Joshua Oha, Author at Matchplug Blog

Bayern Munich vs Hoffenheim: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

Bayern Munich will look to continue their defence of the Bundesliga title this Saturday when they host Hoffenheim at Allianz Arena.

The hosts come into this tie on the back of an embarrassing 3-0 loss to Manchester City in the Champions League. The loss was their second in four games under new manager Thomas Tuchel.

The German boss has his work cut out for him as he attempts to navigate a difficult week that could see Bayern lose their grip on their chances of winning a trophy at the end of the season.

Currently, they sit top of the table but with just two points ahead of Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga table.

Meanwhile, having secured back-to-back Bundesliga victories in the infancy of his reign, Tuchel now has the chance to become just the fourth Bayern coach since the turn of the century to win his first three league games.

With the Bavarians boasting eleven wins from their last 14 Bundesliga home outings against Hoffenheim (D2, L1), you’d fully expect him to secure that feat and ensure his side end the weekend still on top.

The visitors aren’t pushovers, though, as they travel to Munich on a run of three consecutive league wins. Those priceless nine points have helped steer them clear of the immediate clutches of relegation.

However, with just a five-point cushion to the drop zone ahead of the round, the job is far from done. But all three Hoffenheim victories came against sides starting this round in the bottom half of the table. But it’s not been quite as plain-sailing for them against the division’s better sides, winning just two of their 15 Bundesliga games so far this season against teams starting the round tenth or higher, a record that looks ominous as they travel to face high-flying Bayern.

Meanwhile, Bayern have led at half-time in a league-high 21 of their 27 Bundesliga games this term (HT: D4, L2), so you can expect a first-half goal in this game.

Paris Saint-Germain vs Lens: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

It’s first versus second in Ligue 1 this Saturday when Paris Saint-Germain welcomes Lens to Parc des Princes for the 31st Round of the 2022/23 Ligue 1 season.

Both sides are separated by six points after 30 games, with PSG sitting top thanks to 22 wins (D3, L5). They could extend that gap this Saturday when they welcome Lens. However, considering the French juggernauts haven’t won any of the last three Ligue 1 H2Hs (D2, L1), they could be left sitting uncomfortably on Saturday night.

Also, losing their last two home league games without as much as scoring a goal hasn’t helped PSG’s title bid, and considering they lost the reverse H2H 3-1, that home run could yet get worse.

But all isn’t doom and gloom for the Parisians, though, as a 35-match unbeaten home league run preceded that duo of defeats (W30, D5). So they could be backed to get back their groove in this game.

Lens will be hoping to capitalise upon any home jitters knowing a victory would cut PSG’s lead to three points as they eye up a first top-flight title since 1997/98.

Unlike their title rivals, Lens make the trip to Paris in red-hot form on the back of four successive league victories, leaving them on the brink of matching their best consecutive run of wins this season, set from October-November.

That eye-catching run has played a part in Lens racking up 63 points after 30 rounds, their best tally in any Ligue 1 season.

Their success has largely been built on solidity in the first half before chasing the game after the break, with no team in Ligue 1 trailing at half-time in fewer games this season than Lens’ two. At the same time, their league-low nine league goals conceded in the opening 45 minutes this term showcases their defensive resilience.

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Chelsea vs Brighton: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

Chelsea will return to Premier League action this Saturday when they welcome top six hopefuls Brighton to Stamford Bridge.

The Blues were in Champions League action in midweek, as they were beaten 2-0 by Real Madrid at the Bernabeu. Despite a fast, positive start to the game, Frank Lampard’s side was undone by two defensive errors, allowing the in-form Karim Benzema to score in the first half before Marco Asensio wrapped up the win late.

The result extended Chelsea’s run of games without a goal to four matches. It was also their fifth game without a win (D2, L3), a follows a weekend loss to Wolves last time out in the league.

Interim manager Frank Lampard insisted ‘special things can happen at Stamford Bridge’, but that’s not been the case this term whatsoever, as Chelsea have won just one of their last six PL home games (D3, L2), only finding the net in two of those matches. In addition, the Blues have failed to score in the first half in each of their last eight league outings at the Bridge, while another first-half blank would mark their longest run in the PL era.

Meanwhile, Brighton will travel to London desperate to get back to winning ways after suffering their first away PL defeat since October in a 2-1 loss to Tottenham last weekend. They’ve since received another apology from PGMOL for the decisions that went against them in the game, but that will do little to appease them as they will be without head coach Roberto De Zerbi who was sent off for his protestations during the game.

The Seagulls will be missing the Italian from the touchline here as they look to stay in contention for a place in the Europa League next season. However, they will see Chelsea as the perfect opponent as De Zerbi’s first win as Brighton boss came against the Blues.

However, a win here will be their first in London in a while, as they have lost their last three trips to the capital. That should serve as an extra motivation here, as will their desire to stay in the top six race.

And with only three teams in the division earning more points on the road than Brighton (22) this season, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Seagulls carry away all three points.

Meanwhile, click here to get accurate predictions for today’s game.

Manchester City vs Leicester City: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

After their midweek exertions in the Champions League, Manchester City will return to Premier League action on Saturday evening as they take on relegation-threatened Leicester City at the Etihad.

The Cityzens secured a massive first-leg win in their Champions League quarter-finals tie, beating Bundesliga giants 3-0 at the Etihad on Tuesday courtesy of goals from Rodri, Bernardo Silva and the in-form Erling Haaland.

The win was their ninth consecutive win in all competitions and extended their unbeaten run to 13 competitive games (W11, D2). Pep Guardiola’s side scored 3+ goals in nine of those 13 games, keeping six clean sheets.

Given their streak, they remain on course for a historic treble and will come into this tie in confident mode. They currently trail league leaders Arsenal by six points with a game in hand and can be backed to win here, given their strong record against Leicester City.

Pep Guardiola’s men have triumphed in ten of the last 12 PL head-to-head (L2), while a run of ten straight wins at home also puts them as clear favourites.

Meanwhile, Leicester will be desperate to kick off their life under former Aston Villa boss Dean Smith with a win when they visit the Etihad on Saturday. The Foxes recently sacked their FA Cup-winning coach Brendan Rodgers after a terrible run of results that saw them drop to the bottom three after one point from seven games (D1, L1).

The former Aston Villa coach will be hoping to hit the ground running and will also be desperate to make good his boast that the relegation mountain is surmountable for the Foxes this season.

As expected, his side enters this clash as clear outsiders, given that they have lost four of their last eight competitive away games without reply (W2, D1, L5).

Meanwhile, Man City have picked up 28 of 30 available PL points when scoring first at home this season (W9, D1). So Smith will be hoping that they don’t score first–something that looks impossible given that Leicester have kept just one clean sheet in their last 15 competitive games.

That said, we can expect a first-half goal from this tie and a game of over 2.5 goals.

Chelsea confident of beating Man United and PSG to Victor Osimhen’s signing despite the absence of Champions League football

Chelsea reportedly believes they can win the race for in-demand Napoli striker Victor Osimhen even without the allure of Champions League football next season.

The Blues have made the Nigerian marksman their top striker target for 2023 after months of scouting, and club officials are preparing what will likely be a club-record bid to take the 24-year-old to Stamford Bridge.

Osimhen is one of Europe’s most talked about strikers this season, with his 21 goals in 23 games for Serie A leaders Napoli propelling them to their first Scudetto title in over 30 years. The 24-year-old is also on the radars of Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, and Manchester United, who are all understood to have made contact with the striker’s representatives.

But according to a report by 90min, Chelsea believes they can outbid their rivals and convince Osimhen to move to London even without the promise of Champions League football next season. The Blues are currently sitting outside the top half of the Premier League and are almost certain to be knocked out of the UCL after a 2-0 loss to Real Madrid in the first leg of their quarter-final tie.

They believe that moving to London will interest Osimhen as it will allow him to follow in the footsteps of his childhood idol, Ivorian striker Didier Drogba, fondly remembered as one of Chelsea’s all-time greatest players.

The only hindrance to a possible deal for Osimhen will be money, as Chelsea are on the brink of breaking Financial Fair Play (FFP) rule unless they can move on some players. However, the Stamford Bridge side are ready to do just that, with the likes of Conor Gallagher, Kai Havertz, Christian Pulisic and Hakim Ziyech all set to be sold to fund the move this summer.

Bayern prepare bid for Harry Kane with Bundesliga giants ready to pounce on Tottenham uncertainty

Bayern Munich are reportedly looking to test Tottenham Hotspur’s resolve with a big-money offer for star striker Harry Kane.

The Bavarians are looking to sign a top-quality striker this summer after failing to replace Robert Lewandowski last season. The Pole was Bayern’s leading marksman for several seasons but joined Barcelona with one year left on his contract last summer.

His replacement Sadio Mane has not lived up to the billing at Allianz Arena, with fitness issues and poor form denying him the impact that the club would have wanted.

Bayern Munich want to avoid another situation where they enter the new season without an out-and-out number nine and have ramped up their interest in Harry Kane. They are preparing to send an offer for the Tottenham striker, who has been on the radar of the German giants for a long time.

Bayern feel that Kane’s frustration with Spurs’ trophy drought will help them could secure their target. The Three Lions captain has just one year left on his contract at Tottenham Hotspur, and Bayern Munich will look to persuade him to Germany by offering him a lucrative deal.

The 29-year-old had also received interest from Manchester City in the past, while Manchester United are also rumoured to be interested. However, it’s doubtful that Daniel Levy would sanction a deal to sell him to an English counterpart.

Rayo Vallecano vs Osasuna: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

Osasuna will travel to Campo de Futbol de Vallecas this Friday to face Madrid-based Rayo Vallecano in the 29th Round of the 22022/23 La Liga season.

The hosts are looking to get back their quest for a top six finish after a poor run of form that has left them eight points behind Real Betis. After eyeing European qualification earlier this term, Vallecano have lost their way and are now eight La Liga games without a win (D5, L3) following Saturday’s 2-1 defeat to Atlético Madrid.

However, they remain ten points clear of the relegation zone in a relatively comfortable mid-table position. Moreover, that derby defeat was also their first loss in five home matches (W1, D3). So staying calm could serve them well although they can’t relax too much having only won one of the last four H2Hs here (D1, L2) including a 3-0 defeat last season.

The hosts have won only once this term against sides currently above them in the standings (D1, L3) so Osasuna will fancy their chances here.

The visitors’ 2-1 win over Elche last time out means they sit in eighth position, one point ahead of their hosts. However, to continue an upward push to the top six, they must build on their current record of one La Liga away win in eight attempts (D5, L2) with them failing to score in three of the last four of those fixtures.

Meanwhile, Osasuna haven’t netted before half-time in any of their last seven fixtures (W2, D3, L2). So we can expect a cagey affair in this game, with under 2.5 goals expected here.

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Spezia vs Lazio: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

Lazio will look to keep their push for a top four finish alive when they travel to Stadio Alberto Picco this Friday to take on Spezia.

The hosts played the role of party poopers last weekend when they stopped Fiorentina from breaking a club record for consecutive wins within a single season in a 1-1 draw. More importantly for them, that result helped keep the gap to the relegation zone at four points which could prove crucial as the home side bid to secure a fourth consecutive season in Serie A.

However, on paper, Spezia’s form continues to look like a concern after recording just one win from their last eleven league outings. But they will be happy with how much things have improved under new manager Leonardo Semplici as they have only suffered one league defeat (W1, D4) since the Italian arrived at the club.

That run will be tested here against a Lazio team who are not only flying high but also boast a dominant record of winning each of the last five head-to-head meetings.

The visitors are in hot form having won each of their last three league games. They have scored a remarkable 14 goals across the last three head-to-head meetings and will fancy their chances of another great result here.

However, for all their attacking prowess, it’s been Lazio’s defence that has been getting the bulk of plaudits recently, as they have conceded in seven Serie A matches (W6, D1).

But despite their scintillating form, they still finished the last gameweek a hefty 16 points behind league-leaders Napoli. Even the most optimistic Eagles fan would accept the league title is beyond them, yet motivation to keep pushing on will surely remain as they look to finish above rivals Roma – currently in third – and secure their first top-two finish since winning the title back in 2000.

Meanwhile, Lazio have scored a league-high ten goals between 0-15 minutes, while being the only Serie A side yet to concede in this period, too. So we can expect a Goal First Half in this game.

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James Rodriguez Olympiacos contract TERMINATED after just eight months

Former Real Madrid and Monaco attacker James Rodriguez is in transfer limbo once again after his contract with Olympiacos was terminated after eight months of joining the club.

The 2014 World Cup star joined the Greek club at the start of the 2022-23 season and made 23 appearances. During his eight-month stay at the club, the 31-year-old scored five goals and provided six assists before his contract was terminated.

With his contract terminated, Rodriguez became a free agent and could sign for any club this summer. However, the midfielder has not played since February due to an injury.

But according to Spanish publication AS, he could be soon seen in action, with Turkish giants Galatasaray and Besiktas already in touch with him over a possible transfer.

The club announced the termination with a tweet: “Olympiacos FC and James Rodriguez have decided to terminate their cooperation. James will always be part of our club and a member of the “red-and-white” family. We want to thank him for his service, and we wish him every success in the future.”

Since leaving Real Madrid, Rodriguez has seen his career nosedive badly, with spells in Everton, Al-Rayyan and Olympiacos following since. However, the Colombian would hope he soon signs a deal with either which would allow him to return to the pitch.

Alexis Alexis Mac Allister’s father put clubs on alert after statement on sons’ Brighton future

The father of Brighton midfielder Alexis Mac Allister has revealed that he expects his son to leave the Seagulls this summer.

Mac Allister saw his profile rise considerably after playing a crucial role in Argentina’s run to World Cup glory in Qatar last November. His performance at the tournament alerted several Premier League giants, who have since voiced an interest in signing the 24-year-old.

According to reports, Manchester City, Tottenham, Liverpool, Newcastle, and Chelsea are all closely monitoring Mac Allister, who signed a new three-year contract in October. Juventus are also among the sides from Europe keen on the Brighton man.

And now the player’s father, Carlos, who is heavily involved in managing Mac Allister’s career, has confessed he expects the midfielder to be in a new club ahead of the coming season.

“Normally, the next l transfer window will find him playing for another club,” Carlos said via 90min.

“We don’t know which one. The talks are just beginning in general, but it is most likely that Alexis will be playing for another team in July.”

Brighton are unhappy with Mac Allister and his entourage for the way they have handled the issue of his availability in the summer and have warned that they will not be pressured to sell.

The Seagulls have proven that they can stand their ground when big clubs come for their star players, with Arsenal’s unsuccessful pursuit of Moises Caicedo a perfect example of their stubbornness.

Joshua Oha

Bayern Munich vs Hoffenheim: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

Paris Saint-Germain vs Lens: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

Chelsea vs Brighton: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

Manchester City vs Leicester City: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

Chelsea confident of beating Man United and PSG to Victor Osimhen’s signing despite the absence of Champions League football

Bayern prepare bid for Harry Kane with Bundesliga giants ready to pounce on Tottenham uncertainty

Rayo Vallecano vs Osasuna: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

Spezia vs Lazio: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

James Rodriguez Olympiacos contract TERMINATED after just eight months

Alexis Alexis Mac Allister’s father put clubs on alert after statement on sons’ Brighton future

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