Celtic will be feeling a lot better about life after a couple of big wins in the last week and can maintain the momentum when hosting Jablonec. The Hoops hold a 4-2 advantage from the first leg of this Europa League qualifier and are hard to oppose at Parkhead.
Five of the last six UEFA Super Cup contests have gone to extra-time and we’re expecting another close contest between Chelsea and Villarreal. Windsor Park in Belfast will stage this pre-season showpiece and past history suggests a tight tussle is on the cards.
PSV continued their impressive start to the new season when crushing Midtjylland 3-0 in Holland in the first leg of this Champions League qualifier. Roger Schmidt’s side are playing with great confidence, so they look worth sticking with in the return fixture in Denmark.
Rangers have given themselves work to do when entertaining Malmo in the second leg of their Champions League qualifier after losing 2-1 in Sweden. However, they have a formidable home record in Europe since Steven Gerrard took charge.
Celtic face a tough trip to Denmark as they look to progress to the third qualifying round of the Champions League. The Hoops were held to a 1-1 draw by Midtjylland in the first leg at Parkhead last Tuesday night and were thrashed 6-2 by West Ham in Saturday’s friendly.
PSV were totally dominant when thrashing Galatasaray 5-1 in Eindhoven and can confirm that superiority in the second leg in Istanbul. A date with Celtic or Midtjylland looks assured for the Dutch outfit, who appear to be back on an upward curve under Roger Schmidt.
Chelsea and Leicester will battle it out at Wembley on Saturday and we’ve asked our editors for their expert FA Cup final betting tips. Bwin is offering odds on a vast range of markets ahead of this weekend’s clash and here’s three predictions on how to cash in on the prices available.
Villarreal are slight favourites to reach the Europa League final after beating Arsenal 2-1 at home and are tipped to advance after drawing in London. Former Gunners boss Unai Emery returns to Emirates Stadium with a strong unit packed full of experienced performers well equipped to cope with pressure.
Roma are unlikely to turn around their Europa League semi-final tie with Man Utd but can at least salvage some pride at Olimpico. The Giallorossi are unbeaten in the Italian capital in this competition and can also boast a good record here in Serie A, so look a value bet to at least win the second leg.
The football world was briefly in turmoil following a European Super League announcement which threatened to shake up the very foundations of the sport, but those plans have collapsed. It was proposed that the new competition would be a rival to the Champions League, with organisers claiming it would generate increased and guaranteed income for the clubs involved.
Arsenal face a very tricky test when visiting Slavia Prague in the second leg of their Europa League quarter-final tie. The Gunners looked the better team in a 1-1 London draw, but their opponents have gone 30 home games without defeat, drawing with Leicester and Rangers at Eden Arena.
Manchester United enjoyed a relatively comfortable 2-0 victory over Granada in Spain and should again be too strong at Old Trafford. However, they are without a trio of key suspended players, while their opponents may feel able to perform with more freedom now that the pressure is off them.
Ajax will look back on the first leg of their Europa League clash with Roma as a missed opportunity but there is still time to make amends. The Dutch outfit wasted a number of goalscoring opportunities but should still be hopeful of turning around a 2-1 deficit at Stadio Olimpico.
Villarreal are firmly on course to continue Spain’s proud Europa League record after returning from Croatia with a 1-0 advantage over Dinamo Zagreb. The Yellow Submarines put in a professional display to prevail in that opening encounter and it is hard to see a way back into this tie for their opponents.