Here are our winning tips for the 16th of September.
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Here are our winning tips for the 16th of September.
What are you waiting for? Sign up now and start winning.
Wednesday Night football will be with us again very soon. Undoubtedly the most important club competition in Europe, it is the most anticipated of every league season, pitting some of the world’s biggest clubs from Europe’s best leagues against themselves.
The group stage draw of the 2018/19 Champions League season takes a slightly different format from previous years. However, the most excitement can be felt in the result that followed the group stage draws towards the end of August. So, what do we expect from this year’s Champions League games? Which groups offer the most excitement? What are the teams to watch?
Most Exciting Groups
This year’s Champions League group stage draw does throw up some really exciting pairings. You will not have to wait until the knockout rounds to watch Europe’s top teams square off against themselves.
Group C threatens to offer the most excitement. Last year’s runners-up Liverpool have been paired with French champions Paris Saint-Germain and Serie A runners-up Napoli. This is definitely one group to follow, regardless of your personal bias.
Group H is yet another group to watch with former Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo squaring off against his previous employers. This time though, he will be arriving with Italian heavyweights Juventus, with Valencia also there in the mix.
Elsewhere, Barcelona will be facing Tottenham and a resurgent Inter in Group B, last year’s winners Real Madrid will go up against semi-finalists Roma in Group G, and Atletico Madrid will be locking horns with Borussia Dortmund in Group A.
2018/19 Champions League: Favorites
Predicting the winners of the Champions League each year is about as easy as swimming across the Atlantic, but there are certain teams to watch each year.
Premier League champions Manchester City will be looking to make a major push in Europe following their domestic success of last year. Pep Guardiola’s men have strengthened a winning squad with the arrival of Rhiyad Mahrez, while Bernado Silva has been fully blooded into an already powerful squad.
Liverpool will be looking to go one further after the disappointment of Kiev, and have strengthened their squad with the arrivals of the hardworking Naby Keita and the calm and controlled presence of former Roma goalie Allison. They remain outsiders though, with domestic success more likely to come by.
Usual suspects and perennial winners of the last three editions Real Madrid will be looking to solidify their claim as the competition’s most successful side without the talismanic presence of Cristiano Ronaldo.
Lionel Messi will be looking to lead Barcelona back to winning ways in the competition for the first time since 2015, without the stewardship of midfield talisman Andres Iniesta, but they will first have to navigate their way against Tottenham.
Juventus have been major contenders in the past few years and the presence of Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, who is definitely hungry for success in Italy, has certainly moved them from also-rans to potential winners. Still, they will have to get past Manchester United first.
Paris Saint-Germain may continue to rue the absence of Neymar in the latter stages of the competition last year, but they should have him fit and firing this year. With teenage star Kylian Mbappe continuing his coming of age alongside him, they are a team to watch.
Finally, Bayern Munich– as always –will be considered contenders to reclaim the title they last won against domestic rivals Dortmund in 2013, under the stewardship of the fairly unknown Niko Kovac. While Atletico Madrid will be looking to replicate their Europa League heroics of last year in Europe’s premier club competition.
2018/19 Champions League: Leading Outsiders
Amongst the rest of the chasing pack are a number of potential leading lights. Manchester United do not look stable enough to make a major push, with Jose Mourinho’s third season blues well documented in the press. Tottenham have the misfortune – yet again –of facing Barcelona and Inter Milan in the group stages, but will fancy their chance with Christian Eriksen, Harry Kane, and Dele Alli still in their ranks.
Napoli seems to have taken a step back with the departure of Maurizio Sarri and midfield maestro Jorginho, but the coming of three-time winner Carlo Ancelotti certainly bodes well. Roma will be looking to make it further than the semi-finals this time, buoyed by their victory over Barca in the competition last year. While Borussia Dortmund and Inter will be aiming to bounce back in the competition.
2018/19 Champions League: Potential Breakout Stars
The struggle for European dominance between the two most exciting players of the last decade, Messi and Ronaldo, is set to continue in this year’s competition. Messi will be looking to steal a match on leading scorer Ronaldo while leading the Blaugrana all the way. With players like Salah, Coutinho, Modric, and others also in the mix, there are lots of players to get excited about.
However, our focus will be on lesser-known players who will be looking to follow in the footsteps of PSG’s Kylian Mbappe to become household names in the competition.
Exciting midfielder Ante Coric (20) and winger Justin Kluivert (19) will aim to leave their mark on the competition with Roma. Ajax star Frenkie de Jong (21), dubbed the next Johan Cruyff, will be expected to carry his touch and vision in the Ajax’ midfield to the global stage alongside exciting teenage defender Matthijs de Ligt.
Phil Foden (18) of Man City might well be the ace up the sleeve of last year’s Premier League champions with Guardiola describing him as a gift. Former Man City starlet Jadon Sancho (18) will also be looking to make his mark with Dortmund. While Timothy Weah (18) continues his progress apace with Parisian giants PSG
Cheeky winger Malcolm (21) will fight for a place in Barcelona’s powerful frontline alongside Spanish jewel Abel Ruiz (18). And Hirving ‘Chucky’ Lozano (22)will be looking to make his name against rumoured suitors Barcelona with PSV Eindhoven after taking the Eredivisie by storm last year.
Conclusion
There’s a lot to look forward to in the 2018/19 Champions League season. The world’s leading players and teams will once again aim to get their hands on the most prestigious title in club football. But there is certainly more than one reason to look forward to the competition, which resumes on the 18th of September, for neutrals and fans alike.
For avid punters looking to get one over bookmakers in this year’s competition, predicting the game’s results may once again prove problematic. With top prediction sites again making permutations based on concrete data, you can certainly achieve those goals.
Reports from France claims that Manchester City is one of several top European sides who are monitoring the progress of Nice midfielder, Wylan Cyprien.
The 23-year old has been one of the best midfielders in the division in the past couple of seasons, but he has decided to remain at the French side to further his development.
He was a target of Barcelona and Real Madrid in the last transfer window, and Manchester City have also sent a group of scouts to monitor his progress in the Patrick Viera led team.
Cyprien also has a lot of interest from Germany and Italy, and the French media believe that he would be the next big talent to be exported from their shores.
The midfielder hasn’t indicated that he wants to leave Nice yet, but City hope that when they come calling, he would find the chance to play for Pep Guardiola too tempting to turn down.
Southampton is famous for being a selling club that has sold the likes of Dejan Lovren, Adam Lallana, Nathaniel Clyne, among others, but not long ago they were in the League Cup final and even qualified for the Europa League, only to struggle with relegation last season.
They showed signs of improvement when they drew their first league game of the season 0-0 against Burnley at home, before going on a 2-games losing streak.
However, they bounced back to winning ways against this same opponent at the Carabao Cup and defeated Crystal Palace 0-2 away from home in their last league game.
There have had striker issues over the past few seasons, but the signing of Danny Ings looks to be a smart decision, and he has scored two goals already.
Brighton may have beaten Manchester United already this season, but they have one of the worst away records in the Premier League.
They come into this game on the back of 4 straight away losses, and they have not won any of their last 15 away games, a run that stretches to November 2017 when they beat Swansea away.
Southampton haven’t lost any of their last six Premier League games against Oppositions from the South Coast, and Chris Houghton has won just once in nine trips to the Saint Marys.
This game would bring together two teams that earned surprising wins in their last game just before the international break, having changed their managers in the summer.
Girona may have won their last game 1-0 at Villarreal, but they haven’t been as impressive as they were last season under their new manager.
They would be happy to have kept Christian Stuani who scored the winner in their last game, and their fans would feel when he finally reaches full fitness he would deliver the goods again.
The hosts have started their season with just one point collected from a possible six at home this season, and they would be eager to improve on that here.
Celta Vigo are enjoying the new season under their new manager and if they continue this way, they may find themselves vying for a Champions League place next this season.
They have collected 7 points from their last three games, and the last time out, they shocked Atletico Madrid with a 2-0 win. A team that can break down Atleti’s defence is one to watch out for and they would be looking to build on that result in this game.
Here are our winning tips for 14th September.
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Manchester United were keen on adding a good centre back to their team this summer after Jose Mourinho identified that position as his team’s major problem.
However, the Portuguese boss couldn’t get the club to give him a centre back despite their best attempts to bring in some of the best defenders in the game.
Yerry Mina, Toby Alderweireld, and Rafael Varane were just some of the defenders that were linked with a move to Old Trafford, but none of them were signed by the Red Devils.
Fresh reports from Talksport is claiming that the Red Devils wanted to sign Lucas Hernandez from Atletico Madrid, but the French man turned them down.
Hernandez has a 45 million pound release clause on his current deal, and Manchester United offered the Spaniard’s 70 million pounds, which caused to consider selling him.
However, Hernandez is reported to have turned down the offer and instead committed himself to a new deal at the Wanda Metropolitana.
Chelsea are set to lose one of their star midfielder in the next transfer windows as Maurizio Sarri settles into his preferred midfield pairing.
The former Napoli boss signed Jorginho and Matteo Kovacic this summer and the duo has been impressing in the Chelsea midfield as the former Premier League champions stay unbeaten in the division.
The impressive form of the starting midfielders has made it impossible for Cesc Fabregas to get playing time and 31 years old may be set to leave the Blues.
Reports on Sun Sport claims that the former Arsenal and Barcelona man is been tracked by Inter Milan and AC Milan as the Italians look to bolster their midfield.
Inter were desperate to sign Luka Modric in the last transfer window, but Real Madrid refused to sell, they seem to have turned their attention to Fabregas.
Milan signed Tiemeoue Bakayoko on-loan from Chelsea this summer but he has been far from convincing so far. They believe Fabregas would offer much more in terms of experience and skill.
Fabregas has just over 8 months left on his current deal, and the Italian teams are hoping Chelsea would agree to sell him in the next transfer window, or they would bag him for free next summer.
Here are our winning tips for 12th September.
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Manchester United did not have the most saga-free summer transfer window as Jose Mourinho complained relentlessly about not getting the signings he wanted.
The former Chelsea boss also had a falling out with some of his players, with Alexis Sanchez seemingly the only player that is immune to criticism at the moment.
One player who had a very publicised falling out with Jose Mourinho is Anthony Martial, and it seems the relationship between the pair is not getting any better soon.
Reports on Talksport claims that Mourinho has had enough of Martial and he is set to allow the French man to leave Old Trafford at the earliest possible chance they get.
Martial had wanted out during the last transfer window, but the Red Devils refused to sell.
They also prefer to sell to a club in another country, but Martial wants to remain in the English top flight.
Reports claim that Mourinho no longer cares about which club he joins and simply wants him out of Old Trafford.
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