Enzo Fernandez before gliding past Kepa and slotting the ball into the net.

Chelsea really had a go and ended up winning the shot count by 20 to 14, and centre back Kalidou Koulibaly almost levelled but his effort was brilliantly cleared off the line by Emre Can; and that meant Adeyemi’s goal was enough to give BVB the advantage.

Tottenham fans are not happy

In the other Tuesday game AC Milan beat Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 thanks to an early goal from Brahim Diaz. Here at SBOTOP we previewed the game, predicting a low scoring affair and so it was as, in a cagey affair, neither side deserved to add to the scoring after Diaz poked the ball home from close range with just seven minutes on the clock. It could have been worse for Spurs though as Charles De Ketelaere and Malick Thiaw both missed headed chances when they should have scored. And, though the North London side is still well in the tie, a section of their fans are becoming increasingly frustrated by the style of play under Antonio Conte, particularly having been thumped 4-1 by Leicester City last weekend. The boss said: I know the San Siro and I know the difficulty to play with this atmosphere,” which is all well and good, but Tottenham fans want to see their side scoring goals and winning games. They currently sit outside the top four in the Premier League and supporters groups have been hoping for a change at the top, but owners say the club is not for sale unless an astronomical offer comes in.

Advantage Benfica

In the fourth of this week’sChampions League 2023 results Benfica took a two goal lead away from their first leg tie against Club Brugges in Belgium. After a goalless first half the visitors broke the deadlock on 50 minutes. Jack Hendry felled Goncalo Ramos in the penalty area and Joao Mario slammed the spot kick into the top right corner. Benfica made it 0-2 when David Neres slotted home in the dying minutes and Benfica have one foot in the quarter finals.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 21-Feb-2023 at 1:10 PM

Champions League: Can Frankfurt Fend Off Kvaradona’s Napoli?

Eintracht Frankfurt vs Napoli

With the Scudetto seemingly all sewn up, runaway Serie A leaders Napoli now set their sights on the Champions League as they face reigning Europa League champions Eintracht Frankfurt in the first leg of their Round of 16 tie.

The Neapolitans have been close to unstoppable all season long, and with their dynamic duo of Victor Osimhen and Khvica Kvaratskhelia in fantastic form, they look like the best team in all of Europe at the moment.

But the Eagles of Frankfurt are in fine form themselves, particularly at home, and will be keen to defy the Champions League 2023 odds against red-hot Napoli.

Talking Points

Frankfurt in fabulous form, especially at home

Eintracht Frankfurt will head into this round of 16 tie in fine form. They are coming off a 2-0 home win over Werder Bremen over the weekend, their third win in their last four games.

Their 2-0 defeat to Koln the other week was their first loss in their last 11 games in all competitions (7 wins, 3 draws).

Frankfurt’s home form has been simply fantastic of late. They have won each of their last five games in all competitions at Deutsche Bank Park, with 16 goals scored and just 4 conceded.

Although, their Champions League home record during the group stage was mixed. After a stunning 3-0 loss to Sporting, they rallied to draw with Tottenham and defeat Marseille.

Napoli the best team in Italy – and Europe?

The Serie A title race seems to be all over as Napoli continue to run away at the top. They preserved their 15-point lead over Inter with another routine 2-0 win over Sassuolo at the weekend. It was the Azzurri’s seventh straight win in Serie A as they remain the hottest team in all of Europe at the moment.

Luciano Spelletti’s side have suffered just three defeats all season long: the first was a 2-0 loss to Liverpool at Anfield in a dead rubber Champions League group stage finale. The second was their 1-0 loss away to Inter upon returning from the World Cup break. And the third was a penalty shootout loss to Cremonese in the Coppa Italia.

The plaudits continue to rain down on Napoli’s dynamic attacking duo of Victor Osimhen and breakout youngster Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (more on them in a bit), but their defence also deserves much credit. Napoli have conceded just 15 goals in 23 games – the best defensive record in Serie A – with just 3 goals conceded in 8 games in 2023.

Osimhen and Kvaratskhelia vs Kolo Muani

This round of 16 tie will showcase not one, not two, but three of the brightest young attacking talents in all of Europe who will be keen to deliver some Champions League 2023 highlights.

Napoli possess two of them in the incredible Osimhen and Kvaratskhelia, who have both been outstanding since the break. Osimhen has scored in five straight Serie A games to take his tally up to 18 goals on the season. Not to be outdone, Kvaratskhelia has scored in 4 out of the last 5 games, with 4 assists.

But Eintracht Frankfurt have a rising star of their own in Randal Kolo Muani, who has also been absolutely phenomenal since returning from the World Cup with France. The 24-year-old forward has scored 7 goals in his last six games to give him 10 goals on the season.

He also leads the Bundesliga with 10 assists, the only player in the top 5 European leagues besides the great Lionel Messi and Neymar to have double-digit goals and assists this season.

Frankfurt also have a couple of other capable attackers in Daichi Kamada and Jesper Lindstrom (7 Bundesliga goals each), but Kolo Muani will be the key to unlocking Napoli’s outstanding defence.

History

UEFA – Champions League

LIVERPOOL

REAL MADRID

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This will be the third time Eintracht Frankfurt and Napoli will meet in European competition. Their last encounter came back in the last 16 of the 1994-95 UEFA Cup. Eintracht Frankfurt came out on top as they won both legs 1-0.

Frankfurt have a fine record against Italian opposition, with 6 wins, 3 draws and just 2 defeats in their last 11 matches.

Meanwhile, Napoli have a spotty away record against German opponents, with just 2 wins, 5 draws and 5 losses in their last 12 away assignments. Although, they have beaten each of their last two German foes, Wolfsburg in 2015 (4-1) and RB Leipzig in 2018 (2-0).

Betting Tip

Eintracht Frankfurt VS Napoli

February 22, 04:00 (GMT+8)

1X2 Napoli

@2.19

SBOTOP odds have Napoli installed as slight 2.19 favourites to escape with an away win in the first leg in Frankfurt. Eintracht are priced at 2.84, while a draw is 3.45.

Given how well they are playing, it’s hard to bet against Napoli. Osimhen and Kvaratskhelia have been simply outstanding of late, and as impressive as Frankfurt’s home form has been, the Eagles will struggle to keep those two quiet.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 21-Feb-2023 at 1:12 PM

Champions League: Porto Prepare to Pull Off Another Italian Job

Inter Milan vs Porto

FC Porto are back in the Champions League round of 16. Under the guidance of coach Sergio Conceicao, the Dragons have made it to the quarter-finals twice in the last six years, both times by beating Italian opposition.

And Porto are preparing to pull off yet another Italian job this year as they take on Simone Inzaghi’s Inter Milan side at the San Siro.

Inzaghi and Conceicao were team-mates at Lazio during the late-90s, and Conceicao also played for Inter in the early 2000s.

But there will be no love lost between the two as Inzaghi looks to lead Inter to the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time in over a decade.

Talking Points

Inter in fine form in 2023

Inter Milan’s hopes of catching Napoli for the Scudetto are all but over as they remain 15 points back with 15 games to play. So the Nerazzurri will now set their sights on winning the Champions League for the fourth time in their history.

Inter emerged from a tough group that included Bayern Munich and Barcelona to reach the round of 16 for the second straight season. Despite losing both games against Bayern, they got four points from Barca to finish runners-up.

And they will head into their round of 16 first leg against Porto off a 3-1 win at home against Udinese. Romelu Lukaku scored from the penalty spot, his first goal for Inter since late October. Although, he still didn’t look quite at his best as that penalty was his only shot of the game.

Meanwhile, Lautaro Martinez came on for Lukaku and scored the clinching goal one minute from time. The Argentine has been in excellent form since returning from the World Cup; he has scored 8 goals in 11 matches in 2023.

Inter have quite a stellar record since returning from the World Cup break. They have won 8 of their 11 games in 2023, with two draws and just one loss.

Simone Inzaghi has a settled side at the moment, with Joaquin Correa their only injury absentee. Goalkeeper Andre Onana, defender Milan Skriniar, and midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu were all rested against Udinese, but they are all expected to return to the starting lineup in midweek.

In-form Porto have injury problems

As good as Inter’s recent form has been, Porto’s has been even better. The Portuguese champions have won 10 games in a row in all competitions and have gone unbeaten in their last 22 matches (19 wins, 3 draws).

Coach Sergio Conceicao continues to do an outstanding job as he’s led the team to the Champions League knockout rounds for the fourth time in his six seasons in charge; they have advanced to the quarter-finals on two occasions, in 2019 and 2021.

However, Conceicao will have work to do as an injury crisis has hit his club at the wrong time. Key players such as forward Evanilson and key playmaker Otavio are injury doubts. Winger Wanderson Galeno and midfielder Mateus Uribe are certainly out for the first leg, but defender Wendell will be available after making his return on the weekend.

Luckily, main man Mehdi Taremi is fit and ready to make more Champions League 2023 highlights against Inter. The 30-year-old Iranian striker is having another excellent season with 11 goals and 5 assists in the league, and 5 goals and 2 assists in the Champions League.

With the likes of Evanilson, Otavio and Galeno potentially out, Taremi Porto may opt to play a more conservative style in the away leg in Milan.

UEFA – Champions League

RB LEIPZIG

MANCHESTER CITY

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History

Inter and Porto have met on four previous occasions, all of which came in the year 2005. They faced off in the 2004-05 Champions League round of 16, with Inter emerging victorious 4-2 on aggregate.

They then crossed paths once again in the 2005-06 group stage. The home side won both fixtures; Porto prevailed 2-0 at the Estadio do Dragao, while Inter won 2-1 in Milan.

Inter have not had a convincing home record in the Champions League in recent years, though. They have won just 5 of their last 15 games at the San Siro, with 5 draws and 5 losses.

As for Porto, they have had a terrific recent record against Italian clubs. They knocked out Roma in 2018-19 and Juventus in 2020-21, both after extra-time, in the round of 16. Porto also cross paths with eventual Serie A champions AC Milan in the group stage last season and went undefeated in two games; they won 1-0 at home and drew 1-1 at the San Siro.

Betting Tip 

Inter Milan VS Porto

February 23, 4:00 (GMT+8)

1X2 Draw

@3.60

The SBOTOP Champions League 2023 betting odds are leaning heavily toward Inter, who are installed as 1.78 favourites to win the first leg at home. Porto are priced at 3.80, while a draw is 3.60.

Even with their injury problems in attack, Porto will be no pushovers. Sergio Conceicao is a canny coach who will have his side well-drilled for this tough away trip at San Siro. With some key attacking pieces potentially absent, it won’t be surprising to see Porto playing a more conservative counter-attacking approach in the first leg.

That will make them unlikely to escape with a win, but with their defensive discipline, a draw is a distinct possibility.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 21-Feb-2023 at 1:14 PM

Europa League: Roma Ready for the Red Bulls Return

AS Roma vs Red Bull Salzburg

Roma and Red Bull Salzburg have their sights set on the Europa League Round of 16 when they meet at Stadio Olimpico on Thursday… and it’s a tie which is right on a knife-edge.

Salzburg won the first leg 1-0 as Nicola Capaldo scored a late headed winner to tee up the second leg just perfectly, and now the onus is on Jose Mourinho’s Roma to get back in the tie. Salzburg head coach Matthias Jaissle is in his second season at the club having led the Red Bulls to the Austrian league title last term and the ambitious Austrians are hungry for more silverware.

Both teams are in good shape in their domestic competitions; while Salzburg have a six point lead at the top of the Austrian Bundesliga Roma are up to third place in Serie A after a run of four victories from their last six games. Salzburg come into the game on the back of a 3-1 win away to WSG Tirol while Roma picked up a 1-0 win at home to Hellas Verona so we expect two teams full of confidence to arrive in Rome.

In a strong competition neither Roma nor Salzburg are strong contenders for the 2023 title according to the latest Europa League 2023 betting odds, but once they reach the last 16 their fans can rightly start to dream.

Talking Points

Another start for Solbakken?

UEFA – Champions League

INTER MILAN

PORTO

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TO SEE UPDATED ODDS

Norwegian striker Ola Solbakken scored his first league goal on his first start for I Giallorossi when he latched on to a back heel from Leonardo Spinazzola to slide in the only goal of the game against Verona. While Napoli appear to be running away with the Scudetto, Roma are well in the hunt for a top four place and Solbakken could have an important part to play. Roma have had a run of injuries to forwards, with Paul Dybala and Lorenzo Pellegrini out; and Tammy Abraham added to the sick list when he went off with an eye injury after a clash with team-mate Gianluca Mancini.

The former Chelsea star has had a minor operation and has told fans he’ll be back in action soon, but Thursday comes too early.

Solbakken, who signed from Bodo Glimt in November could line up alongside Andrea Belotti in the absence of Abraham and top scorer Pellegrini. Belotti remains a key figure in the Roma attack, scoring a crucial goal against Real Betis at the group stage to earn a draw and Roma eventually joined the La Liga side in the knockout phase. The young Norwegian says he is learning from his senior team-mate’s work rate and commitment.

With a centre back pairing of Roger Ibanez and Chris Smalling I Giallorossi are a tough team to break down and the addition of Leeds centre back Diego Llorente on loan has given Mourinho more options, so he has decisions to make at the back while I expect Solbakken to carry on where he left off up front.

Salzburg wonderkid is on the Anfield radar

One player we’ll be looking out for in this week’s Europa League 2023 highlights is Salzburg’s young star Luka Sucic. The 20 year old already has four Croatia caps to his name and he is being touted as an eventual replacement for the legendary Luke Modric.

High praise indeed.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp is known to be an admirer of the 6ft 1in star and with Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade Chamberlain due to leave Anfield in the summer he is looking for re-enforcements. Since signing for the Red Bulls in 2020 Sucic has scored 13 goals and made ten assists from 93 appearances in all competitions, and he has already won two Austrian league and cup medals.

With Salzburg’s game against Tirol pretty much won at 2-0, Jaissle substituted Sucic alongside skipper Andrea Ulmer to rest them for this huge clash.

History

Roma are three times Serie A winners and they picked up a European title last season winning the 2022 Europa Conference League with a 1-0 win over Feyenoord in a tightly contested final.

Mourinho knows how to win silverware and he’ll be taking this tie deadly seriously.

Salzburg are 16 times Austrian Bundesliga champions, winning the last nine domestic titles on the bounce and they were UEFA Cup runners up in 1994.

Betting Tip

AS Roma VS Red Bull Salzburg

February 24, 04:00 (GMT+8)

AS Roma Asian Handicap -0.75

@1.88

Roma are at SBOTOP odds of 1.66 to win this second leg while Red Bull are at odds of 4.36 and the Draw is 3.45

Salzburg can be backed with the +0.75 advantage at a price of 1.95, but I think home advantage, a more experienced squad and the Mourinho factor will see the I Giallorossi through.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 21-Feb-2023 at 1:16 PM

Champions League: Madrid Out To Cause More Mersey Misery

Liverpool vs Real Madrid

It’s time for a re-run of last season’s Champions League Final.

The night when Real Madrid became champions of Europe for a record 14th time and capped a remarkable season to clinch a league and European double.

That achievement also capped a remarkable milestone for Carlo Ancelotti as the Italian became the first manager to capture titles in each of Europe’s top five leagues – England, Spain, Germany, Italy and France.

Yet it wasn’t just the trophies they secured but the way they did it; seeing off Paris St Germain, Chelsea and Manchester City in the most dramatic of fashions and creating truly memorable Champions League highlights before Liverpool were despatched in the showpiece Paris.

It was a run in which character was every bit as crucial as talent and no-one could begrudge Real their success.

Now Ancelotti’s champions are back to face the side whose hearts they broke.

Talking Points

To some, that final defeat is being outlined as one reason why Liverpool have rarely since matched the standards they showed last term.

Whether justified or not, the reality means this competition is the only silverware they remain in contention for this season.

Without a league win in 2023 until a week ago, they have now secured back-to-back 2-0 victories to lift spirits before this encounter.

Their manager Jurgen Klopp has admitted he watched back last season’s final at the weekend and described the experience as ‘torture’ before implying that his team will be less wary of Madrid’s counter-attacking expertise over two legs than a one-off encounter.

The Merseysiders will be near enough at full-strength for the last-16 tie against opponents who have the distinct upper hand over them when it matters most in the modern era.

Last season’s final was the third time in five seasons that Madrid have seen off Liverpool (two finals, one quarter-final) and the Spanish champions have been boosted by the news that world player of the year Karim Benzema has been declared fit to start.

Injuries have dented Benzema’s season, but Ancelotti has worked to manage his game time to crucial matches, most recently their FIFA Club World Cup final win over Al Hilal.

It is a rare piece of good news for Madrid whose midfield duo Toni Kroos and Aurelien Tchouameni were not passed fit to travel.

Trailing champions Barcelona by 11 points in La Liga, the combination of absences and congested schedule does seem to have caught up Madrid on occasions this season, yet they remain the team to beat.

As the Guardian’s Jonathan Wilson noted after last season’s Champions League Final: ‘It has not been a normal season for Madrid. They have survived by their nerve, by their capacity to produce moments of brilliance when they have needed them.’

That is why you cannot rule them out causing more Mersey misery.

History

Premier League

FULHAM

WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS

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Liverpool defeated Madrid at Wembley in the 1981 European Cup final and again at the last-16 stage in 2009, a resounding 5-0 victory on aggregate.

Later that year the Spanish giants signed Cristiano Ronaldo and since then, it has all been about Madrid.

Ronaldo inspired two group victories in 2014, 3-0 at Anfield and 1-0 in Spain as the Merseysiders were eliminated in the group stage.

Then came the 2018 final and that Gareth Bale goal!

In the 2021 quarter-finals, ties played behind closed doors due to Covid restrictions, a Vinícius Júnior double and Marco Asensio effort gave the hosts control of the first leg with Mohamed Salah replying for Liverpool

The return fixture ended goalless as Madrid prevailed 3-1 on aggregate.

And, of course, Vinicius grabbed the winner in the final last May.

Betting Tip

Liverpool VS Real Madrid

February 22, 04:00 (GMT+8)

Liverpool First Half Asian Handicap -0.25

@2.36

The SBOTOP Champions League betting odds make Liverpool slight favourites, priced 1X2 @ 2.28 compared to Madrid who are available @ 2.83.

It is a similar scenario with Asian Handicap odds where you can get odds of Liverpool -0.50 @ 2.28 and Madrid 0.00 @ 2.29.

The Draw is on offer @ 3.50.

If you fancy a repeat of last season’s final, then Correct Score 0-1 will pay out @ 11.50.

With such attacking talent on show for both sides, then you may want to consider over 3.00 goals @ 2.17, Total Goal 0-1 @ 4.20, 2-3 @ 1.97 and 4-6 @ 2.89. I do think the combination of the English team’s bid for revenge and the absence of key men in the Madrid engine room will edge this towards the home side.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 21-Feb-2023 at 1:17 PM

Champions League: City Step Up Quest for Euro Grail

RB Leipzig vs Manchester City

There are some football critics who say Manchester City have to win the Champions League to be considered a great team.

I disagree completely – winning your domestic league in four of the past five years secures their place in that regard.

Yet I do agree that, given the investment in the club since the 2008 takeover, it will be an underachievement if they cannot add a European title to their raft of domestic silverware.

It would also leave a question mark over their manager Pep Guardiola who has failed to win the trophy since his Barcelona days when, yes he worked wonders, but had already inherited one of the best sides around.

Indeed, the Spanish coach recently admitted his time at the club would be incomplete without success in this tournament.

So, on Wednesday night as they try again in pursuit of a trophy many of their fans crave, are we about to witness Champions League 2023 highlights in Leipzig?

UEFA – Champions League

INTER MILAN

PORTO

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TO SEE UPDATED ODDS

Talking Points

City certainly arrive in Germany in good form and dominating matches, even if their draw at Nottingham Forest on Saturday in the Premier League was scant consolation for the way they controlled the contest.

In that match they enjoyed 73% possession and 23 shots, yet the 1-1 draw meant they have now failed to win four of their last five away matches in all competitions, while they have dropped seven points in as many Premier League games, leaving them two points adrift of leaders Arsenal – ironically, the side they defeated away from home last week.

This season marks 10 consecutive years in which the club has been competing in the Champions League knockout rounds and they remain undefeated this term after winning four and drawing two of their six group-stage matches to top Group G, ahead of Borussia Dortmund, Sevilla and Copenhagen.

With the exception of centre -back John Stones who remains out with a hamstring injury, Guardiola has a fully-fit squad at his disposal.

Despite a raft of options including Aymeric Laporte and Nathan Ake, Bernardo Silva could continue in a makeshift left-back role, drifting into a deep-lying midfield position alongside Rodri when City are in possession.

The in-form Riyad Mahrez was a sub at the weekend but is likely to be recalled, probably at the expense of either Phil Foden or Jack Grealish, while Erling Braut Haaland – who has scored six goals in four previous meetings against Leipzig – is set to lead the line.

Just as City are in a decent place in their domestic league, so are Leipzig.

Wednesday’s hosts have been piling on the pressure at the top of the Bundesliga in recent weeks and currently lie fifth, just four points off top spot.

They have mixed news on the availability front.

Peter Gulacsi (ACL), Dani Olmo (thigh) and Abdou Diallo (knee) all remain out but exciting talent Christopher Nkunku made his long-awaited return after three months on the sidelines last week and, at the very least, should be on the bench again.

Likewise, Konrad Laimer who managed to shake off a thigh concern to be included in their win at Wolfsburg.

Highly rated centre-back Josko Gvardiol, who caught the eye at the World Cup, is set to continue alongside Willi Orban.

If Nkunku is not risked from the outset, Andre Silva could continue up front with support provided in the final third by Timo Werner, Emil Forsberg and Dominik Szoboszlai.

Werner, of course, was part of the Leipzig team that reached the 2020 Champions League semi-finals, before winning the competition with Chelsea the following season – against City.

The visitors start as favourites but they will need to take their opportunities, something they have failed to do to their cost at times this season.

History

These sides met for the very first time at the group stages of last season’s tournament.

City enjoyed a thrilling 6-3 victory against Leipzig at the Etihad Stadium in September 2021.

Nathan Ake, Riyad Mahrez (penalty), Jack Grealish, Joao Cancelo and Gabriel Jesus, plus an own goal, were on target, yet in many ways Nkunku was the attacking star with a hat-trick for Leipzig, who were then managed by Jesse Marsch (recently of Leeds United).

Marsch had been replaced by the time of the return game in Germany.

City had already qualified and were beaten 2-1 as Hungary midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai and Portugal forward Andre Silva netted for the home side.

Betting Tip

RB Leipzig VS Manchester City

February 23, 04:00 GMT+8

Manchester City Asian Handicap -0.75

@ 2.03

As in virtually all of their games, City are favourites and the SBOTOP Champions League 2023 betting odds concur.

I do think this will be close but the top team in England should have too much and will be keen to make their mark. Therefore, my three-star prediction is City by -0.75 on the Asian Handicap market.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 21-Feb-2023 at 1:19 PM

Europa League: Short-Handed Barca Face Uphill Battle at Old Trafford

Manchester United vs Barcelona

Manchester United will like their chances of moving on to the Europa League round of 16 as they host Barcelona at Old Trafford for the second leg of their knockout play-off tie.

With the red-hot Marcus Rashford on target yet again, the Red Devils drew 2-2 at the Camp Nou in the first leg, and while away goals no longer count, the English giants will still have home advantage on their side.

Moreover, Barca will be without a host of key players for the second leg, which should tilt the Europa League 2023 betting odds more in Man United’s favour.

Talking Points

Marcus Rashford’s magical scoring run continues

Marcus Rashford is in the midst of the best goalscoring form of his career. The England international bagged a brace in United’s 3-0 win over Leicester and has now scored in five consecutive games in all competitions. That includes United’s equaliser in their 2-2 first-leg draw against Barcelona.

Rashford has been particularly prolific at home. With his goals against Leicester, he has equalled Wayne Rooney’s run of eight straight games with a goal at Old Trafford.

United’s attack beyond Rashford has been a bit underwhelming this season, but it did show signs of promise against Leicester. Bruno Fernandes set up a couple of goals, including one to Jadon Sancho, who is rediscovering his best form with two goals in his last four appearances.

Sancho had 3 shots as he got the start in Spain and may have done enough to keep his place for the second leg. Meanwhile, Wout Weghorst is coming off his strongest attacking performance for Man United as he had 5 shots against Leicester.

As for the defence, United will be back to full strength with centre-back Lisandro Martinez returning from his ban. Similarly, midfielder Marcel Sabitzer is also available once more after serving his one-game suspension.

Diogo Dalot – who has been linked with a move to Barcelona – did not start the first leg, but he could be back to provide an attacking spark at home.

Old Trafford has been a fortress this season. Since losing to Real Sociedad in the Europa League group stage in September, Man United have gone unbeaten in their last 17 home games, with 15 wins and just 2 draws.

Barcelona missing key midfields in Manchester

Barcelona continue to cruise in La Liga. They beat Cadiz on the weekend, their seventh straight league win, as they maintained their eight-point lead over Real Madrid.

However, the Catalans have major concerns for the second leg against Manchester United as they will be without their two terrific young midfielders, Pedri and Gavi, for the second leg. Pedri picked up a hamstring injury, while Gavi will be suspended after getting booked in the first leg.

Barca are also still without star winger Ousmane Dembele, although captain Sergio Busquets made his return to the squad against Cadiz.

With Pedri and Gavi out, Xavi will likely turn to Frenkie de Jong and Franck Kessie to man the midfield at Old Trafford. Meanwhile, Ansu Fati, Ferran Torres and Sergi Roberto are also in contention to start alongside Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha.

Raphinha was Barca’s first-leg star as he was involved in both of their goals. And with Dembele, Pedri and Gavi out, the Brazilian will have an even bigger burden to bear in terms of providing Europa League 2023 highlights.

UEFA – Champions League

LIVERPOOL

REAL MADRID

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History

Manchester United have not had much success against Barcelona over the years. In fact, they have won just one of their last 11 matches against the Catalans (5 draws, 5 losses).

United’s only win during that time was in their 2008 Champions League semi-final second leg. They won 1-0 thanks to a Paul Scholes screamer as they went on to win the Champions League.

Man United have had a strong home record of late, losing just two of their last 11 European matches at Old Trafford. However, both of those defeats came against Spanish foes: Atletico Madrid (0-1 in March 2022) and Real Sociedad (0-1 in September 2022).

Betting Tip

Manchester United VS Barcelona

February 24, 4:00 (GMT+8)

1X2 Manchester United

@2.33

SBOTOP odds have Manchester United installed as only slight 2.33 favourites to get the home win they need to move on to the round of 16. Despite their significant list of absentees, Barcelona are priced at 2.57 to win at Old Trafford, while a draw is 3.30. A Manchester United win appears to be a strong value bet, given their outstanding home form coupled with the absence of several key Barcelona players. The Catalans can still make things quite competitive, but United should have enough to get the win and advance to the round of 16.

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Europa League: History Old and New Meet in Berlin

Union Berlin vs Ajax

Ask any general football fan and the chances are they will know of Ajax.

Whether through famous European Cup or UEFA Cup (now Europa League) highlights, mere mention of the Dutch masters led by two greats, Rinus Michels and Johan Cruyff, sparks a misty-eyed look – igniting the memory of the ‘total football’ played by both the Amsterdam club and national team.

With the greatest of respects to Union Berlin, ask any general football fan and there will be a fair few who have not even heard of a club which, until four years ago, had never graced the German top flight.

After becoming the first club from the former East Berlin and the sixth from the former East Germany to reach the top tier, they have barely looked back.

So much so, in fact, they probably begin the second leg of their Europa League play-off tie on Thursday night as slight favourites.

Talking Points

For a start they are currently joint top of the Bundesliga, level on points with Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund who have been the established top two for more than a decade.

In fact, but for a frustrating goalless draw at home to bottom club Schalke on Sunday, they would be out on their own at the summit, putting two heavy pre-World Cup defeats firmly behind them.

By contrast, Ajax are struggling to keep pace domestically and in Europe.

La Liga

ELCHE

REAL BETIS

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Now this should hardly be a surprise.

They have spent several summers losing their best players to some of the elite European clubs and, financially, that doesn’t seem like it will change anytime soon.

I remember reading in 2019, the year in which they came within seconds of reaching the Champions League Final (they eventually went out on away goals), that their prize money for winning the Dutch Eredvisie was a fraction of that received by clubs who were relegated from the English Premier League.

And there you have it.

It is against that backdrop that Ajax are competing and it is little wonder they have said farewell to key men summer after summer.

Last year was a case in point as winger Antony and defender Lisandro Martinez followed manager Erik ten Hag to Manchester United, German champions Bayern Munich recruited midfielder Ryan Gravenberch and Noussair Mazraoui, Borussia Dortmund snapped up striker Sebastien Haller and left-back Nicolas Tagliafico moved to Lyon.

Experienced international defender Daley Blind has also since moved onto Bayern.

Perhaps then it should be no great shock that the likes of Alfred Schreuder struggled and he and the club parted company a couple of weeks ago after seven league games without a win. – they have since recovered to win four of their last five and are three points off the summit under caretaker boss Johnny Heitinga.

Fresh from rolling over Sparta Rotterdam 4-0 at the weekend, with captain Dusan Tadic producing one of his best performances of the seasons, they will be hopeful of ending Union Berlin’s fine home record in a tie which is evenly poised after a goalless first leg.

To put that into context, that match was Ajax’s 150th in the UEFA Cup/Europa League, while Union were making their debut in the knockout stages of the competition.

This season they have put together a bizarre run of results in the Europa games.

After losing the first two matches to Union SG and Braga, the German outfit recorded four wins, all by a 1-0 scoreline, two of the triumphs coming versus Malmo.

Now another such win will send them through to the last 16.

Manager Urs Fischer will have ambitions to go as far as possible in Europe but he will also have one eye on ensuring that his team do not lose any momentum domestically.

After all, Union are the team which has made the Bundesliga sit up and take notice.

They have lost just one of 15 home matches this term, and one of 22 dating back to last season, and no team has managed as many as their five clean sheets in the Europa League so far this season.

They are also a threat in attack where Sheraldo Becker – another Ajax youth product who has ended up elsewhere – has registered a single-season personal best eight goals and seven assists in all competitions so far.

Could they be about to claim a European scalp as history old and new meet in Berlin.

History

Last week’s goalless first leg was the first competitive game between the two clubs, although they did draw 2-2 in a friendly in 2020.

Betting Tip

Union Berlin VS Ajax

February 24, 04:00 (GMT+8)

Ajax Asian Handicap 0.00

@ 2.40

The SBOTOP Europa League betting odds lean towards the home side who are available to back 1X2 @ 2.22 and Asian Handicap -0.50 @ 2.23.

Ajax are on offer a bit further out, both 1X2 @ 2.85 and Asian Handicap 0.00 @ 2.40.

Another draw, at least before extra-time or penalties, is available @ 3.15.

Given their home defensive record, perhaps total goal 0-1 @ 2.60 is worth a punt, or how about under 2.00 goals @ 2.26?

If there is to be yet another 1-0 home success, Correct Score will pay out @ 6.00.

Those last three options have all tempted me, but I am going to plump for an Ajax revival and a** prediction of Asian Handicap 0.00 @ 2.40.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 22-Feb-2023 at 12:32 PM

Champions League: Real Madrid are Simply Magnificent

There are a select few clubs who could come from 2-0 down in the backyard of a leading European team and fightback to draw.

There are even fewer clubs who could come from 2-0 down in the backyard of a leading European team and score three times and win.

Yet there is probably only one club in world football which could come from 2-0 down in the backyard of a leading European team to make them feel completely demoralised and bereft in front of their own supporters.

Yet that is exactly what we witnessed in the Champions League this week.

A night that anyone who is associated with Spanish, European and World Champions Real Madrid will never forget; and for very different reasons, a night Liverpool will not be able to forget in a hurry either.

For Tuesday was the night where Anfield was silenced, for all but a pocket of visiting fans in the corner; the night where ruthless Real exposed the failings of last season’s defeated finalists.

On that occasion, in Paris, it was close.

Fast forward eight and a half months and it was a rout as Real piled on yet more Mersey misery.

La Liga

REAL MADRID

ATLETICO MADRID

1X2 Atletico Madrid @ 3.85

Real Madrid Asian Handicap -1.00 @ 2.44

Under 2.25 @ 2.16

Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.

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To recover from being two goals behind so early, and also with major absences in the middle on the shape of Aurélien Tchouameni and Toni Kroos, as well as long David Alaba early to injury, would have deflated most sides.

What followed were Champions League highlights for the ages and a night to savour.

As Spanish media outlet MARCA observed: ‘The truth is that this Real Madrid team simply don’t know when they’re beaten in the Champions League. Tonight was another test of their character and they have proven themselves once again’.

A team of class, character and unstinting belief.

The events on Merseyside made the other match on Tuesday seem almost forgotten but Napoli will not mind quietly having one foot in the quarter-finals.

The Serie A league leaders faced a tough match at Europa League holders Eintracht Frankfurt but proved more than equal to the task.

After Khvicha Kvaratskhelia had a penalty saved, Victor Osimhen scored his 20th goal of the season just before the break.

It got worse for Frankfurt midway through the second half as Randal Kolo Muani was sent off for a bad challenge.

Giovanni di Lorenzo then added a second, placing a shot into the far corner.

The victory gives Napoli a big advantage for the return leg in Italy on March 15.

Not since the days of the great Diego Maradona have Napoli been so admired at home and in Europe.

Another Italian side has an edge going into their second leg after a late goal saw off FC Porto in the San Siro.

Inter Milan went out at this stage of the competition last season and under Antonio Conte failed to get out of the group stage, despite big spending.

One of those big money recruits did the damage to take Inter within 90 minutes of a first European Cup quarter-final in 12 years.

When Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku headed against the post, he was alert to react and swiftly volleyed home a rebound from close range for his fourth goal of the season and his second in a week.

It was also his 10th goal in his last 15 Champions League appearances.

The goal arrived eight minutes after the visitors had been reduced to 10 men when Otavio was shown a yellow card for clipping the ankle of Hakan Calhanoglu ankle as the Inter man was trying to find space to shoot.

With that went Porto’s best chance as Inter goalkeeper Andre Onana denied both Zaidu Sanusi and Mehdi Taremi.

Man City are among the favourites for this season’s tournament – the SBOTOP Champions League betting odds allude to that.

Yet they will have to win at home after being pegged back by RB Leipzig in Germany.

The English champions were good value for their half-time lead, secured midway through the half when Ilkay Gundogan pounced on a mistake in defence and fed Riyad Mahrez who drove home.

Similar to their league draw at Nottingham Forest last weekend, City remained on top but could not convert any further chances and as the home side grew in confidence, they were rewarded when Josko Gvardiol – the Croatian defender who caught the eye at the World Cup – headed in an equaliser following a short corner.

You would still expect City to progress, while Inter and Napoli have the edge.

However, the only real talking point of the week was majestic Real.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 23-Feb-2023 at 12:18 PM

Europa League: Arsenal Have Sporting in Their Crosshairs

Sporting Lisbon vs Arsenal

Europa League action is back in Portugal as Sporting host Arsenal at the Jose Alvalade Stadium for the first leg of their Round of 16 tie.

Sporting have made it this far after beating Midtjylland convincingly in the second leg of their tie. They have also improved their form in the Primeira Liga, winning four of their last five domestic matches.

The Gunners, on the other hand, are still on top of the Premier League table. Like Sporting, Arsenal have also won four of their last five domestic matches.

Despite being in great form, Sporting are the underdogs since they haven’t beaten Arsenal here in Europe, but they’ll use this as motivation when they host them on Thursday night.

Talking Points

Sporting’s strike duo needs to click

Pedro Goncalves and Marcus Edwards are two of Sporting’s attacking threats, and they must be on target to go toe-to-toe with Arsenal.

Goncalves is Primeira Liga’s leading scorer with 12 goals, and his 18 goal involvements are by far the highest for Sporting. He recorded a brace against Midtjylland in the second leg, which secured their spot in the Round of 16.

The 24-year-old can play either as an attacking midfielder or as a winger. He has created 35 chances directly when he carries the ball, which is at least five more than any player in their domestic league.

Marcus Edwards is also making waves in Portugal after being shipped out of Tottenham a few years ago. The English native may be small at 5’6”, but his pace and clinical finishing are attributes that would give Arsenal’s defence headaches.

Mikel Arteta likely to rotate his squad

After this game against Sporting on Thursday, Arsenal only have three days’ rest before they visit Fulham, so Mikel Arteta is expected to rotate his squad.

Arsenal are on the back of a 3-2 comeback win over Bournemouth on Saturday, as they rallied from a two-goal deficit to stay on top of the Premier League standings with a five-point cushion over Manchester City.

Philip Billing and Marco Senesi put the Cherries on top, but Thomas Partey and Ben White levelled for the Gunners after 70 minutes. And then, super sub Reiss Nelson scored a dramatic 97^th-minute winner, which sparked bedlam at the Emirates.

Nelson also assisted on White’s equaliser, making him the unlikely hero for the Gunners. The 23-year-old winger might be tasked with trying to create new Europa League 2023 highlights on Thursday.

Takehiro Tomiyasu was awful against Bournemouth, and he was substituted at halftime in place of Ben White. Mikel Arteta might be thinking about starting Ben White as a full-back, with Kieran Tierney as the second option.

Leandro Trossard was forced off from the match against the Cherries due to what appeared to be a groin injury, meaning he won’t be available against Sporting on Thursday.

Mikel Arteta is hoping that Eddie Nketiah will be fully recovered from his ankle injury by Thursday to replace Leandro Trossard, who was playing as their false nine.

Premier League

LEEDS UNITED

BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION

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History

Sporting and Arsenal meet for the fifth time in Europe this Thursday. The last time that these two sides faced off was in the 2018-19 Europa League group stage, where both of them held the top two spots in Group E over Vorskla and Qarabag FK.

After a goalless draw in their first group stage meeting that season, Arsenal won the next fixture with a scoreline of 1-0, thanks to Danny Welbeck. That win was the reason why the Gunners took the top spot.

Arsenal went all the way to the final, losing 4-1 to Chelsea. On the other hand, Sporting were eliminated by Villarreal in the Round of 32 play-offs.

In this particular fixture, Arsenal have yet to lose or concede a goal. They’re also undefeated in six previous meetings with Portuguese opponents in the Europa League (W3, D3).

However, Sporting advanced from each of their previous six encounters with English teams in the Europa League knockout stages.

Betting Tip 

Sporting Lisbon VS Arsenal

March 10, 1:45 (GMT+8)

1X2 Arsenal

@2.10

The SBOTOP Europa League 2023 odds favour Arsenal to win. For this game, we’re going for the Gunners to win at 2.10, but Sporting are not to be underestimated since a draw or a win for them is priced at 3.20 in the 1X2 market.Sporting have had a difficult time shipping in goals, and this might continue to be the case on Thursday. Arsenal are going to do their part on that end, though, so you might also consider going for Total Goal 2-3 at 2.16 as your alternative bet.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 11-Mar-2023 at 3:42 PM

Europa League: Red Devils Need Strong Response After Historic Rout

Manchester United vs Real Betis

After suffering a historic defeat at the hands of rivals Liverpool in the Premier League, Manchester United must now try to move on as they host Real Betis in the first leg of their Europa League round of 16 tie.

The Verdiblancos held mighty Real Madrid to a goalless draw over the weekend as they continued their recent resurgence in La Liga.

Betis boss Manuel Pellegrini has a fine record against Manchester United in his managerial career, and the Chilean will be keen to defy the Europa League 2023 betting odds as his Betis side head into Old Trafford.

UEFA – Champions League

BAYERN MUNICH

PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN

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Talking Points

Man United must move on from 7-0 mauling

Things were looking so good for Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United. They came into the Liverpool match on an 11-match unbeaten run, with a big win over Barcelona in the Europa League play-off and a Carabao Cup triumph, their first trophy in six years.

But all that positive momentum came crashing down as the Red Devils suffered a 7-0 drubbing, tying their heaviest defeat in club history.

No Red Devil acquitted himself well in that disastrous performance, which ten Hag described as “unprofessional.” But Bruno Fernandes in particular caught the brunt of the criticism for his horrendous showing.

There are calls to strip Burno of the club captaincy, but the Portuguese playmaker looks set to lead United against Betis.

However, Casemiro is a doubt to play in the first leg against Betis due to injury, which would be a huge blow to a United defence in desperate need of solidity after their horrific display against Liverpool.

Marcel Sabitzer might get the start in case Casemiro is not fit to play, although the old partnership of Fred and Scott McTominay is also an option.

Meanwhile, Marcus Rashford will look to bounce back after failing to score in back-to-back appearances. Rashford, who leads the team with 25 goals in all competitions, is the co-leading scorer in the Europa League with four goals in six games.

Real Betis back on track

After a disastrous start to 2023 where they lost five of eight games, Real Betis are finally back on track. The Verdiblancos have gone unbeaten in their last four games in La Liga, with three wins and a draw against European champions Real Madrid over the weekend. Those strong results have lifted Betis back up to fifth in the La Liga standings.

Betis’ clean sheet against Real was just their second in 2023. Although, they did have a strong defensive record in the Europa League group stage, conceding just four goals in six games as they went undefeated with five wins and a draw.

Meanwhile, Manuel Pellegrini will once again be without veteran playmaker Nabil Fekir, who is out for the season with a knee injury.

However, he is expected to have Sergio Canales back to provide Europa League 2023 highlights after the winger missed the last couple of matches with a thigh injury. Prior to his injury, Canales had been on a hot streak, with three goals and two assists in his last three games.

Leading scorer Borja Iglesias (10 goals) didn’t start any of Betis’ group stage matches as Pellegrini rotated to Willian Jose up front. But the Spanish international looks set to lead the line at Old Trafford.

History

This is the first time Manchester United and Real Betis will meet in a competitive match. However, Betis will be the third Spanish side that United will face in this Europa League run after Real Sociedad in the group stage and Barcelona in the play-off round.

After losing 1-0 to La Real at Old Trafford, United returned the favour with a 1-0 win at the Anoeta. They then drew 2-2 at Camp Nou before beating Barca 2-1 in the second leg at home.

As for Betis, they have lost four of their last six European games against English opposition, with just one win and one draw.

Meanwhile, Betis manager Manuel Pellegrini has quite a history against the Red Devils. Pellegrini managed United rivals Manchester City from 2013 to 2016 and also West Ham United in the Premier League. The Chilean lost just three times in 13 games against United, with five wins and five draws.

Moreover, Pellegrini faced United four times in European competition while he was manager of Villarreal. All four games ended in goalless draws.

Betting Tip

Manchester United VS Real Betis

March 10, 04:00 (GMT+8)

Real Betis Asian Handicap +1.25

@1.93

SBOTOP odds have Manchester United installed as major 1.41 favourites to win the first leg at home. Betis are priced at 6.00, while a draw is 4.50.

Real Betis will not be an easy opponent for Manchester United. The Spanish side are full of confidence amid their stellar form, and they have a manager in Manuel Pellegrini who has proven he is capable of getting a good result at Old Trafford.

While the Red Devils will be raring to respond after their humiliation at Anfield, don’t bet against Betis from coming away from the first leg with a positive result, or at the very least, only a narrow defeat.

●●●

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Europa League: Mourinho Is Back on the Silverware Hunt

AS Roma vs Real Sociedad

Roma and Real Sociedad will meet for the first time on Thursday as the European heavyweights clash in the Europa League Round of 16.

There are some big hitters in the competition, including Premier League leaders Arsenal and Italian giants Juventus, and this tiestands among them as an eye-catching fixture.

The tie is finely balanced between two clubs which expect success, with Roma at SBOTOP odds of 1.85 to make it through to the quarter-finals and Real Sociedad 2.01.

Jose Mourinho’s Roma come into the game on the back of a huge 1-0 victory over Juventus, a result which took them into the top four of Serie A. Meanwhile, in the last round of La Liga games Imanol Alguacil’s Sociedad suffered a disappointment at home to Cadiz, drawing 0-0 to put their top-four place in La Liga under threat.

Talking Points

Juve win is timely for Roma

I Giallorossi were ticking along nicely a couple of weeks ago, beating Verona in the league and then seeing off Red Bull Salzburg in the Europa League with a 2-0 home victory. But then the wheels fell off as Roma managed to lose to relegation fodder Cremonese and Mourinho was red-carded during the 2-1 reversal.

Europa League

SPORTING

ARSENAL

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Roma’s clash with Juventus was a chance for the Giallorossi to get back on track, and be undefeated in a campaign against Juve for the first time since 2004 and they took it. The Special One fielded a team without a Number Nine striker, leaving out Tammy Abraham and Andrea Belotti, preferring instead to allow Paulo Dybala a free role across the front. And while Dybala didn’t score, the setup worked and defender Gianluca Mancini won the game with a screamer.

Mourinho is a master tactician and he simply loves to win silverware, guiding Roma to Europa Conference League glory last season. He has won 14 of his home matches in the Europa League, drawing one and losing one and we can expect his team to go hard again on Thursday.

Silva back for Sociedad

Sociedad have been stuttering recently and it is no coincidence that former Manchester City star David Silva has been sidelined for the last few weeks. Sociedad had picked up just one win from the last four so his return to the squad for the match against Cadiz was a sight for sore eyes.

La Real drew a blank again, but Silva got some vital minutes under his belt, coming on as a 61^st-minute substitute. He showed some nice touches and his usual calmness carrying the ball, and he must be in line for a start against Roma. Iguacil can also welcome back Ander Guevera and Mohamed-Ali Cho to the squad, but Aritz Elustondo and Umar Sadiz remain sidelined.

Sociedad’s biggest goal threats to produce some Europa League 2023 highlights come from Norwegian striker Alexander Sorloth and captain Mikel Oyarzabal. Mourinho is sure to try to nullify the danger by protecting his defence, sitting Nemanja Matic in a deep-lying role and the La Real forwards will have to work hard for their chances.

History

Both sets of fans have reason to be optimistic.

Roma have lost just two of their last 33 home matches in European competition, though both defeats were against Spanish opposition, Real Madrid in 2018 and Real Betis in a 2-1 loss in this competition.

Sociedad won all three of their away group matches in this Europa League without conceding a single goal, including a 1-0 victory over tournament favourites Manchester United as Brais Mendez scored from the penalty spot.

We don’t have any historic head-to-head to guide us, but recent form has been patchy in both camps though Roma have been a little stronger with three wins, one draw, and two defeats from the last six games, while La Real have won just once, drawn three and lost two.

Roma have won four home matches in a row and I’m backing them to make it five.

Betting Tip

AS Roma VS Real Sociedad

March 10, 01:45 (GMT+8)

1X2 AS Roma

@ 2.12

Roma and Sociedad are both decent outside bets for the whole tournament, at odds of 14.00 and 19.00 respectively, and the pre-match Europa League 2023 betting odds point to a tight game at the Stadio Olimpico on Thursday.

The hosts are priced at 2.06 to take a first-leg lead, with the draw at 3.11 and an away win at 3.11. I think it will be Mourinho’s night and a narrow home victory will tee up the second leg nicely.

●●●

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 11-Mar-2023 at 3:46 PM

Europa League: Red Devils Respond While the Gunners Stutter

It was a packed Thursday night for football fans as we’ve been treated to eight fun Europa League Round of 16 matches.

Manchester United, Bayer Leverkusen, AS Roma, Juventus, and Sevilla took care of business in the first leg, beating Real Betis, Ferencvaros, Real Sociedad, SC Freiburg, and Fenerbahce. Meanwhile, Union Berlin, Sporting, and Shakhtar Donetsk had draws at home against Union Saint-Gilloise, Arsenal, and Feyenoord, respectively.

If you missed the action, don’t worry, as SBOTOP is here to recap the biggest takeaways from last night’s Europa League 2023 results.

Manchester United put Anfield disaster behind them

Following their horrific performance against Liverpool on Monday, Manchester United owe their fans, and they responded in a positive way by dominating Real Betis at Old Trafford with a scoreline of 4-1.

It didn’t take long for the Red Devils to get into the scoring column, as Marcus Rashford netted after six minutes, but Los Verdiblancos worried the hosts when they equalised through Ayoze Perez 26 minutes later.

But Real Betis’ hopes of pulling off an upset were ruined when Manchester United came out firing in the second half, as Antony, Bruno Fernandes, and Wout Weghorst essentially put the game – and probably the tie – to bed.

Weghorst was particularly happy when he ended his goal drought because it was his first goal at Old Trafford. Before this game, the towering Dutchman had only scored one goal for the club in their 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest in the EFL Cup last January.

Erik ten Hag is also delighted with the character his players have shown. He also complimented Bruno Fernandes for his man-of-the-match performance after the Portuguese captain was singled out for criticism in the aftermath of their Liverpool defeat.

So, the Red Devils are back on track, and they’re hoping to keep the momentum going when they face the Saints on Sunday in the Premier League. As for Real Betis, they’ll visit Villarreal on Sunday for their next La Liga contest.

Sporting brought the fight to Arsenal

The Europa League 2023 odds have tilted towards Manchester United’s favour after their fellow Premier League team, Arsenal, were held to a 2-2 draw by Sporting last night.

As expected, Mikel Arteta rotated his squad, making six changes from the lineup that defeated Bournemouth on Saturday to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League standings.

Reiss Nelson, the hero in the Bournemouth match, was given a start while Matt Turner took over the goal post to give Aaron Ramsdale the night off. Jorginho, Granit Xhaka, Jakub Kiwior, and Ben White were all started as well over Martin Odegaard, Thomas Partey, Gabriel Magalhaes, and Takehiro Tomiyasu.

Arsenal and Sporting exchanged goals from corners in the first half, as centre-backs William Saliba and Goncalo Inacio both found the back of the net.

In the second half, it was Sporting who scored first and took the lead, as Paulinho netted in the 55^th minute. However, Arsenal drew level when Granit Xhaka’s ball deflected in off Hidemasa Morita for an own goal.

Many have pointed out (including Arteta himself) that defending set-pieces is becoming an issue for Arsenal, as shown in this game. Sporting exploited Matt Turner and Jakub Kiwior in particular, so Arteta is likely bringing back Ramsdale and Gabriel into the starting XI for the second leg next week.

Premier League

FULHAM

ARSENAL

1X2 Arsenal @ 1.59

Over 2.50 @ 1.85

Total Goals 2-3 @ 1.91

Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.

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Serie A teams move one step closer

Juventus and AS Roma pulled out important home wins against SC Freiburg and Real Sociedad with scorelines of 1-0 and 2-0, respectively.

I Bianconeri put the Black Forest under immense pressure, but they were wasteful in the first half. They pushed forward in search of the opener, and they got it in the 53^rd minute when Angel Di Maria headed the ball in from an accurate Filip Kostic cross.

Freiburg thought they restored parity when Lucas Holer fired past Wojciech Szczesny, but it was called off due to Matthias Ginter’s handball during the build-up.

But with a slender 1-0 deficit, Christian Streich’s men have hope that they can turn things around in the second leg next week.

Unlike Juventus, it didn’t take long for AS Roma to claim the edge over Real Sociedad, as Stephan El Shaarawy scored off of a clever sequence from Tammy Abraham and Paulo Dybala.

Marash Kumbulla extended their lead to two goals in the 87^th minute when he converted a corner kick from Dybala, and the capital club now has a two-goal cushion ahead of the second leg, when they visit Real Sociedad at the Reale Arena.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 11-Mar-2023 at 3:48 PM

Champions League: Potter Plotting Chelsea Comeback over Dortmund

Chelsea vs Borussia Dortmund

Amid their recent struggles, Chelsea are still very much in their Champions League round of 16 tie against Borussia Dortmund. The Blues went down 1-0 in the first leg, but after picking up a morale-boosting win over the weekend, Graham Potter’s side are now plotting a second-leg comeback at Stamford Bridge.

Although, Borussia Dortmund will be quite a dangerous foe. BVB continued their perfect start to 2023 with a 2-1 win over RB Leipzig and will be confident in their ability to progress to the quarter-finals.

Talking Points

Chelsea claim confidence-boosting win

Chelsea’s six-game winless run finally came to an end as they edged out Leeds 1-0 in their weekend match at home. Wesley Fofana, who was making his first start since returning from injury, got the winning goal which helped ease the pressure on under-fire coach Graham Potter.

After using a 4-2-3-1 formation in recent weeks, Potter switched to his more preferred back-three system, with Fofana, Kalidou Koulibaly, and Benoit Badiashile. Meanwhile, Kai Havertz, Joao Felix and Raheem Sterling started as the front three.

Felix and Havertz both had four shots in the first leg away from home as Chelsea outshot Dortmund 21-14. Although, the Blues were not clinical in front of goal, with Joao Felix hitting the woodwork.

Reece James missed the Leeds match due to a slight injury, but Potter said there is a “strong chance” James returns in midweek against Dortmund. Ruben Loftus-Cheek played at right wing-back against Leeds and will be on standby should James miss out again.

Potter will also have an important decision to make on whether he will stick with a back three in Dortmund. Badiashile is not part of Chelsea’s Champions League squad, and with Thiago Silva out, the Blues don’t have too many centre-backs to spare.

But Cesar Azpilicueta could be back after a stint in the concussion protocol, while Trevoh Chalobah and Marc Cucurella are also options to fill in at centre-back.

Dortmund out to defend perfect 2023 in London

Borussia Dortmund’s perfect 2023 continued as they beat RB Leipzig 2-1 in their big Bundesliga clash over the weekend. Marco Reus and Emre Can both struck in the first half to hand BVB their 10th straight win in all competitions in this calendar year.

Coach Edin Terzic has been starting a mostly settled lineup in recent weeks, and he is unlikely to make too many changes once again.

However, Terzic has been starting January recruit Julian Ryerson at left-back over Raphael Guerreiro in recent weeks, perhaps for more defensive solidity.

Ryerson got the start against Leipzig, and with Dortmund needing to defend a 1-0 lead, the Norwegian might be preferred once again to Guerreiro. Although, the Portuguese has been quite productive in the Champions League – he has 2 goals and the assist to Adeyemi’s goal in the first leg – and is vastly more experienced, so he could yet get the nod.

Adeyemi produced one of the top Champions League 2023 highlights with his brilliant goal at Signal Iduna park, and his continued absence will be a blow to Dortmund. His pace on the counter-attack would have been a massive weapon at Stamford Bridge.

But Dortmund still possess plenty of attacking options with the likes of Reus, Jude Bellingham, Julian Brandt, and Sebastien Haller.

History

Losing in the first leg is has not been an automatic death sentence for Chelsea historically. The Blues have lost seven times in the Champions League knockout stage, and they have would up progressing four times and have been eliminated three times.

UEFA – Champions League

BAYERN MUNICH

PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN

CLICK HERE

TO SEE UPDATED ODDS

Meanwhile, Dortmund don’t have the best record in England. They have lost their last five Champions League away games against Premier League sides.

Moreover, Chelsea have had a strong record at Stamford Bridge. They have won seven of their last nine Champions League home games, with their only loss coming against eventual champions Real Madrid in last season’s quarter-finals.

Betting Tip

Chelsea VS Borussia Dortmund

March 08, 04:00 (GMT+8)

Under 2.50

@1.95

SBOTOP Champions League 2023 betting odds have Chelsea installed as 1.94 favourites to beat Borussia Dortmund in the home leg. Meanwhile, BVB are priced at 3.45 to maintain their perfect 2023, and a draw is 3.35.

After an open first leg with plenty of attacking, the second leg in London could be a more cagey affair. Dortmund will likely set up more defensively to protect their lead and dare Chelsea’s misfiring attack to break them down. As a result, this could very well be another low-scoring match.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 11-Mar-2023 at 3:50 PM

Champions League: Bayern Hoping to Progress Past PSG

Bayern Munich vs Paris Saint-Germain

Bayern Munich are in the driver’s seat to move on to the Champions League quarter-finals at the expense of Paris Saint-Germain.

The German champions have a 1-0 lead to defend in the second leg at home against a PSG side that will be without a couple of key players in Neymar and Achraf Hakimi.

But the Parisians still possess two game-changers in Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe, so while the Champions League 2023 betting odds aren’t in their favour, they must not be underestimated by any means in Munich.

Talking Points

Bayern attack in fine form

For the first time in a while, Bayern Munich are in an actual title race in the Bundesliga. They are still top of the table, but only by goal difference, after beating relegation strugglers Stuttgart 2-1 over the weekend.

Matthijs de Ligt and Eric Choupo-Moting got the goals for Bayern, who are finally back to full strength in attack. Sadio Mane is back from injury and has come on as a substitute in the last two games.

However, Mane will likely start on the bench once again as the attacking foursome of Choupo-Moting, Thomas Muller, Jamal Musiala, and Kingsley Coman continue to be in excellent form.

Choupo-Moting has rediscovered his pre-World Cup goalscoring form with three goals in his last three games; Muller has three assists in his last two games; Musiala has been excellent all season; and Coman has five goals in his last five games, including the winning goal in the first leg against PSG.

Coman and Joao Cancelo played as wing-backs in the first leg in Paris, but Cancelo has not started in each of the last two games as Nagelsmann has turned to youngster Josip Stanisic. And with Benjamin Pavard suspended, Stanisic may get the nod once again at the back.

UEFA – Champions League

CHELSEA

BORUSSIA DORTMUND

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TO SEE UPDATED ODDS

PSG missing key pair

PSG have responded well to their recent three-game losing skid, which culminated with their 1-0 defeat to Bayern in the first leg. The French champions have reeled off three wins in a row, scoring 11 goals during that time.

The return to fitness of superstar Kylian Mbappe has been key to PSG’s resurgence. The 24-year-old has scored five goals in their three-game win streak, and his late goal in their 4-2 win over Nantes saw him overtake Edinson Cavani as the club’s all-time goalscorer with 201 goals.

A not-quite-fit Mbappe changed the game for PSG when he came on in the second half against Bayern, and even with the injured Neymar out, he and the in-form Lionel Messi – three goals and two assists in his last three games – can produce plenty of Champions League 2023 highlights against Bayern.

Aside from Neymar, PSG will also be missing wing-back Achraf Hakimi, centre-back Presnel Kimpembe, and former Bayern midfielder Renato Sanches. Coach Christophe Galtier fielded an unexpected 4-4-2 formation in the first leg and handed a shock start to 16-year-old Warren Zaire-Emery.

Galtier is likely to play a 3-5-2 with Nordi Mukiele once again filling in for Hakimi at wing-back. Zaire-Emery also started on the weekend against Nantes, but Marco Verratti is expected to return at the heart of the PSG midfield in Munich.

History

Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain have been as evenly matched as can be in their Champions League clashes. The two European giants have won six games apiece in their 12 previous meetings.

Bayern have won three of their last four home games against PSG and five of the last seven overall. Moreover, they have been eliminated just twice in 22 previous times they’ve won the first leg of a Champions League knockout tie.

Betting Tip 

Bayern Munich VS Paris Saint-Germain

March 09, 4:00 (GMT+8)

PSG Asian Handicap +0.50

@2.04

SBOTOP odds have Bayern Munich installed as 1.86 favourites to get the win at home. PSG are priced at 3.30 to win away, while a draw is 3.90.

While Bayern have the home advantage, it’s tough to bet against Mbappe, especially when he’s in this sort of form. The French phenom completely changed the game in the 30-odd minutes he played in the first leg, and he can quite easily change the entire complexion of the tie.

With Mbappe on their side, PSG have more than a puncher’s chance to pick up a positive result in the second leg in Munich.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 11-Mar-2023 at 3:54 PM

Champions League: Both Spurs and Milan in Need of a Boost

Tottenham Hotspur vs AC Milan

Tottenham Hotspur and AC Milan come face to face on Wednesday in a winner-takes-all clash, the second leg of their Round of 16 Champions League tie.

A seventh-minute goal from Brahim Diaz gave the Italians a first-leg advantage and that puts Milan I Rossoneri in the box seat when they head to North London. Neither Tottenham nor Milan is in the top eight favourites to win the tournament with the SBOTOP odds offering 35.00 on the Whites and 46.00 on I Rossoneri.

But one of them is going to make the quarter-finals.

And it would be a timely boost for the victor of this tieas both clubs come into the game on the back of a potentially damaging loss in their domestic leagues. Tottenham lost 1-0 to Wolves on Saturday, and Liverpool’s 7-0 dismantling of Manchester United means that Antonio Conte’s men have only a three-point cushion to protect their Champions League spot, and fifth-placed Liverpool have a game in hand.

Meanwhile, Stefano Pioli’s Milan have a similar problem. Having lost 2-1 away to Fiorentina at the weekend I Rossoneri dropped to fifth in the Serie A table when Roma beat Juventus 1-0 to go fourth.

The Champions League 2023 odds reckon it will be the Italians who are celebrating on Wednesday night, pricing them at 1.60 to make it through while their hosts are out at 2.33.

Talking Points

Both teams wary of old enemies

Spurs fans will be painfully aware that Olivier Giroud has been on great form with Milan, particularly in this competition where he has scored four goals and made two assists. The France star is his country’s all-time top scorer with 53 goals and, while Tottenham have been in a trophy desert for decades, Giroud was merrily picking up silverware for two of Spurs’ biggest rivals. As an Arsenal player he won three FA Cups and then with Chelsea he won the Champions League, the Europa League and another FA Cup.

I wonder why Giroud never went to Tottenham?! 

Of course Spurs do have a serial trophy winner in Croatian winger Ivan Perisic, a man Rossoneri fans know well as a Scudetto winner with Inter Milan. He also has Champions League and Bundesliga medals on his mantelpiece and he’s Spurs most decorated player. He’s also their most creative in this competition, with three assists.

Can Kane and Son re-ignite their partnership?

Defeat to Wolves followed a disappointing exit from the FA Cup for Spurs when they lost 1-0 to Championship promotion hopefuls Sheffield United. They won their previous two games, home London derbies against West Ham and Chelsea, both by 2-0.

After struggling for much of this season, Heung-Min Son has been showing signs of his past form in recent weeks. He has two goals in this competition and was unlucky not to score against Wolves when his shot hit the woodwork.

UEFA – Champions League

BAYERN MUNICH

PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN

CLICK HERE

TO SEE UPDATED ODDS

Son’s partnership with Harry Kane has been the most prolific in the Premier League in recent years and, if they can click again then Tottenham’s season might still come to something. Kane has 18 goals in 26 league games and he is a key man in this fixture.

Conte will be without long-term absentees Hugo Lloris, Rodrigo Bentancur and Ryan Sessegnon.

Diaz doubtful for Milan

A 2-1 loss to La Viola was a blow to Milan after they have been on a run of four consecutive victories, particularly when Roma claimed that priceless fourth place when they beat the Old Lady. And Pioli had another piece of band news when attacking midfielder Brahim Diaz picked up an injury and he is unlikely to start against Spurs.

But that’s the Rossoneri boss’s only concern and he has plenty of firepower at his disposal with Portuguese star Rafael Leao in fine form alongside Giroud. Leao has made 15 goals contributions in the Serie A this season and, while he has only scored one goal in seven appearances, he will be a constant threat to produce Champions League 2023 highlights on Wednesday.

History

Tottenham have had the better of the head to-head results with three wins to one and there has been one draw.

Of course Milan won the most recent meeting and their recent form is better, with four wins and two losses from the last six while Spurs have suffered four defeats and won the other two.

But the Whites have won the last three games at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and that gives them the edge in this second leg. But will it be enough?

Betting Tip

Tottenham Hotspur VS AC Milan

March 09, 04:00 (GMT+8)

Total Goals 2-3

@1.91

At 1.96 to win the Whites are marginally odds on with Milan at 3.21 and the draw at 3.30, but I’m not convinced the hosts will take advantage.

Under 2.50 goals at a price of 1.85 caught my eye, but I think we may get to three goals as a draw is no good for Spurs, and I can’t see the hosts keeping out the Rossoneri attack.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 11-Mar-2023 at 3:57 PM

Champions League: Bayern Finish the Job on PSG

Paris Saint-Germain dropped out of the 2022/23 Champions League as they went down to a 2-0 defeat in Munich to a typically efficient Bayern.

So World Cup finalists Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe have had their time in the limelight and can turn their attention back to Ligue 1, while Bayern march on to the quarter-finals. 

A Kingsley Coman goal gave Bayern a 1-0 win in Paris which gave the French champions an uphill battle, but they started well as both Mbappe and Messi came close to levelling. But despite having the better of the first half PSG failed to get on even terms and paid the price in the second period.

Eric Choupo-Moting thought he’d broken the deadlock on 53 minutes but the celebrations were halted by a VAR check which found Thomas Muller in a marginally offside position. You’d think that intervention might spark something in the Parisiens but it was Bayern who responded and Choupo-Moting in particular, as he did notch the opener just eight minutes later. This time he took a pass from Leon Goretzka in the centre of the penalty area and fired a sweet shot into the bottom left corner. 

Mbappe forced a smart save from Yann Sommer low to his right and the Bayern keeper did well to keep out a header from Sergio Ramos but there was no way through for the visitors and Serge Gnabry, on as an 86^th-minute substitute, made it two on the night and 3-0 on aggregate when he finished off a fast break.

The Champions League 2023 betting oddsback FC Bayern as one of the best bets to make it through to the semi-finals and, on this evidence, it looks a decent shout. 

Chelsea finally come good…with a little help from the VAR!

Possibly the biggest surprise of this week’s Champions League 2023 updateswas Chelsea’s effort to overturn a first-leg deficit and beat Borussia Dortmund 2-1 on aggregate. But there was a huge amount of controversy in the result surrounding the retake of Kai Havertz penalty in the 53^rd minute.

Chelsea started brightly and they were rewarded before the break when Raheem Sterling met Ben Chilwell’s cutback, some ten yards out, with a searing strike which flew into the roof of the net. And the Blues had their golden chance to go ahead when Marius Wolf was, a little harshly, adjudged to have handled the ball when he got in the way of a Chilwell cross.

Havertz hammered his spot kick against the post but, as the Yellow Wall celebrated, VAR stepped in and the away end fell silent. Players from both sides had encroached into the penalty area; a blue shirt seemed to be the most advanced but to the letter of the law a retake was the outcome.

Havertz took his chance a second time around and Chelsea hung on for the win, which takes a little pressure off head coach Graham Potter. But BVB’s England star Jude Bellingham was far from impressed, saying: “The fact they had a retake is a joke.”

Dortmund pressed for the crucial next goal but they failed, Bellingham firing the best chance wide.

Spurs out with a whimper

AC Milan are through to the quarter finals of the Champions League after protecting a 1-0 first leg lead at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium…without breaking sweat. Spurs boss Antonio Conte returned to the touchline having recovered from gallbladder surgery and I bet he hadn’t bothered as his men registered just two shots on target, a poor return for a team which started the game at SBOTOP oddsof 1.96 to win.

When Cristian Romero was red-carded on 77 minutes it was pretty much game up for Tottenham. Conte wasn’t amused as his defender, already on a yellow card, put in a crude challenge on Theo Hernandez and earned himself an early bath.

Both teams are under pressure in their domestic leagues, both pushing for a top-four place and, while this result is a boost to I Rossoneri it won’t have done much for Spurs. 

Premier League

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR

NOTTINGHAM FOREST FC

1X2 Tottenham Hotspur @ 1.42

Over 2.50 @ 1.77

Total Goals 2-3 @ 1.98

Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.

CLICK HERE

Benfica batter Brugge

Roger Schmidt’s Benfica had no such problem hitting the target as the Pride of Lisbon put five past Club Brugge to send the Belgians out with an aggregate drubbing of 7-1.

The result meant that former Bournemouth manager Scott Parker has registered only two wins in his 12 games as head coach at Brugge and it turned out to be his last. His side held out for 38 minutes until Rafa Silva cut the visitors’ defence apart, leaving two defenders in his wake before smashing a left-foot strike into the net. Goncalo Ramos then helped himself to a brace with goals either side of the break as the floodgates opened. Joao Mario converted a penalty with 20 minutes remaining and David Neres completed the rout on 77. 

Bjorn Meijer scored the goal of the night with a stunner which flew into the top corner but it was little consolation for Brugge or their beleaguered boss, who was promptly sacked.

Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.

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This message was edited by SBOTOP on 11-Mar-2023 at 3:59 PM