Weekend Football Tips – April 4th/5th
Let's crack some big matches on today's ofer but do bear in mind that it’s not easy after international breaks. Also, should you want me risk bigger priced bets, let me know. Always be polite in the comments field, though, as I just won’t respond to ill-mannered and rude comments, and will delete them.
Anyway, good luck and let’s get cracking!
Cagliari v Lazio: Saturday, 15:00
Still third from bottom in the Serie A standings, Cagliari dispensed with the services of Gianfranco Zola prior to their last game, bringing Zdenek Zeman back in – the same coach they’d fired earlier this season. What will this change do? Likely nothing, but like his predecessor, Zola, but more so, Zemen teams play gung-ho attacking football, conceding and scoring lots of goals in the process.
Lazio have been in great form recently and have risen to third in the Italian top-flight standings as a consequence. As such, Stefano Pioli’s Biancocelesti should beat Cagliari in Sardinia this weekend, but it’s Zeman’s first home game as new coach and I prefer to bet on goals.
Indeed, all six of Cagliari’s last six home Serie A games have seen both teams score, with five of them containing at least three goals, while four of Lazio’s last six away league games have passed the over 2.5 goals mark, with both teams scoring in three of them.
Over 2.5 goals is best priced at 1.75 and whilst I’d be happy with that, I’m trying to pick bets close to or above evens, so we’ll take BTTS and over 2.5 goals as one bet.
Recommendation: Both teams to score and over 2.5 goals at 2.05
Fiorentina v Sampdoria: Saturday, 18:30
Vincenzo Montella’s Viola have been in superb form recently, beating rivals Juventus in the first leg of their Coppa Italia semi-final and keeping themselves in contention for a Champions League berth through their Serie A form. Most crucially for our purposes, all six of Fiorentina’s last six league home games have seen both teams score, with four of their last six overall being the same.
Sinisa Mihajlovic’s Sampdoria, on the other hand, have also been in terrific domestic form and have risen to fourth place in the Serie A standings as a consequence. Admittedly, only three of Samp’s last six Serie A away games have seen both teams score, but they themselves have scored in five of those six games, and i’d certainly expect Fiorentina to get one on home soil this weekend.
Recommendation: Both teams to score at 1.91 with William Hill
Borussia Dortmund v Bayern Munich: Saturday, 18:30
The biggest game in German football takes place this weekend and it looks set to be a cracker! On one hand we’ve got a Borussia Dortmund side that’s pulled itself out of the relegation places after a truly horrendous start to 2014/15, while on the other we’ve got a Bayern team that, bar a slip-up at Wolfsburg and surprising loss to a team they often fail against in Borussia Monchengladbach, has been putting team after team to the sword, both domestically and in Europe.
In their last six head-to-head contests, it’s an even split between Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich, with each winning three games. This time I expect a reaction from Bayern after that Monchengladbach defeat, and as Dortmund were thrashed 3-0 at home to a strong European team like Juventus recently, I expect a stronger one in Bayern to win this weekend. For a little cover, which results in half of your stake being lost rather than it all if the game ends in a draw, I’ve opted for Bayern – 0.25.
Recommendation: Bayern – 0.25 Asian Handicap at 1.86 with Bet Victor
Marseille v PSG: Sunday, 21:00
They were once top, they were once second, but now Marcelo Bielsa’s Marseille occupy third place in the Ligue 1 standings and PSG- two points clear – have returned to the top of the table. The pressure to win this weekend’s big game between the two, therefore, is on Marseille.
Big games in France tend to contain less than three goals and this one might be no different, but I think that Marseille have to go for it and try to win and that should open the game up. BTTS is just 1.75 and while that does sound like a likely winner, again, I’m trying to find slightly bigger priced bets and have opted for the chancier over 2.5 goals at evens.
I must say that PSG draw no bet looks like an attractive option, but that’s another bet around 1.7, I’m afraid. Besides, the Parisians, according to a website, may miss defenders Luis, Marquinhos and Aurier for their strip to Stade Velodrome, and that could help us.
Recommendation: Over 2.5 goals at 2.0 with Paddy Power
Good Luck to All...
