Euro 2020 Match Day 2 Group Picks 2021 (June 16th-19th)

Teams won't be panicking after one round of fixtures has been played, but there will be a little more urgency and pressure on those that wish to go deep into the Euro 2020 Tournament when Match Day 2 rolls around.

It has already been a tournament filled with drama, but there should be plenty more to come and hopefully it will be solely concentrated on the football and not more scenes like most would have witnessed in the Denmark-Finland game last Saturday.

Games on Match Day 2 will be played from Wednesday through to Saturday evening and the final round of games will start on Sunday. These middle fixtures can be hugely pivotal to the way the Groups and subsequent draw for the Knock Out Rounds may pan out so there are some big fixtures to come.

Wednesday 16th June

Finland vs Russia Pick: Most of the attention in the United Kingdom may be on the upcoming 'derby' game between England and Scotland, but for fans of Finland they have a chance to bloody the noses of their neighbours Russia in the opening fixture of Match Day 2.

A 0-1 win over Denmark was a huge result for Finland, but the match and the result were overshadowed by the Christian Eriksen situation which saw the Danish midfielder fortunate to escape with his life after collapsing on the field just moments before half time.

On the field, Finland took their limited chances and were a little fortunate at the back, but the victory is one that puts them in a strong position to earn a surprising spot in the Last 16.

They rode their luck at times on Saturday though and Finland will have a tough test travelling to St Petersburg with all the emotions out of that win likely to affect the Group. An angry Russia team will be waiting for them having been embarrassed by Belgium in their opening Group game at home, but the manager may point out individual mistakes which effectively saw the hosts punished.

Russia have tended to have better success against teams of this level rather than Belgium too and I am expecting them to be a lot better than they were last time out. While they are not really amongst the elite of Europe, Russia have been very difficult to beat here and they may have just enough to edge past a Finland team that are still not a great traveller despite the win in Copenhagen.

A heavy loss to open the tournament means Russia will likely be searching for goals in this one just in case they have to rely on being one of the best of the third place finishers and I think Finland can also play their part.

My feeling is that Russia will edge past Finland in a relatively high-scoring fixture.

Turkey vs Wales Pick: The last time Turkey and Wales met came in the 1998 World Cup Qualifiers and it ended in a 6-4 win for Turkey in what can only be described as a topsy-turvy game.

It would be a massive surprise if we even get half that number on Match Day 2 of the Group Stage- Turkey are coming off an extremely disappointing performance when losing 3-0 to hosts Italy, while a late goal was enough to earn Wales a 1-1 draw with Switzerland.

The three points look to be vitally important for two teams that did not show the kind of bite they would have liked in the final third in their opening games. Neither defended that well either, but Italy were ruthless where Switzerland were not, while I am not sure either of these teams are capable of creating the same kind of chances against the other.

Turkey are perhaps the better of the two teams having been seen as a 'dark horse' before the tournament began, but they will be the first to admit they need to be a lot better. This team is capable and it will feel like a home game in Baku which could be key, although Turkey have been travelling from Rome while Wales have been waiting here after the draw with the Swiss.

There is a feeling that both teams will feel they have the quality in the final third to show better than they did in the opener, and I do think Turkey definitely have more to offer.

Wales don't create a lot of chances and I do think Turkey can largely contain the threats, although set pieces may be a problem for them. There is more pressure on Turkey to win the game which could leave them vulnerable to a late counter attack if they are chasing the game, but I think they are the better of the two teams and may edge to the valuable points.

Having the fans behind them will be a big help and Turkey are a team that can blow hot and cold- my feeling is we've see the ice cold and that the heat is ready to go on Wednesday in Baku.

Italy vs Switzerland Pick: We have seen all twenty-four teams that are playing at Euro 2020 this summer and there haven't been too many you would say have performed better than Italy in their opening fixture.

A comfortable 3-0 win over Turkey showed a confident and vibrant side that is capable of scoring goals, but one that has an experienced backline that can also make Italy very difficult to beat. Roberto Mancini will be looking for his team to take this game by the scruff of its neck as they did against Turkey and I do think Italy will be very difficult to stop.

Switzerland may feel differently as a well organised team that has shown they are no walkover even for the very top sides in European Football. Some of the players will be disappointed with the 1-1 draw against Wales considering the chances Switzerland created, and it has made it a touch more difficult in the Group knowing they are travelling from Baku to Rome and then back to Baku for the final fixture in the section.

I expect them to try and frustrate Italy, but Turkey tried the same and it was only a matter of time before the hosts broke them down and ultimately won the fixture with room to spare.

Finding the balance going the other way may make Switzerland more dangerous to the hosts than Turkey were, but I do think that could also leave spaces for a talented Italy team to exploit and eventually secure another victory.

Italy have scored more than two goals at a European Championship for the first time, and they certainly played with a freedom and confidence that suggests they will have too much for Switzerland too.

I do think Switzerland are a little more experienced than Turkey though and this should be a tighter victory for Italy compared with the first game of the tournament. The Swiss have lost tight games at Spain and Denmark since the World Cup and I think the main ambition will be to try and keep things as tight as possible for as long as possible.

They should have some success, but Italy look a strong team and a narrow win will likely see them top the Group regardless of the final round of fixture outcomes.

Thursday 17th June

Ukraine vs North Macedonia Pick: Neither of these teams were at their very best in the opening fixtures played at Euro 2020 and both Ukraine and North Macedonia conceded three times in defeats to the Netherlands and Austria respectively.

That means another defeat for either could be costly and should produce a decent game of football on Thursday afternoon to open the days play.

Both Ukraine and North Macedonia will feel they are better going forward and I do think Ukraine are a potential dark horse in the tournament if Andrey Shevchenko can just find the right balance in his team. Defensively they lacked against the Netherlands, but Ukraine showed they can score goals when going forward and I think they will be a little too good for the rank outsiders North Macedonia.

However, you cannot take anything for granted from the minnows who were level with Austria with less than 15 minutes remaining. North Macedonia did struggle defensively which is a concern for them, but they may give Ukraine something to think about the other way too.

The quality should be with Ukraine and losing the opener should mean Shevchenko looks for an attacking performance to make sure they are back in contention to Qualify for the Last 16 before the game against Austria.

Ukraine should have the goals to edge past North Macedonia as they bounce back from the valiant fightback that ultimately came up short against the Netherlands.

Denmark vs Belgium Pick: All thoughts with the nation have to be with talisman Christian Eriksen after the awful scenes in Copenhagen on Saturday.

Losing the game was the least concern for most inside the Stadium, but Denmark have to pick themselves up after being able to talk to Eriksen and hopefully knowing the midfielder is on the mend.

The defeat to Finland has put Denmark under the cosh and the feeling is that they can't really afford another one here if they want to make it through to the Last 16. Merely for the confidence point of view the Danes need to rally together and fight for their team-mate, but it has been an emotional few days and it will be very difficult for the Danes.

It doesn't help that they are facing one of the favourites to win Euro 2020 and Belgium are fresh off a convincing 3-0 win over Russia which has put them in a strong spot in the Group. The fact that victory was produced without Eden Hazard and Kevin De Bruyne shows the kind of strength in depth that Belgium can call upon and they did the double over Denmark last year in the Nations League.

This won't be an easy game for those in the Belgium camp considering many of them have close ties with Eriksen themselves, but their performance in Russia was ominous for the rest of the nations involved in the Tournament.

A draw would actually be a half-decent result for both teams, but Belgium are an aggressive, attacking line up that will want to secure their path through to the next Round as soon as possible. Their two wins over Denmark last year will back up the confidence earned from the win in St Petersburg and I think Belgium can make it two out of two.

Netherlands vs Austria Pick: Frank de Boer is still considered a manager under pressure with the Netherlands as fans expect far more from the national team than they are currently seeing.

The second half performance against Ukraine was very encouraging and the Netherlands were deservedly 2-0 up, but the absence of Virgil Van Dijk and the impact it would have on the team was clear to see as that lead evaporated. A late goal was enough for Holland to beat the Ukraine and another three points on Thursday will put the Netherlands on the brink of winning the Group.

They are likely to be tested by Austria on Thursday, but I am not sure what you could have learned from the win over the North Macedonia. Late goals secured the 3-1 win over the minnows in the Group and means Austria are in a very good spot in the section with two Group games to be played, but the remaining games should be much tougher for them.

The 0-4 home loss to Denmark in March is hard to forget and I do think the Netherlands will likely have too much for Austria too.

Playing games at Amsterdam is another boost for the Netherlands and I think the momentum from the late winner over Ukraine will carry over to this fixture too. They created enough to be vastly encouraged by the performance and I think Holland are likely to win this fixture in which at least two goals are shared out.

Friday 18th June

Sweden vs Slovakia Pick: Some may have been critical of the Sweden style of play in their goalless draw with Spain, but the result would have been one that the visitors would have been happy to accept before the match took place.

A point against the favourites has set Sweden up for a place in the Last 16, but they will have to be more clinical in the final third in this fixture.

They created chances against Spain despite the limited time on the ball, but the expectation has shifted and that also means the style of play has to change. Instead of looking to be overly defensive, Sweden have to get on the front foot and try and earn a three points that would set them well on the way to the Last 16.

Defensively Sweden are going to have to be better, but they will be aided by Slovakia despite the confidence the outsider in this Group of four would have earned from their last result. A win over Poland has given Slovakia a huge opportunity to progress, but they benefited from the breaks on the day and they will know they need to be better against Sweden and Spain to round out the section.

Sweden have won three of the five previous matches against Slovakia and there was enough encouragement from their performance against Spain to give them something to build on. Travelling from Sevilla to St Petersburg is not ideal for Sweden and they did play after Slovakia, but this is a team that is confident in their systems and can earn the victory here.

Slovakia will have to be stronger defensively to keep Sweden at bay, but they are also likely to allow Sweden to dictate the tempo of the match which should give the favourites enough of the play to earn the win.

It would be a surprise if there are a lot of goals in this one considering the way the first matches were played and a narrow Swedish win is the most likely outcome.

Croatia vs Czech Republic Pick: These two teams will begin play in the second round of Group matches in Group D of the Euro 2020 Finals and the feeling is that the pressure has all shifted to Croatia.

While some would have expected them to lose to England, Croatia cannot really afford another setback on Friday and the manager is scrambling around looking for answers.

They were largely ineffective against England and need to find plenty more in the final third if they are going to avoid a surprising exit in the Group Stage. Changes are likely going to be made to make Croatia a more dangerous side going forward, but they will also have to be aware of the confident side they are facing.

The day after England beat Croatia, Czech Republic beat Scotland at Hampden Park and the difference on the day was the quality that Patrick Schick showed in the final third. A strong header was followed by an outrageous lob from the halfway line and in Schick the Czech Republic that can make the difference in the tight games.

However, they were also extremely grateful to Tomas Vaclik and some errant Scottish finishing and on another day the Czech Republic would not have been comfortable winners. Improving defensively will be key if they are going to match their previous runs once getting out of the Euro Finals Group Stage, but I expect the Czech Republic to be tested by a Croatia team that can't be nearly as poor as they were on Sunday.

It won't be an easy game and there is pressure on Croatia, while the Czech Republic would likely be pretty happy with a point. That may see them just allow Croatia to come onto them and I do think they won't be as wasteful as Scotland were in the final third which ultimately should mean Croatia can bounce back from the opening loss.

Backing the favourites here on the Asian Handicap looks the way to go as Croatia will then shift all the pressure to Scotland to respond when facing England later in the day.

England vs Scotland Pick: The rivalry between England and Scotland is one that will have plenty of people around the United Kingdom watching on with interest on Friday evening.

Expect to see plenty of highlights of David Seaman saving Gary McAllister's Penalty followed by Paul Gascoigne's memorable chip and finish to held England beat Scotland twenty-five years ago when they met in the Euro 1996 Group Stage.

They have had some memorable fixtures against each other since then including a Play Off to reach Euro 2000 which was narrowly won by England despite a 0-1 defeat to Scotland at Wembley Stadium in the Second Leg. The last meetings came in the 2018 World Cup Qualifiers and it was England who took four points from Scotland which included a routine win over them at Wembley Stadium.

Games like this can see the form guide thrown out of the window, but there is some pressure on Scotland after losing 0-2 to the Czech Republic.

Most fans would tell you that it would not be a huge surprise if Scotland win this game, but were then beaten by Croatia and Knocked Out of the Euro 2020 Finals. Valiant exits have been part and parcel of Scotland in major international tournaments in the past, but they are going to need to be much better in this one if they are going to improve on the result against the Czech Republic.

Scotland were far from poor on the day, but finishing let them down and they can't afford to do that against this England team.

England were comfortable and deserved winners against Croatia and another home game will give them confidence. They have won plenty on home soil since the World Cup and the likes of Wales and the Republic of Ireland have been dismissed in friendly games too as Gareth Southgate has found a decent balance between defence and attack.

You do have to think Scotland will put in a huge effort to dent the Auld Enemy, but the quality is with England and the squad has enough depth to find another win for the home team. Scotland have not been the best travellers, but Steve Clarke will look for his team to be organised and try to frustrate England.

It may work, but you would worry for Scotland if they fall behind in the first half and I do think England will be a touch too good for them. They met at Euro 1996 and seven matches beginning with that one has seen England win four by two or more goals.

After looking pretty good going forward against Croatia and finding a couple of really nice positions, England can follow up by doing the same against Scotland.

I expect better from the Scots in the final third, but they may still come up short and England can put a good looking win on the board as they move into the Last 16.

Saturday 19th June

Hungary vs France Pick: Both of these teams played on Tuesday, although Hungary may have a slight edge being at home while France have to travel from Munich to Budapest.

That shouldn't really make a big difference to the World Champions who will have seen the kind of chances that Portugal were able to create against Hungary. Late goals were needed, but Portugal were more than deserved winners and The Magyars will know it is a big test for them in this Group considering the strength of the opponents in front of them.

It was wonderful to see a full, passionate crowd in Budapest and I expect another vibrant atmosphere which will give the Hungary players a push. However, Marco Rossi has to find a way for his team to do more than defend deep and the pressure is on for a result after the heavy defeat to Portugal put Hungary on the back foot.

Opening up against the World Champions is a recipe for disaster and only a couple of tight offside calls prevented France from really taking Germany to the cleaners. In general it was a tight fixture with very little between them, but the late goals that were chalked off would have made a big statement for France.

Despite that, most of Europe should have taken notice of France winning in Munich and there is no doubt that topping this Group offers an 'easier' route to the Final. Avoiding England in the Last 16 would be important and so Didier Deschamps will be looking for his team to back up their victory over Germany with another here.

France are solid defensively, but he will want his team to be more dominant in attacking areas against this Hungary team. I think that will be the case for a team that has won 9 away competitive fixtures in succession and even a couple of rotations should not mean a really good looking French team takes to the field.

They can be a team that plays up and down to the level of competition and France have not been one that presses to finish teams off. Breaking down Hungary early is the key for France, but I think they will be very hard to stop if they get their noses in front.

Hungary will be well backed from the stands, but they looked pretty average in their loss to Portugal which could have been decided much earlier than it was. If they do push a little more forward in this one, I think France will be able to pick them off and there is enough quality in the squad to see them win by a couple of goals on the day.

Portugal vs Germany Pick: These two nations will meet in another big Euro 2020 Group Stage fixture on Saturday and there will be differing feelings going into the second round of games.

Portugal were comfortable winners over Hungary and only poor finishing meant they had to wait until the 84th minute to make the breakthrough before late goals completed the win.

On the other side, Germany were a little unfortunate to lose 0-1 to France as poor finishing let them down. The pressure is on the hosts who know they need some kind of positive result to give themselves a chance of progressing to the Last 16 of the Tournament.

3 points were enough for teams to Qualify for the Last 16 at Euro 2020, but Germany will likely be targeting at least four points from their remaining two Group games. Hosting those gives them every chance, but Germany have lost their last 2 competitive games that they have hosted and scoring goals has been something of an issue for this team.

I think Fernando Santos will take a pragmatic approach to the fixture and that means Portugal looking to contain their hosts and try and hit them on the break. There is enough talent and pace to think that is a workable approach for Portugal who beat Sweden and Croatia away from home in the Nations League Group last year, while also earning a tight draw with France.

Portugal did score three goals in Budapest, but in the last two major international tournament Finals, the side have scored six goals in two Group games and a total of three goals in the other four. I think the approach will be one where they won't want to overcommit in this fixture, unless chasing the game of course, and instead will be focused on the defensive shape to prevent Germany taking control.

Germany are a capable attacking unit, but they do look vulnerable at the back.

That may open this fixture up with an early goal, but the feeling is that this will be similar to the game we saw on Tuesday in Munich. Both teams will give it a go, but there may also be a resistance to overcommitting and it could lead to a game with few chances.

While an early goal may really open things up as I have said, I do think Portugal are a team that force opponents to play their style of game and that suggests this will be a tight fixture. They would likely take a point if offered to them now, while Germany might also feel a point is not the worst result with Hungary at home to come next week.

Germany have dominated Portugal in recent meetings with 4 straight wins over them at Tournaments between 2006 and 2014. They are not the team they were and Portugal look stronger, but picking a winner looks difficult.

No matter the result I will be surprised if this is a massively open game and it may be a fixture with two or fewer goals shared out on the day.

Spain vs Poland Pick: Poor finishing proved costly for Spain in their opening Group game against Sweden and the locals were far from impressed by what they had seen. Alvaro Morata was the guiltiest of the attacking players, but others can't be too happy with their own performances and there is some pressure on Spain.

Winning the Group is quite important with the way the draw has panned out and I do expect a better reaction from Spain. The football was largely pleasing, but they have to find an end product to their play.

Defensively there are some questions about Spain, but I expect them to be too strong for Poland who were surprisingly beaten 1-2 by Slovakia in their own opening fixture. A sending off in the second half proved an obstacle too far for Poland and the defeat puts them under immense pressure with a fixture against Sweden to come.

They need a result in all likelihood, but Poland are travelling from St Petersburg and they just look a little short all over the pitch bar Robert Lewandowski. Getting enough possession to feed their top player may be the challenge for Poland and this is a nation that has struggled when facing the top European teams.

You can't really trust Spain after their opening performance, one which has become quite common over the last few years since they were dominating international football.

However, Spain looked good enough for all but the final pass/shot and I think they are too good for the remaining teams in this Group. This is a big step up for Poland who largely disappointed in their first game and I think Spain will have enough to narrowly get the better of them here.

MY PICKS: Russia & Over 1 Total Goal @ 2.25 Bet365 (2 Units)

Turkey - 0.25 Asian Handicap @ 2.10 Bet365 (2 Units)

Italy & Under 3.5 Total Goals @ 2.05 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Ukraine & Over 1.5 Total Goals @ 2.15 Bet365 (2 Units)

Belgium - 0.25 Asian Handicap @ 1.75 Bet365 (2 Units)

Netherlands & Over 1.5 Total Goals @ 1.83 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Sweden & Under 5 Total Goals @ 1.95 Bet365 (2 Units)

Croatia - 0.25 Asian Handicap @ 1.88 Bet Victor (2 Units)

England - 1.25 Asian Handicap @ 1.83 Bet Victor (2 Units)

France - 1.5 Asian Handicap @ 1.98 Bet365 (2 Units)

Portugal-Germany Under 2.5 Goals @ 1.80 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Spain & Under 3.5 Total Goals @ 2.00 Bet365 (2 Units)

Match Day 1: 7-5, + 3.10 Units (24 Units Staked, + 12.92% Yield)

Midweek Football Picks 2019 (October 1-3)

Match Day 2 of the Champions League and Europa League Group Stage takes centre stage during the week and I am looking to open up October in the same fashion in which September ended.

It was a much stronger month than August, and it was good to wipe out the poor first month of the 2019/20 season. I do want to kick on now and really start producing some strong returns to move forward and the few selections during this week will hopefully begin to do that.


I had wrote a short piece about Manchester United prior to their League Cup win over Rochdale which can be read here. They have an important game in the Europa League this week and a win would mean Manchester United can start thinking about Qualifying for the Last 32 with a couple of games to spare and that is important for a thin squad that will need some rest ahead of the busy December period that all English clubs face.


Onto the Champions League Picks from Match Day 2 and the update to the season totals below.


Real Madrid v Club Brugge Pick: You don't want to completely rule out Club Brugge causing problems for Real Madrid considering how they played in the Group Stage of the Champions League twelve months ago. Atletico Madrid needed late goals to see them off and Borussia Dortmund had to settle for a draw with them at home, while Real Madrid seem to be playing with some vulnerable confidence at the moment.

Even then it is hard to see Real Madrid doing anything but bouncing back after the 3-0 defeat in Paris on Match Day 1. They have looked very good in the League since that defeat to move to the top of the Spanish top flight, and Real Madrid have shown some resiliency with 3 clean sheets in a row.

The return of Nacho and Sergio Ramos will help and I do think Real Madrid are very dangerous at home where they are looking to snap a run of consecutive Champions League defeats. The side have scored at least twice in their last couple of wins here overall and Real Madrid should be able to get on the front foot against Club Brugge who were beaten heavily at Salzburg in the Europa League Last 32 last season.

Club Brugge will be playing with the belief of a team that is unbeaten in 14 games to open the 2019/20 season, but that may not be enough. They can create chances here with the spaces Real Madrid tend to leave behind when getting forward, but I am not sure it will be enough to really challenge a team who want to get this Group back on the right track.

Last season late goals saw Atletico Madrid pull clear of Club Brugge and I think Real Madrid will match that margin of victory.


Galatasaray v Paris Saint-Germain Pick: I really did fancy Paris Saint-Germain to get the better of Real Madrid on Match Day 1 of the Champions League Group Stage, but injuries to the front three tempered by enthusiasm for them. It ultimately proved to be little problem for the French Champions who deservedly won on the day and Paris Saint-Germain have to be looking to secure a Last 16 place as soon as possible.

Wins over Galatasaray and then in the double header with Club Brugge over the next month will put Paris Saint-Germain through to the Last 16 and I do think they are capable of doing that.

Both away games will be difficult beginning with this trip to Istanbul, but Paris Saint-Germain have won 7 of their 12 away Champions League Group games and they have also won back to back away games in the competition overall at Crvena Zvezda and Manchester United.

Playing in Istanbul is rarely an easy task for any team in European Football and Galatasaray are unbeaten in 14 at home in all competitions. That has to be respected, but both Porto and Benfica won here in the Champions League and Europa League respectively last season and this Paris Saint-Germain team are stronger than those two even without Neymar and Edinson Cavani.

This won't always be easy for Paris Saint-Germain, but they have been defending well enough in recent away games to lay the foundation for success here. The chances created in Bordeaux is encouraging even if they have been lacking goals away from home and I think there is enough here to back Paris Saint-Germain to record a good looking win on the night and earn their third away win in a row in the Champions League.


Manchester City v Dinamo Zagreb Pick: The layers are not going to be offering anything too short in terms of a margin of victory for Manchester City in this fixture and I am not surprised when you think of the amount of goals the English Champions have been scoring. It is very difficult to see how Dinamo Zagreb are going to keep it competitive against a team who have scored four or more goals in 3 of their last 4 home Champions League games.

The win over Atalanta will make Dinamo Zagreb believe, but that was at home and this is a club who have lost 12 away games in a row in the Champions League Group Stage. A lot of those defeats have been by wide margins and I think Manchester City have rested enough big name players to believe they are going to produce a very strong win in this one.

It is a big Asian Handicap though and it will need a three goal margin of victory to secure a full payout, but I would be surprised if Manchester City did not win by that margin. The defensive problems are a concern as one goal for the visitors would make it very difficult to see how Manchester City can cover the number, but I think Dinamo Zagreb will soon see this as a damage limitation exercise.

Fast starts have been common for Manchester City since the 3-2 defeat to Norwich City and they have scored within 25 minutes in each of the four wins since then. Another one would set them up for a big win on Tuesday and put Manchester City in a very strong position to Qualify and win this Group before the end of November.

I think Dinamo Zagreb will find their 4-0 win over Atalanta on Match Day 1 has not really prepared them for a test like this and Manchester City can win easily enough on the day.


Barcelona v Inter Milan Pick: It sounds like Barcelona will have some attacking players back in contention for a starting spot for the Match Day 2 game in the Champions League, although Lionel Messi is a doubt.

Both Barcelona and Inter Milan drew their opening Champions League games which has increased the importance of this one as they look to get going in a difficult looking Group. The Barcelona draw in Dortmund certainly looks more positive than the home draw Inter Milan had with Slavia Prague and I do think the Italian club are built for success domestically and perhaps not in the European competitions.

Inter Milan appointed Antonio Conte to break the Juventus domination of Serie A and the manager has had his best successes in domestic competitions. He has struggled for an impact in the Champions League and Inter Milan looked short of ideas in their home draw with Slavia Prague.

Now they have to face a Barcelona team that remain very strong at home and who have won 29 of 32 games at the Nou Camp in the Champions League. A Lionel Messi-less Barcelona beat Inter Milan 2-0 here last season and I think they can do the same on Wednesday on Match Day 2 of the Group Stage this time around too.

Barcelona have been scoring plenty of goals at home and they should be able to break down an Inter Milan team who do have questions to answer at the back. The Italian side will head to Spain with some confidence from their League form and they do have attacking players to make a difference, but Barcelona should be too strong on the day.

Backing the home team to cover the Asian Handicap is the selection.


Lille v Chelsea Pick: Both Lille and Chelsea were beaten on Match Day 1 of the Champions League which means this could be a vital game for both in their bids to get Qualification to the Last 16 back on track.

This should be a good match with both Lille and Chelsea capable of playing impressive attacking football while perhaps not looking as secure at the back as they would like.

Chelsea have conceded at least twice in every away game played under Frank Lampard and Lille have managed two or more goals in 7 of their last 8 home games going back to last season. All four played this season have seen Lille hit that mark so they will feel they can get hurt their visitors on Match Day 2.

On the other side Chelsea have scored eight goals in their last couple of away games and played well on their travels in the Europa League last season. The Blues have scored at least three goals in their last 2 away games at Norwich City and Wolves, and I do think they can challenge a Lille team who won't have faced too many teams of the quality of Chelsea on a regular basis.

Both teams will feel they can get on the scoreboard here and the importance of the three points should help encourage an attacking and expansive game. Backing at least three goals to be shared out is the call here.


Liverpool v Salzburg Pick: This has the makings of a really good Champions League game with the approach that both Liverpool and Salzburg will take to the game.

While many teams will head to Anfield and look to be tight and well organised defensively, Salzburg have shown in the last couple of years in the Europa League that they are willing to take chances with their attacking play. Last season they were beaten 3-0 in Naples in the Europa League Last 16, but Salzburg created plenty of good chances of their own and they must recognise that the Liverpool defence is not playing as well as it was last season.

The absence of Alisson does leave Liverpool a little vulnerable at the back, but attacking this team at Anfield can expose defences to the much vaunted front three who should all be starting for the home team. Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah have the perfect blend of pace and creativity in the final third and I do expect they will be in a position to hurt Salzburg in this one too.

Liverpool have been very strong at Anfield and 10 of their last 11 here have ended with wins by two or more goals. They also have won 7 of their last 8 at home in the Champions League and I do think the defeat in Napoli on Match Day 1 will focus the players for a big performance here.

I would not be surprised if Salzburg score here, but I think their attacking intent will leave them open to the home team too. It could be an enjoyable game of football for the neutrals when two attacking teams take the field, but at the end of the fixture I would expect Liverpool have won by a good margin.

MY PICKS: Real Madrid - 1.5 Asian Handicap @ 1.85 Bet365 (2 Units)
Paris Saint-Germain - 1.25 Asian Handicap @ 2.00 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Manchester City - 2.5 Asian Handicap @ 1.80 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Barcelona - 1 Asian Handicap @ 2.00 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Lille-Chelsea Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.91 Bet365 (2 Units)
Liverpool - 1.5 Asian Handicap @ 2.00 Bet Victor (2 Units)

September 2019/20: 13-9-1, + 8.82 Units (46 Units Staked, + 19.17% Yield)
August 2019/20: 14-17-2, - 8.78 Units (64 Units Staked, - 13.72% Yield)

Midweek Football Picks 2018 (October 2-4)

The second round of Group games in both the Champions League and Europa League are being played this midweek before one more round of top flight Football across Europe comes this weekend.

That will wrap up this section of the season as we then enter a two week international break and for Manchester United fans it will be a testing time if the side can't put together a couple of wins at Old Trafford over the next few days.

It has been a turbulent time at Carrington and I will have my next 'United Corner' piece ready to go during the international break and prior to the Premier League visit to Stamford Bridge.


It is an important week coming up for United as well as the other English clubs in European action with all of the Champions League games looking very important. Both Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur were beaten on Match Day 1 and need to bounce back immediately, while Liverpool can take a giant step towards the Second Round if they can win in Naples.

Qualifying from the Group as soon as possible could be a big advantage for Liverpool when we get closer to the extremely busy December period especially if Manchester City are being forced to fight for their place in the Last 16. Those two clubs also meet in a big Premier League game this Sunday which will determine which of those clubs go into the second international break of the season in top spot.

The Europa League Group Stages should be very manageable for Arsenal and Chelsea who can make it two wins from two on Thursday and continue to concentrate on what has been strong starts to the Premier League campaign.


September started off poorly for the Football Picks but the second half of the month was much better meaning back to back months with a positive return. Starting off October in a strong fashion will keep the momentum rolling and you can read my Midweek Football Picks below.


Hoffenheim v Manchester City Pick: The surprising results in this Group on Match Day 1 means Hoffenheim actually come into this fixture above Manchester City whose 1-2 home loss to Lyon means they are the only team chasing their first points in this section.

There won't be a rush of people backing Manchester City to miss out on the Second Round of the Champions League after the defeat to Lyon, but they have just tightened the margin for error in the Group. They certainly can't afford a second defeat in a row in the Champions League and extend a shocking run which has seen Manchester City lose 4 straight games in this competition and become the first English side to suffer through that.

Last season Manchester City showed they can perform away from home in the Champions League with 3 wins from 4 games played outside of England. They scored four goals in each of those wins in Feyenoord, Napoli and Basel and Manchester City are coming in off 3 straight wins since the defeat to Lyon.

The knock Sergio Aguero is playing through is a slight concern, but Manchester City will have noted how tough Hoffenheim have been having it this season since Julian Nagelsmann decided he will be moving on to Leipzig to take over as manager next season.

Hoffenheim did have a 9 game unbeaten run at home come to an end with a 1-2 loss to Leipzig this weekend and they have been conceding plenty of goals. They will believe they can challenge Manchester City with the attacking intent they have displayed, but Hoffenheim's surprising 2-2 draw at Shakhtar Donetsk has not changed my mind on where I see this team in the Group.

That was a very positive result, but Manchester City are a step above Shakhtar Donetsk and I do think they will win here. Hoffenheim may play their part by causing plenty of problems for their visitors when they build up some attacking momentum, but ultimately I think the English Champions will have too much quality all around for Hoffenheim.

I think that will lead to a relatively comfortable win on the scoreboard and I will back Manchester City to cover the Asian Handicap.


Juventus v Young Boys Pick: There have been some serious allegations made about Cristiano Ronaldo with the Las Vegas Police Department reinvestigating matters which have been making some headlines this week. Ronaldo won't be able to play in this fixture after being sent off on Match Day 1, but he is yet to fully invest himself in the allegations made.

Juventus will try and put any of those issues aside and concentrate on their football as they look to back up an important win over Valencia. Another on Tuesday will see the Old Lady in a very strong position to Qualify from this Group which looked quite tough on paper.

It would be a big surprise if Juventus are not good enough to beat Young Boys without Ronaldo and I am looking to back the Italian Champions to win with a comfortable margin too.

You can't ignore the fact that Juventus have never really hammered teams in the Champions League, even at home, as they make sure they do what they need to. That has seen relatively narrow wins over Dinamo Zagreb and Olympiacos here in the Champions League in recent years in the Group Stage which makes it a big tougher to trust Juventus to cover this Asian Handicap.

However Young Boys showed against Manchester United that there is a real gap to bridge to the very best teams in Europe and they have particularly struggled to impose themselves away from home. They look like being the dominant team in Switzerland again this season, but I would be surprised if Young Boys are very competitive in this one and I will back Juventus to win by at least two goals on the day.


Bayern Munich v Ajax Pick: Both of these clubs have a long and positive history in the European Cup with at least four trophies won by Bayern Munich and Ajax, although the latter are some way off those standards these days.

They might be catching Bayern Munich at the right time with the German Champions failing to win any of their last 2 games and they were beaten at Hertha Berlin over the weekend.

However there is enough quality in the Bayern Munich team to think they can bounce back and they are facing an Ajax team who simply aren't up to the level of the real elite of European Football. Ajax were also recently beaten 3-0 at PSV Eindhoven and I do worry about them when they face the very best teams.

Bayern Munich did not win their last 2 home Champions League games, but they had won their first 4 in the competition last season and all by at least two goal margins. The German Champions have been particularly dominant when it comes to home games in the Champions League Group Stage and they have tended to hammer those teams lower down the European food chain with big wins over those clubs.

Take away Manchester City and Atletico Madrid and you can see Bayern Munich have won 13 of their last 15 home Group games by at least two goal margins. It will be tough for this Ajax team to contain them I feel and I will back Bayern Munich to move into a commanding position in the Group with a solid win.


Lyon v Shakhtar Donetsk Pick: One of the biggest surprises through the first round of matches in the Champions League Group Stage had to be the Lyon 1-2 win at Manchester City which has put the French side in a strong position in the Group already.

Manchester City are considered the team to beat in the Group so those points earned means Lyon will feel they have their own destiny in their hands going into the next four Champions League games.

Lyon have a very good recent home record in European competition with 7 wins in their last 10 home games. It will give them confidence against a Shakhtar Donetsk team who have lost 7 of their last 8 away Champions League games and who had to settle for a disappointing 2-2 home draw with Hoffenheim on Match Day 1.

I do think Shakhtar Donetsk are a dangerous team who have to be respected, but Lyon have been in decent form over the last month and could have beaten Nantes this past weekend if not missing a late penalty. They have been scoring goals and I think Lyon back up their win over Manchester City be securing another vital three points here which will mean they are strong favourites to make it through to the Last 16.

The strong home record in recent European games adds to my belief in the French team and I will back them to win here.


Roma v Viktoria Plzen Pick: It was something of a 'no show' from Roma in their trip to Real Madrid on Match Day 1 as they were completely outplayed, but this is the Group Stage and most will expect the Italian club to bounce back.

That 3-0 loss to Real Madrid has been a part of what can only be described as a pretty poor start to the new season for a club that reached the Champions League Semi Final a few months ago. However there have been signs Roma are about to bounce back having recorded 2 big wins at home over the last seven days in the Italian top flight.

They will be expected to make it three in a row when they face Viktoria Plzen and Roma certainly have the goals in the squad to do that. Roma have now scored at least twice in all 4 home games played in the 2018/19 season, while they have extended their run to scoring at least twice in 8 of their last 9 here.

It doesn't bode well for Viktoria Plzen who have lost 4-0 at Slavia Prague and 3-0 at Jablonec in their last couple of away games. They have looked the weakest team in the Group and blowing a 2-0 lead at home against CSKA Moscow on Match Day 1 puts Viktoria Plzen in a difficult position.

This is another step up for Viktoria Plzen and I am not sure they are going to be able to make it against a Roma team who have won their last 5 Champions League games at home. Roma did struggle to put away Qarabag last season, but they did beat Chelsea, Barcelona and Liverpool by two or more goal margins.

I will back Roma to bounce back from their defeat to Real Madrid and win a third straight home game in all competitions by two or more goals.


Paris Saint-Germain v Crvena Zvezda Pick: I don't think I was the only one who was disappointed with the level of performance Paris Saint-Germain produced in their 3-2 loss to Liverpool on Match Day 1 of the Champions League Group Stage. They looked like a team that are not going to be able to challenge the elite of European Football, but you can't dismiss them out of hand with the talent Paris Saint-Germain put onto the field in every match they play.

They have certainly shown they can dominate those teams lower down the food chain and heavy wins over the likes of Celtic and Anderlecht twelve months ago underlines that point.

I would expect Paris Saint-Germain, who have scored at least three goals in every home game they have played so far in the 2018/19 season, to be far too good for Crvena Zvezda in this early kick off on Wednesday afternoon.

The visitors are best known as Red Star Belgrade and are a former European Cup winner, but that was a long time ago and Crvena Zvezda have slipped from those standards of years gone by. Getting into the Champions League Group Stage is a huge achievement for them already and the draw with Napoli shows they can be hard to break down, although that match could have gone considerably differently if Napoli had taken the early chances they had fashioned.

Paris Saint-Germain are usually very clinical at home and so I am not anticipating them missing the same kind of opportunities as Napoli did. An early goal could see this fixture head in a similar manner as to Paris Saint-Germain's home wins over Anderlecht and Celtic in the Group Stage last season and I will back the French Champions to cover a big Asian Handicap and get this Group back on track.


Atletico Madrid v Club Brugge Pick: They may have won the Europa League last season but don't for one second believe Atletico Madrid were not embarrassed with their Group Stage exit in the Champions League. This is a team who have been very close to winning the competition over the last few years so the premature exit was a real surprise to everyone associated with the club.

They won't make the same mistakes this time around and showed that by coming from behind to beat Monaco 1-2 on Match Day 1.

However there is still something for Atletico Madrid to prove having failed to beat Qarabag in either Champions League Group game last season and so they won't be overlooking Club Brugge.

Atletico Madrid have been very good at home in Europe in general and they continue to be a tough team to break down. I think Diego Simeone will be looking to make sure they remain defensively sound in the belief that they will break down a Club Brugge team who have been a poor traveller at this level.

Scoring goals against better opposition has been a challenge for Club Brugge too and it is telling that 5 of their last 6 away defeats have come in matches they have not been able to score. Club Brugge have only scored in 1 of their last 4 away Champions League games too and I think Atletico Madrid remain the masters of the 'Win to Nil' at home and will back them to do that in this fixture.


Borussia Dortmund v Monaco Pick: Things have changed considerably for Monaco since they beat Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League Quarter Final in April 2017 in a tie that will be remembered for the blasts near the Dortmund coach which injured a couple of the players.

The Monaco team who played that Quarter Final have been broken up with key players now residing in Manchester and Paris and the poor form to open the season has to be a concern. They have already been beaten at home by Atletico Madrid in the Champions League, but the domestic form has been even more worrying as Monaco have slipped into the bottom three in France.

It is not ideal preparation for a visit to Borussia Dortmund who have been in good form to open the season.

At home they have been particularly strong with 3 straight wins and scoring at least three goals in each of those games. It is the kind of form that makes Borussia Dortmund very dangerous and I think they could overwhelm Monaco in this one and I do like the home team to win the fixture.

Covering the Asian Handicap won't be easy for Borussia Dortmund who have won 1 of their last 6 home European ties, but they are scoring plenty of goals and may be facing Monaco at the right time.


Porto v Galatasaray Pick: Group D in the Champions League looks the weakest one by some distance and I would imagine whichever two teams go through to the Last 16 won't be lasting much longer than that.

In saying that, Porto and Galatasaray won't be worrying what anyone thinks of the standard of the Group and are simply going to be fighting tooth and nail for a vital three points.

You have to give the edge to Porto in front of what is usually a loud home support and they are facing a Galatasaray team that hasn't played a lot of European Football over the last couple of years. Like many Turkish clubs, Galatasaray are also not the best travellers in Europe and they have lost their last 4 away European ties ahead of this one.

Their 3-0 home over Lokomotiv Moscow was a huge result for Galatasaray, but the challenge here is much bigger. Porto have only won 2 of their last 5 home Champions League games but both of those have come by margins of two or more goals and I think they will be able to do the same here.

I will back Porto to cover the Asian Handicap on Match Day 2.


Napoli v Liverpool Pick: This Group looked a tough one on paper when it was drawn in August, but Liverpool can take a big step towards the Last 16 of the Champions League if they can win in Naples.

Last season Liverpool showed they can be very dangerous away from home in this competition with their ability to score plenty of goals and that has to be a concern for Napoli. The last time an English side came to Naples Manchester City hit four goals in a victory in the Champions League Group Stage twelve months ago, but Liverpool can also be vulnerable defensively.

That was underlined in their 4-2 loss at Roma in the Champions League Semi Final Second Leg and Napoli have to be confident having won all 3 home games under new manager Carlo Ancelotti. Goals haven't been a problem for Napoli and this has the makings of an entertaining game with both clubs better going forward than looking to sit back and defend in numbers.

Napoli's failure to beat Crvena Zvezda on Match Day 1 has put the pressure on them to win all 3 home games in the Group if they want to try and work their way into the Last 16. That won't be lost on the manager and I think the attacking play will lead to some chances for Liverpool too and I think they can combine for a few goals in this one.

There is a feeling the Liverpool strikers are slightly out of form, but they continue to create a host of chances and both teams may in a position to help produce at least four goals on the night.


Bayer Leverkusen v AEK Larnaca Pick: In recent years Bayer Leverkusen have become a familiar name in the Champions League, but they missed out this season and have had to settle for a place in the Europa League.

This is a competition in which they could thrive if Bayer Leverkusen give it the due care and attention they should and the 2-3 win at Ludogorets on Match Day 1 suggests that may be the case.

They have not made the best start to the Bundesliga, but Bayer Leverkusen have faced both Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich already. I expect an improvement from Bayer Leverkusen going forward and they can pick up a morale boosting win on Thursday.

AEK Larnaca are unlikely to roll over for Leverkusen, but this is a team who have already been beaten by Zurich in the Group and have done well to get to this Stage of the Europa League.

They have won 2 of their last 8 away games in this competition, but those have come in the Qualifying Rounds and this should prove to be a big step up for AEK Larnaca. I expect that to show up on the scoreboard too and I will back the home team to win on the Asian Handicap.


Salzburg v Celtic Pick: Brendan Rodgers is perhaps considering his future as Celtic manager with the financial constraints on him and the players perhaps losing a little belief in his methods showing up in the results the club have been earning. Everything seems to be hard work for Celtic at the moment and confidence looks to be at a low point with the club sitting in 5th place in the Scottish Premiership.

They might be able to express themselves with some freedom in Austria as the underdog, but Celtic have lost 4 of their last 7 away European ties and the lack of goals overall is a real concern.

The point is underlined when you think of how strong Salzburg have been all season and they have gotten over the real disappointment of missing out on the Champions League Group Stage. The away goals defeat was a real upset for Salzburg considering they reached the Europa League Quarter Final last season, but this is a team that could have another big impact at this level.

Home form is critical for Salzburg and I do think they can back up the impressive 2-3 win in Leipzig from Match Day 1. The side have won 13 of their last 14 home games and scored at least twice in all but one of those games so they clearly have the firepower to do away with Celtic here.

Celtic did earn a 2-2 draw in Salzburg in the 2014/15 Europa League Group Stage, but they don't look to have enough goals to do the same this time around. I will look for the more confident Salzburg team to wear down Celtic and eventually cover the Asian Handicap in this one.


Qarabag v Arsenal Pick: The Europa League may not be a top priority for English clubs over the years but Manchester United proved it is a competition that can be won and a strong way back into the Champions League.

By hook or by crook getting back into the Champions League is all important for Arsenal this season and Unai Emery has admitted he would prefer to do that by winning the Europa League than finishing in the top four. His team selection on Match Day 1 and the squad travelling to Azerbaijan has underlined the importance the manager attaches to the Europa League and he is a serial winner of the competition from his time as manager of Sevilla.

A strong Arsenal team should be good to win in Qarabag even if the home team should be respected for drawing with Atletico Madrid in the Champions League Group Stage last season. In that same section they were beaten by Roma and Chelsea with the English club running away with a dominant 0-4 win here.

Qarabag will have learnt some lessons from that defeat, but they look like a team who will struggle to deal with the speed of play Arsenal put together in the final third. Even so, Qarabag could potentially cause one or two problems of their own considering how Arsenal have yet to really fix their defensive issues despite the 7 game winning run they are enjoying.

The Gunners should have too much firepower though and can make up for their defensive shortcomings in this one. I respect Qarabag as they have rarely been blown away at home in European competition, but I do think Arsenal may have too much for them and can win by a couple of goals on the day.


Bordeaux v Kobenhavn Pick: Both Bordeaux and Kobenhavn failed to win their opening Group game in the Europa League this season which means there should be a little more pressure on the players to respond on Match Day 2.

There isn't as much between these teams as there would be between Kobenhavn and one of the stronger clubs in the French top flight, but I do still think Bordeaux should have the slight edge.

Home advantage only increases that edge and Bordeaux have been playing well here so far this season with 4 wins from their last 5 in all competitions. They might be facing Kobenhavn at the right time as the Danish club have slipped to defeat in 2 of their last 3 away games and the step up to the Europa League level is still a significant one for them.

I have to respect the fact that Kobenhavn knocked out Atalanta in the Play Off Round of the Europa League to enter the Group Stage. They battled to a goalless draw in Italy so can dig in to upset Bordeaux here, but the hosts have been scoring enough goals to think they can pick up the three points.

It may be close at times and both teams will need a bit of fortune, but I will look for Bordeaux to have home advantage tell in this one.


Zenit St Petersburg v Slavia Prague Pick: In usual weeks you could see Zenit St Petersburg and Slavia Prague being given one more day to recover from Europa League action and have their next League fixture moved to a Monday. That won't be the case this week with the international break upcoming and that raises a few more doubts as to the team selection of the managers.

There are more question marks about Zenit St Petersburg who face Krasnodar this weekend, the team currently closest to them in the Russian top flight standings. That is a big game for a club looking to return to the top of Russian Football, but Zenit St Petersburg could only force a draw on Match Day 1 of the Europa League so know the importance of winning this one too.

Zenit St Petersburg have been very good in the Europa League with 7 wins from their last 8 home games in this competition. That is plenty of reason to believe they will pick a team capable of beating a Slavia Prague team who have not travelled that well in European Football although one that did earn a surprising away draw at Villarreal last season in the Group.

I don't think Slavia Prague roll over for Zenit St Petersburg, but this is a tough place to play. They have three points on the board in the Group so there may be less pressure on Slavia Prague, but ultimately I think being at home gives Zenit St Petersburg enough of an edge to win this one.

Team news may be worth keeping an eye on, but I will back Zenit St Petersburg to win this game.


Eintracht Frankfurt v Lazio Pick: Both of these teams have made a positive start to the Europa League Group which also contains a tough Marseille team.

With wins on Match Day 1, the winner of this game between Eintracht Frankfurt and Lazio will put themselves in a commanding position to reach the Last 32 with a victory on Match Day 2.

Goals have been flowing in matches involving these teams in the last couple of weeks and that could be the case when they play one another. The win they have already earned in the Group could see the teams playing with some freedom in this one with the next three points putting them in such a strong position in the Group.

4 of the 6 away Europa League games Lazio played last season ended with three or more goals shared out and they have been scoring and conceding plenty in recent games. 5 of the last 6 Eintracht Frankfurt games have also featured at least three goals shared out and I will look for these teams to combine for that number in this one too.


Rangers v Rapid Vienna Pick: Progressing in the Europa League through to the Knock Out Rounds could be a big achievement for Rangers and a progressive development for the club in general. Steven Gerrard has made it clear he wants to do well in every competition Rangers play and the 2-2 draw in Villarreal should give them plenty of confidence going forward.

Backing it up with a home win over Rapid Vienna is the key for Rangers if they have serious ambitions of making it through and they have played well enough at Ibrox to do that.

Rangers have won 4 of their 5 home Europa League games played in the last eighteen months and the draw in Villarreal was another positive result for them. Now they face a Rapid Vienna team who have been struggling away from home in recent games and who have a poor away European record with 6 losses from their last 9 away Europa League games.

I am a little concerned that Gerrard is perhaps going to be focusing on the big League games against Hearts to come this weekend, but Rangers have been strong at home throughout 2018/19. The manager will want this to be a difficult ground for any club to visit so will be looking to keep the momentum behind his players and I do think Rangers will edge out Rapid Vienna in this one.

The Austrian side have a lot more European experience than Rangers, but they simply haven't travelled well and I will back the home team on the Asian Handicap which will return half the stake in the event of a draw.


Sarpsborg v Genk Pick: Sarpsborg have surprised many domestically and also would have raised some eyebrows throughout the Europa League competition by making their way through four Qualifying Rounds in their maiden European campaign. It might have taken a toll on the players though and 7 straight losses in all competitions underlines that point.

However I expect the adrenaline to be pumping from the players to the fans as they play their first home Group Stage game in the Europa League. That should give the players a boost, but it may not be enough to beat an in-form Genk team who are looking to make it two wins out of two in the Group.

Genk are still chasing Club Brugge domestically, but they have been in very good form overall and 18 wins in their last 21 games is an impressive return. It has been just as good away from home where they have won 7 of their last 8 games in all competitions and have been scoring goals for fun having racked up 26 in that 8 game unbeaten run.

They are a team experienced in Europe and who have won 5 of their last 7 away Europa League games too and I think that experience can help Genk get the better of a team who have been treading water in recent games.

I do think Sarpsborg can offer some problems being at home where they have won 3 of their 4 Europa League games. However you can't ignore the really poor form they are in and they have conceded at least twice in their last 3 home games.

With the goals Genk are scoring I will look for the visitors to win a fixture that features two or more goals.

MY PICKS: Manchester City - 1.25 Asian Handicap @ 1.75 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Juventus - 1.75 Asian Handicap @ 1.90 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Bayern Munich - 1.75 Asian Handicap @ 1.75 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Lyon @ 1.95 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Roma - 1.25 Asian Handicap @ 1.72 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Paris Saint-Germain - 2.75 Asian Handicap @ 1.80 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Atletico Madrid Win to Nil @ 1.85 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Borussia Dortmund - 1.25 Asian Handicap @ 1.70 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Porto - 1 Asian Handicap @ 1.91 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Napoli-Liverpool Over 3.5 Goals @ 2.87 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Bayer Leverkusen - 1.5 Asian Handicap @ 1.90 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Salzburg - 0.75 Asian Handicap @ 1.75 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Arsenal - 1.25 Asian Handicap @ 1.95 Bet365 (2 Units)
Bordeaux @ 1.95 Ladbrokes (2 Units)
Zenit St Petersburg @ 2.00 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Eintracht Frankfurt-Lazio Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.91 Bet365 (2 Units)
Rangers - 0.25 Asian Handicap @ 1.70 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Genk & Over 1.5 Goals @ 1.80 Ladbrokes (2 Units)

September 2018: 26-24, + 3.62 Units (100 Units Staked, + 3.62% Yield)
August 2018: 15-12, + 3.10 Units (54 Units Staked, + 5.74% Yield)

Midweek Football Picks 2017 (September 26-28)

We are just days away from the second international break in the 2017/18 season, but there is plenty of football to come over the next six days.

It all begins with Match Day 2 in the Champions League and Europa League over the coming three days before the final round of domestic football before the final World Cup Qualifiers begin next Thursday.

The next few months are going to be very busy for all the teams in the top European Leagues and that makes trying to earn Qualification out of the Groups as quickly as possible the key for the clubs playing in the Champions League and Europa League.

That is exactly what the managers of the English clubs will be preaching over the next month as Match Day 2, Match Day 3 and Match Day 4 are completed before the November international break.


APOEL v Tottenham Hotspur Pick: This is a really big game for Tottenham Hotspur who would love to put another three points on the board before having to face Real Madrid twice and then visit Borussia Dortmund. The 3-1 home win over Dortmund has given Tottenham Hotspur a boost of confidence in this tough Group, but it would be for naught if they are not able to back that up in Nicosia.

That should not mean overlooking APOEL who have come through three Rounds to make the Group Stage and who have won 8 of 9 home European ties. That includes beating the likes of Olympiacos and Athletic Bilbao and it is clear that APOEL are much stronger at home than on their travels.

Temperatures in Cyprus can be surprising to visiting teams and that has to be a concern for Tottenham Hotspur, although they may be visiting APOEL at the right time.

APOEL have started poorly domestically in the 2017/18 season and they are facing a Tottenham Hotspur team who have won 5 straight away games and have scored plenty of goals in that time. Losing Jan Vertonghen and Dele Alli to suspensions is a blow for Tottenham Hotspur, but they still head to Cyprus looking the more confident team having scored three times at West Ham United over the weekend.

This is still going to be a tough game for Tottenham Hotspur, but I do think they will prove to be too good for APOEL who have to raise their game significantly if they are going to win this one. Losing 2 of 3 at home is not the kind of form that APOEL would have wanted to be in ahead of this one and I am going to back Tottenham Hotspur to hand APOEL a rare home European loss and do that while covering the Asian Handicap.


Besiktas v Leipzig Pick: This is the first season Leipzig are playing European Football and I have to say I am surprised they are favoured to win at a tough venue like Besiktas. The 1-1 home draw with Monaco shows there is a gap to bridge for Leipzig and I can't have them as favourites to win here.

Besiktas have been a strong team at home and have lost just 1 of 15 here in all competitions. They are also unbeaten in 9 home European ties and Besiktas have won 3 in a row which makes backing them with the start on the Asian Handicap look appealing.

This is also a Leipzig team who have lost 2 of their 3 away games in the Bundesliga this season and I think backing the home team with the start should at least return a portion as a win.


Manchester City v Shakhtar Donetsk Pick: September has been a really good month for Manchester City with the goals flowing and the plaudits being handed out to Pep Guardiola's men, but they have to keep the momentum going as they get set to visit Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

Stopping Manchester City is going to be a really difficult task for Shakhtar Donetsk considering the goals the home side have been scoring. The layers don't want to take any chances either as they are asking Manchester City to win by another wide margin for the full pay out.

That could happen, but I do think Shakhtar Donetsk are a better side than people may expect as they showed by getting to the Europa League Quarter Final last season. They have experience in the Champions League and while not expecting to be a challenger to win this competition, they showed against Napoli that Shakhtar Donetsk won't be intimidated by the bigger names in the Group.

They did win plenty of away games at the lower level in the Europa League, but Shakhtar Donetsk have lost their last 4 away Champions League games they have played. That includes a loss at Young Boys last season and Manchester City should have enough to secure the three points.

Instead of looking for them to cover the Asian Handicap, Manchester City could be worth backing to win another game with a clean sheet, which has been an underrated feature of their performances this past month. While not being completely dominant at the back, Manchester City have enough possession to limit the chances that teams will create against them and I think they may just be a little too good for Shakhtar Donetsk on the day.

It might not be the flood of goals that have been featuring in recent Manchester City games, but Pep Guardiola's only concern will be getting up to 6 points ahead of the double header with Napoli and I think his team will do that. Backing them to win with a clean sheet is odds against and is worth a back here.


Monaco v Porto Pick: In 2004 this was the Champions League Final, but both Monaco and Porto look some way short of being able to go all the way this time around. Monaco have lost some key players over the last transfer window from the team that were in the Semi Final in the 2016/17 season, while Porto are not the powerhouse they were under Jose Mourinho.

The three points on offer is very important on Match Day 2 as both Monaco and Porto are looking for their first win in the Group Stage of the Champions League.

Monaco might have lost some key players, but they have been playing well enough at home domestically to think they can have the edge in this one. Porto are playing well too, but they have not been able to take that form into the Champions League where they have lost 2 of their last 4 away games in the competition and I think the home team can be backed at odds against in this one.

It will likely be a tight match that will come down to which team will be more clinical in front of goal, but I think Monaco can earn the edge at home.


Spartak Moscow v Liverpool Pick: This could be an important game for Spartak Moscow and Liverpool after draws on Match Day 1 with the winning team likely to feel pretty good about their chances of progressing to the Last 16. It does feel like the game could be more important to the hosts having dropped two points in Maribor earlier this month, but this is a big test for Spartak Moscow having been a little inconsistent throughout this new season.

They will always feel like they will get a chance against the Liverpool defence, but the worry for Spartak Moscow has to be in their own final third. This is the first time in the 2017/18 season that Jurgen Klopp can play all four of his attacking players as Sadio Mane returns from a suspension to join Philippe Coutinho, Mohammed Salah and Roberto Firmino.

All four could start on Tuesday and that will put Spartak Moscow under pressure considering they have conceded at least twice in 2 of their last 3 home games.

When Liverpool go forward they do look very dangerous and having Coutinho in the line up gives them a bit more creativity when things are tighter in the opponent's half of the field. I do think Liverpool will be the stronger team on the day, but you always have to consider how poor they can be defensively which should give Spartak Moscow their chances.

However Spartak Moscow could be missing Quincy Promes which would take away a big threat they have and I think Liverpool will take advantage. A long trip to Moscow is always difficult, but Liverpool should be experienced enough to deal with that having won 0-1 at Rubin Kazan in their last Europa League campaign.

I will look for Liverpool to earn the three points in this second Champions League game and I think they can win by a couple of goals on the day to cover the Asian Handicap set. Even a one goal win will earn a profitable return and I do expect Liverpool to win here.


Atletico Madrid v Chelsea Pick: This is the kind of Champions League fixture that you may expect to see much later in the competition, but Atletico Madrid and Chelsea have to face one another in the Group Stage this time around.

It could be a big game for the two teams who are battling Roma to find their way into the Last 16 and so caution might be the order of the day. That perhaps comes a little naturally to both Diego Simeone and Antonio Conte although both managers have players who can create the magic to win games.

A new Stadium makes it European debut on Wednesday when Atletico Madrid host Chelsea, but they have been strong at home in the Champions League with 9 wins from their last 11 home games in the competition. They are very tough to beat in front of their own fans, but you do have to wonder if the players will have some issues in their new environment.

That hasn't shown up in the League though as Atletico Madrid have won both games played in their new home.

Chelsea have been in fine form themselves, but this is a significant step up in level of opponent compared with games at Leicester City and Stoke City. It is a fixture from which a point would be appreciated and I think that is what Chelsea will be looking for and perhaps trying to stun Atletico Madrid on the counter attack.

Ultimately I don't think there will be much between the teams because Atletico Madrid are not really a team that will ever blow an opponent away. Chelsea defend really well with the three at the back, but they will be tested by the quality Atletico Madrid have and I think the home team at odds against is a big price that has to be backed.

The home record in the Champions League is the reason Atletico Madrid have come so close to winning the competition in recent years and I think they will do enough to find their way to the three points in this one.


CSKA Moscow v Manchester United Pick: Not many would have picked CSKA Moscow to win in Lisbon on Match Day 1 and that surprise result means two clubs with 3 points meet in this fixture. Manchester United were as comfortable as most predicted when seeing off Basel at Old Trafford but this is a tough looking away game for them.

However this is also the kind of fixture where Jose Mourinho knows exactly how to set up his side to earn the victory. I would expect Mourinho to make sure Manchester United are tough to beat with the belief that his team are going to be capable of creating some chances of their own to put themselves in a position to make it two wins from two in the Group Stage.

Last season Manchester United showed they can perform very solidly away from home in the Europa League after losses to Feyenoord and Fenerbahce. Following those early Group setbacks, Manchester United beat Zorya, Saint-Etienne and Celta Vigo without conceding a goal, and earned 1-1 draws in Rostov and Anderlecht too.

The game in Anderlecht looked to be the perfect away performance from Manchester United before a late goal was conceded and I think this is a squad of players who will head to Moscow with plenty of confidence. The Europa League success has given the players a shot in the arm and Manchester United have looked solid defensively this season which is likely to be the foundation for any success here.

CSKA Moscow have been playing well to get into the Champions League Group Stage, but they haven't been dominant at home and have found the step up to the European level a tough one to bridge. The win in Benfica may have improved CSKA Moscow's own confidence, but they were beaten 0-1 by Tottenham Hotspur in the Group Stage last season and I think Manchester United can match that.

It won't be easy and I do wonder if Jose Mourinho will break up the Phil Jones-Eric Bailly partnership that has been so solid for Manchester United this season. If they do start I think Manchester United can keep CSKA Moscow at arm's length and there is enough quality in the squad to find a breakthrough here.

September isn't a bad time to play in Moscow and I expect the playing surface to be one that Manchester United can get the ball down and try to dictate things. Backing Manchester United to be solid defensively and win here with a clean sheet looks a big price.

Winning away from home in European competition has not been something Manchester United have done too frequently in recent years, but their last 6 wins on their travels in the Champions League and Europa League have come with a clean sheet. I will back that to be the outcome of this one as Manchester United move into a strong position to try and win this Group as early as possible.


BATE Borisov v Arsenal Pick: This is easily the kind of fixture you could have seen in the Champions League in recent years, but BATE Borisov and Arsenal have to settle for a clash in the Europa League Group Stage this time around.

You would have to say that while Arsenal are going to be making changes, they should still be starting a strong enough team who can get the win here in Belarus. It won't be easy with how well BATE Borisov can play at home, especially when you consider they are unbeaten in 6 home European games and in the last Champions League Group Stage they did beat Roma and draw with Bayer Leverkusen.

However this is an Arsenal side who have looked better over the last few weeks and who should have a number of players on the fringes of the first team who will start here. They showed against FC Koln that those players will be enough in the early games in the Europa League and I think Arsenal will be able to create the chances to win here.

You can't always know what a manager will decide to do in this competition, but Arsene Wenger has players like Mesut Ozil, Theo Walcott and Olivier Giroud in the final third who should earn the start. Those players should be good enough to create chances against this BATE Borisov team and I would expect Arsenal to be in a position to win this game by a couple of goals.

BATE Borisov have shown it won't be easy here in recent years, but they have not played too many teams of the level of Arsenal and I will back the latter to cover the Asian Handicap in the victory.


Nice v Vitesse Pick: There would have been a lot of hope for Nice that they could find their way into the Champions League Group Stage this season, but they exited in the Qualifiers during what has been an inconsistent start to the campaign.

Things have looked to be improving of late during a 4 game unbeaten run, but Nice have struggled to find the right performances in their European games. 1 win from 5 home European ties since the beginning of last season is a big disappointment for Nice, but their 1-5 win at Zulte-Waregem will have given them a shot of confidence.

They should be too good for Vitesse despite the side coming in with an impressive 1-2 win at Ajax which is part of a good start to the new season.

However Vitesse are lacking experience in European football and that naivety may have been a reason they were beaten 2-3 by Lazio on Match Day 1. Playing away from home is another challenge for Vitesse and I will look for Nice to have a little too much for them in this on and will back them to cover the Asian Handicap.


Ostersund v Hertha Berlin Pick: There is clearly a difference in quality in the Swedish and German top flights and that is a big reason Hertha Berlin will be the favourites to win in Ostersund.

They are capable of doing that, but Hertha Berlin are not a team who have travelled very well in recent months with 10 losses from their last 15 away games in all competitions. Hertha Berlin did recently win a German Cup game at Hansa Rostock, but teams have underestimated the challenge of coming to Ostersund and that may see the favourites come unstuck here.

You have to respect Ostersund have only lost 1 of their last 15 home games in all competitions, but the majority of those have been in the Swedish domestic League. However they have also won all 3 home Europa League games this season with wins over Galatasaray and PAOK very strong results.

Ostersund have goals in their side at home and their 0-2 win in Zorya was a really good result already in the Group. Beating Hertha Berlin won't be easy, but I will back the home team with the start here which will at least provide a positive return as long as Ostersund can avoid defeat.


Everton v Apollon Limassol Pick: Winning back to back games at Goodison Park over the last eight days will have done Ronald Koeman and Everton the world of good and they will be confident they can get their Europa League Group back on track. The 3-0 hammering in Atalanta means Everton can't afford to drop points at home if they do want to make their way through to the Last 32, especially with a back to back against Lyon to come.

They have beaten Sunderland and Bournemouth here and Koeman will likely pick another strong team against Apollon Limassol.

The Cypriot League is not the toughest around and Tottenham Hotspur's win at APOEL earlier in the week will have shown the difference in the quality between their League and the Premier League in England. Apollon Limassol did show heart to score a late equaliser against Lyon in the Group already, but they may not be as strong when they head out on their travels.

Apollon Limassol have already lost at Aberdeen in the Europa League this season and I think Everton will get the better of them here.

Clean sheets have been a problem for Everton, but they have only conceded 4 goals in 6 home games in the 2017/18 season and three of those came against Tottenham Hotspur. That is going to be the foundation from which Koeman will look to build and I think Everton can be backed to win this one with a clean sheet at odds against.


Ludogorets Razgrad v Hoffenheim Pick: This looks like it will be a difficult Group to come through with three clubs who began in the Champions League making up the quartet, while Sporting Braga are the exception but also the only club with a win through the first round of fixtures.

That makes this game in Bulgaria between Ludogorets Razgrad and Hoffenheim a big one for both clubs.

Ludogorets Razgrad have the extensive European experience to call upon and have won their last 3 home games in European Football, but Hoffenheim have to be respected having continued to surprise in Germany. However Hoffenheim are looking for their first positive result in European competition having lost all 3 games they have played against Liverpool (twice) and Sporting Braga.

Hoffenheim are a team who can get forward and score goals, but they are perhaps a little naive at the back. That is highlighted by the fact they have scored at least least twice in 3 consecutive away games, but at the same time have conceded at least twice in each of those games.

I do think Ludogorets Razgrad have the experience to take advantage of the defensive issues Hoffenheim will have, but I also think the German club will be dangerous in the final third. Picking a winner is therefore tougher than you may think, but picking at least three goals to be shared out looks the obvious play.

Usually it won't work out when everything is pointing to an 'obvious' pick, but I do think these two teams are built to share out goals. I will back at least three to be shared out with all three results on the win-draw-win market a distinct possibility.

MY PICKS: Tottenham Hotspur - 1.25 Asian Handicap @ 1.97 Bet365 (2 Units)
Besiktas + 0.25 Asian Handicap @ 1.91 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Manchester City Win to Nil @ 2.20 Boyle Sports (2 Units)
Monaco @ 2.15 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Liverpool - 1 Asian Handicap @ 1.91 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Atletico Madrid @ 2.15 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Manchester United Win to Nil @ 2.62 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Arsenal - 1 Asian Handicap @ 2.06 Bet365 (2 Units)
Nice - 1 Asian Handicap @ 1.90 Bet365 (2 Units)
Ostersund + 0.25 Asian Handicap @ 1.83 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Everton Win to Nil @ 2.00 Sky Bet (2 Units)
Ludogorets-Hoffenheim Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.83 Bet Victor (2 Units)

September Update: 17-21-3, - 4.28 Units (77 Units Staked, - 5.56% Yield)