Champions League Tips

Martigues are in a battle for survival and have only lost three of their last eight Ligue 2 games. They have lost by two or more goals in just one of their last 15, including none of their last eight away games, and face a Guingamp side that have lost their last three games and have only won by more than a single goal in two of their last nine.

Lecce have taken just one point from the last 24 available and they have only scored five times in their last ten outings, Atalanta should be able to win this one to nil to keep themselves just about in the title race.

Only one of these teams has something to play for as Stoke know three points would secure Championship football for next season, while Sheffield United are now looking ahead to the play-offs. The Potters are unbeaten in five at home (W3, D2) and can end any lingering drop fears by taking three points against a Blades side who have four defeats in their last five.

Drogheda United remain top of the Irish Premier Division having lost just one of their 11 games. This sole defeat came at home, leaving them with three wins and two draws from their five away games. They face a Galway United side that have lost their last two home matches.

These two sides are level on points heading into this game and Shelbourne have only lost once in 11 games this season, with that loss coming at home to table-toppers Drogheda United. Shamrock Rovers have failed to win their last two games and have only won two of their last four home matches.

Waterford are on an eight-game losing streak in the Irish Premier Division and have scored just two goals in this dreadful run, while favourites Derry City have won three of their last four matches and have kept a clean sheet in two of their last three away games.

The Cavs topped the Eastern Conference, putting up impressive numbers against the NBA’s strongest sides. They finished the season with the league’s best offensive rating, while they boast contenders for Defensive Player of the Year and Coach of the Year. The Cavs have a talented roster, which looks more cohesive under Kenny Atkinson’s watch. They head into the playoffs having put together three win streaks of 12 games or more this term, making this a standout price.

New York is now under a lot of pressure to respond following a loss in Game 2 at home. Their experience should show here as they go up against a young and inexperienced Pistons team hosting their first postseason game since 2018. After he laid an egg in Game 2 on Monday, I expect Karl-Anthony Towns to respond in a big way here. Give me the Knicks.

Justin Thomas has struggled in his last two Masters starts – no surprise given the downturn in his form generally – but he ended 2024 by finishing second and third in his last two events. He’s well suited to Augusta, where his approach play and scrambling ability are huge assets.

Rory McIlroy’s first PGA Tour title came at the Charlotte venue in 2010 and he’s gone on to win the Wells Fargo Championship at the course on a further three occasions. He is comfortable at Quail Hollow and looks an obvious title threat if he can hold it together mentally.

A runner-up in 2022 and third in 2023, the exacting test which the US Open usually provides should prove to be ideal for such a marvellous ball-striker as Scottie Scheffler.

Tommy Fleetwood is one of the best exponents of links golf in the world, finishing in the top 12 in four of the last six Opens. Expect him to make another bold run at the Claret Jug come July.

Aryna Sabalenka dominated the hard courts on the WTA tour last year, winning 40 of her 49 matches on the surface, and she claimed both the Australian Open and US Open titles. She can be devastating in Melbourne, winning 27 of her last 28 matches at the Grand Slam in the last three seasons.

Iga Swiatek remains the undisputed queen of clay on the WTA tour. The Pole has won the title at Roland Garros three seasons running as well as in 2020 and she has lost just twice in 37 matches at the clay-court Grand Slam.

Last season’s ATP Tour was pretty much dominated by Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, who each won two of the four Grand Slam titles, and between them it should be another stellar year. Alcaraz reigned supreme at Wimbledon, making it back-to-back titles at the All England Club, and Novak Djokovic’s obvious decline at 37 years of age makes the Spaniard a worthy favourite to rack up the hat-trick.

At the back end of a gruelling season, the US Open can sometimes throw up strange results and there are often surprises before the September silverware is eventually secured. It could, therefore, be worth going against the head of the market and hard-court specialist Daniil Medvedev ticks plenty of boxes at a nice price.

Macarthur still have an outside chance of qualifying for the Australia A-League play-offs as they head into their penultimate game against Melbourne Victory, although the visitors need results to secure their top-six status, too. That should lead to an attacking game, with Macarthur’s last four A-League fixtures producing 25 goals in total – all of them going over 3.5 goals – and three of Melbourne Victory’s last four featuring four or more goals.

Stuttgart played out a thrilling 4-4 draw with Union Berlin last time out and another high-scoring contest could be on the agenda. Over 2.5 goals has landed in seven of Stuttgart’s last eight games and there have been at least three goals scored in three of Heidenheim’s last five.

Annecy are chasing the Ligue 2 play-off positions but have struggled for goals recently, scoring only three times in their last five. All of these five games have featured fewer than three goals, while four of Ajaccio’s last five on the road have gone under 2.5 goals.

Martigues are in a battle for survival and have only lost three of their last eight Ligue 2 games. They have lost by two or more goals in just one of their last 15, including none of their last eight away games, and face a Guingamp side that have lost their last three games and have only won by more than a single goal in two of their last nine.

Waterford are on an eight-game losing streak in the Irish Premier Division and have scored just two goals in this dreadful run, while favourites Derry City have won three of their last four matches and have kept a clean sheet in two of their last three away games.

Drogheda United remain top of the Irish Premier Division having lost just one of their 11 games. This sole defeat came at home, leaving them with three wins and two draws from their five away games. They face a Galway United side that have lost their last two home matches.

Stuttgart played out a thrilling 4-4 draw with Union Berlin last time out and another high-scoring contest could be on the agenda. Over 2.5 goals has landed in seven of Stuttgart’s last eight games and there have been at least three goals scored in three of Heidenheim’s last five.

Only one of these teams has something to play for as Stoke know three points would secure Championship football for next season, while Sheffield United are now looking ahead to the play-offs. The Potters are unbeaten in five at home (W3, D2) and can end any lingering drop fears by taking three points against a Blades side who have four defeats in their last five.

Martigues are in a battle for survival and have only lost three of their last eight Ligue 2 games. They have lost by two or more goals in just one of their last 15, including none of their last eight away games, and face a Guingamp side that have lost their last three games and have only won by more than a single goal in two of their last nine.

PSG are unbeaten this season and should be able to extend that with a win over Nice, who have been victorious in one of their last six games. Both teams to score has been a winning bet in eight of Paris Saint-Germain’s last nine Ligue 1 home games and that is the pick in a home win.

Beerschot have lost their last five Belgium First Division A games but have found the net in three of these defeats. They face a Kortijk side that have won four of their last five in the league, but they have conceded in 19 of their last 21 top-flight outings.

Both teams have scored in Laval’s last three Ligue 2 games as they chase a play-off finish, with them scoring five and conceding eight in this period. Amiens have seen goals at both ends in four of their last five league assignments.

Drogheda United remain top of the Irish Premier Division having lost just one of their 11 games. This sole defeat came at home, leaving them with three wins and two draws from their five away games. They face a Galway United side that have lost their last two home matches.

Double chance backers should take a look at Heidenheim as the visitors are the team in need of points and Stuttgart have lost their last five home league games. Heidenheim have only lost one of their last four away (W1, D2) and that run includes a draw at RB Leipzig.

Sporting Gijon have won their last two Spanish Segunda Division games and their only defeat in their last five away games came courtesy of a 90th-minute winner for Huesca. Cadiz head into this game winless in five fixtures, while they have only won one of their last four at home and have failed to score in three of these games.

These two sides are level on points heading into this game and Shelbourne have only lost once in 11 games this season, with that loss coming at home to table-toppers Drogheda United. Shamrock Rovers have failed to win their last two games and have only won two of their last four home matches.

PSG are unbeaten this season and should be able to extend that with a win over Nice, who have been victorious in one of their last six games. Both teams to score has been a winning bet in eight of Paris Saint-Germain’s last nine Ligue 1 home games and that is the pick in a home win.

Stuttgart played out a thrilling 4-4 draw with Union Berlin last time out and another high-scoring contest could be on the agenda. Over 2.5 goals has landed in seven of Stuttgart’s last eight games and there have been at least three goals scored in three of Heidenheim’s last five.

Both of these sides are in excellent form and may be hard to split. Braga are unbeaten in six matches, winning five times and only being held by Sporting in that run, but Famalicao have gone six games without a defeat on their own patch and can hold on for a point, just as they did in the reverse fixture.

If Heidenheim are to get a result at Stuttgart they need their key men to step up and forward Marvin Pieringer looks a possible anytime scorer. Pieringer is his side’s top scorer in the league this term with seven goals, and he’s scored in three of the last four Bundesliga games in which his side have avoided defeat.

Lecce have taken just one point from the last 24 available and they have only scored five times in their last ten outings, Atalanta should be able to win this one to nil to keep themselves just about in the title race.

Waterford are on an eight-game losing streak in the Irish Premier Division and have scored just two goals in this dreadful run, while favourites Derry City have won three of their last four matches and have kept a clean sheet in two of their last three away games.

Drogheda United remain top of the Irish Premier Division having lost just one of their 11 games. This sole defeat came at home, leaving them with three wins and two draws from their five away games. They face a Galway United side that have lost their last two home matches.

This pair played out a 3-3 thriller in the reverse fixture and while the result may be the same this time, the scoreline is unlikely to be replicated. Braga have netted exactly one goal in three of their last four away matches and a 1-1 draw seems the likeliest scoreline on Friday.

Both teams have scored in six of Nice’s last seven matches and three of their last four games have finished 2-1 so take that scoreline to PSG in this one, who are unbeaten this season.

PSG are unbeaten this season and should be able to extend that with a win over Nice, who have been victorious in one of their last six games. Both teams to score has been a winning bet in eight of Paris Saint-Germain’s last nine Ligue 1 home games and that is the pick in a home win.

Beerschot have lost their last five Belgium First Division A games but have found the net in three of these defeats. They face a Kortijk side that have won four of their last five in the league, but they have conceded in 19 of their last 21 top-flight outings.

Bolivar continued their excellent home record in the Copa Libertadores with a 3-0 win over Sporting Cristal last time out, making it 12 wins, one draw, and just one defeat from their last 14 fixtures in this competition. This includes victories over Athletico Paranaense, Flamengo, and Thursday night’s visitors Palmeiras, who head to the high altitude of La Paz having failed to win three of their last six Copa Libertadores away games.

Bolivar continued their excellent home record in the Copa Libertadores with a 3-0 win over Sporting Cristal last time out, making it 12 wins, one draw, and just one defeat from their last 14 fixtures in this competition. This includes victories over Athletico Paranaense, Flamengo, and Thursday night’s visitors Palmeiras, who head to the high altitude of La Paz having failed to win three of their last six Copa Libertadores away games.

Sporting Cristal’s opening two games in the Copa Libertadores have featured eight goals in total and each of their last four in this competition have gone over 2.5 goals, while Cerro Porteno’s only home game of the group stages was a six-goal thriller, with each of their last three at home in the Copa Libertadores featuring at least three goals.

Bahia have taken four points from a possible six in this season’s Copa Libertadores and have not lost any of their games in this competition since returning to the stage this term following a 36-year absence. Atletico Nacional were hammered 3-0 at Internacional in their first away game of the Copa Libertadores campaign, making it six defeats from their last eight in this competition.

Central Cordoba beat Flamengo in their last Copa Libertadores game to make it four points from their opening two matches, and they come up against a Deportivo Tachira side that have lost both their group games this season without scoring, extending their winless run in this competition to nine matches, eight of which have ended in defeat.