Month: May 2024

We move to the PlatinumCars Arena in Norrkoping for a bottom of the table clash in Sweden top league.

Norrkoping are 14^th after 10 games with 11 points. Overall form is 3 wins, 2 draws and 5 losses. Home form is 2 wins and 2 losses. Recent form is 3 wins, 2 draw and 3 losses (winless in 4 games) Varnamo are level on points with the home side. Overall, they have the same record – 3 wins, 2 draws and 5 losses. Away form of 3 wins, 1 draw and 1 loss. Recent form is 3 wins, 1 draws and 4 losses.

Team news: Home side are without Joseph Casey, Jacob Otmark and Kristoffer Khazeni. The visitors are just missing Emin Hasic.

Head-to-head statistics: 5 games – 3 wins Norrkoping, 1 draws and 1 wins Varnamo.

Betting selection – Identical records for both sides who are not in greatest of form. Home side are a bit short for me – take Varnamo/Draw double chance at 1.83 or 5-6 Betfair.

Friends Arena on a Monday night for Swedish Allsvenskan action. Two sides from Sweden’s two biggest cities go head-to-head.

AIK are 10^th after 10 games with 14 points. Overall form is 4 wins, 2 draws and 4 losses. Home form is 4 wins and 1 loss. Recent form is 3 wins, 1 draw and 4 losses (lost last three conceding 11) Goteborg are 2 places and 3 points below the home side. Overall form is 3 wins, 2 draws and 5 losses. Away form of 2 wins, 1 draw and 2 losses. Recent form is 3 wins, 2 draws and 3 losses.

Team news: Home side are without John Guidetti, Martin Ellingson, Alexander Milosevic, and Ismaila Coulibaly. Visitors have Mattias Johansson, Emil Salomonsson and Laurs Skjellerup missing.

Head-to-head statistics: 20 games – 8 wins AIK, 3 draws and 9 wins Goteborg.

Betting selection – Two sides slightly out of form and with players out. AIK to win at 2.10 or 11-10 Betfair is the preferred option.

A draw gives the home side safety from relegation and the visitors will lift the title so in Turkey Super Lig final day we can see honours even.

Konyaspor are 15^th with 41 points, 3 ahead of the drop zone. Overall, they have 9 wins, 14 draws and 14 losses. At home they have 6 wins, 5 draws and 7 losses. Recent form is 2 wins, 4 draws and 3 losses. Galatasaray are top of the table with 99 points, 3 ahead of Fenerbahce. Overall form is 32 wins, 3 draws and 2 losses. Away form of 14 wins, 3 draws and 1 loss. Recent form is 8 wins and 1 loss.

Team news: Home side miss Metehan Mert and Yasi Subasi while Galatasary have a fully fit squad.

Head-to-head statistics: 20 games – 3 wins Konyaspor, 5 draws and 12 wins Galatasaray.

Betting selection – This looks like a surefire Gala win but with the home side needing a draw for safety its cynical to read too much into it. However, money talks and a draw has been backed last few days. Helps both sides so looks the bet. Draw at 27-20 or 2.35 Unibet.

The richest game of the planet is what is often called the England Championship playoff final. £130M + is on offer to the winner as that is the amount paid to the team ending last.

Leeds finished the season in 3^rd with 90 points. Overall form including playoff semi final is 28 wins, 10 draws and 10 losses. Recent form is 2 wins, 2 draws and 4 losses. The Saints ended season in 4^th, 3 points behind Leeds. Overall form is 27 wins, 10 draws and 11 losses. Recent form is 4 wins, 1 draw and 3 losses.

Team news: Leeds miss Bamford, Struijk and Gyabi while Byram is a doubt. Southampton have Ryan Fraser as a doubt but no new injury worries.

Head-to-head statistics: 20 games – 8 wins Leeds, 4 draws and 8 wins Southampton.

Betting selection – Tight game for sure and the Draw is enticing at 3.40 or 12-5 Skybet. Too much on the line for either side to risk.

Estadio Municipal de Portimao for this Portugal Primeira playoff 1^st leg, winner gets a place in next years top flight.

Portimonense finished season in 16^th place with 32 points from 34 games. Overall record was 8 wins, 8 draws and 18 losses. Home form was 3 wins, 6 draws and 8 losses. Recent form was 2 wins, 3 draws and 3 losses. AVS (formerly known as Vilafraquense) ended season in 3^rd in Segunda with 63 points. Overall form was 20 wins, 4 draws and 10 losses. Away form of 11 wins, 2 draws and 4 losses. Recent form was poor with 2 wins, 2 draws and 4 losses.

Team news: Felipe Relvas is suspended for the home side while AVS miss Luis Silva with a ban also.

Head-to-head statistics: Zero meetings.

Betting selection – Two legged final and all to play for, take Portimonense win at 1.95 or 19-20 with 888Sport.

For the second consecutive season we have a Manchester derby as the English FA Cup final at Wembley.

Man City won the league in almost robotic style for the 4 season in a row. After New Year they just won game after game and wore down Liverpool and then eventually Arsenal. They finished top of the league with 91 points from 38 games. Man Utd had a season to forget pretty much, ending the season outside European qualification in 8^th place. A win here their only way in. They finished with 60 points from 38 games.

Team news: City will have to do without keeper Ederson. United miss Harry McGuire and Mason Mount but have no new injury worries. Raphael Varane is back and this could be his last United fixture.

Head-to-head statistics: 20 games – 11 wins Man City, 2 draws and 7 wins Man Utd

Betting selection – Hard to see anything other than a City win but at odds 1.33 or 1-3 its hard to make anything from that. United will keep it tight for the 1^st half but City will ultimately prevail. Take Halftime draw fulltime Man City at 4.50 or 7-2 Betfair.

Turkey Super Lig season ender with two sides in the top half of the season meeting at Bahcesehir Okullari Arena.

Alanyaspor are in 7^th with 51 points from 37 games. Overall form is 12 wins, 15 draws and 10 losses. Home form of 7 wins, 7 draws and 4 losses. Recent form is 5 wins, 3 draws and 1 loss (unbeaten in 5) Antalyspor are 10^th and 3 points behind the home side. Overall, they have 12 wins, 12 draws and 13 losses. Away form of 4 wins, 4 draws and 10 losses. Recent form is 3 wins, 1 draw and 5 losses.

Team news: No new injury worries for the home side. Antalyspor are without Bunyamin Balci but do have Erdogan Yesilyurt back from suspension.

Head-to-head statistics: 20 games – 7 wins Alanyaspor, 3 draws and 10 wins Antalyspor.

Betting selection – Take the home win – Alanyaspor to win at 1.80 or 4-5 Betfred.

The Catalan side have finished third while the visitors are relegated in this their last game of the season.

Girona have more than achieved their goals for this season. UCL qualification in the bag and they aim to grab another three points. Overall, they have 78 points from 37 games.  They have 24 wins, 6 draws and 7 losses. Home form is 14 wins, 2 draws and 2 losses. Recent for is 5 wins, 1 draw and 3 losses. Granada will take their place in Spain Segunda after a poor season. Overall, they have just 21 points from 37 games and ended 2^nd bottom. They have 4 wins, 9 draws and 24 defeats. Away they are yet to win a match! 3 draws and 15 losses so far. Recent form is 2 wins, 1 draw and 6 losses (losing last four matches)

Team news: No new injury worries for the home side. Granada have doubts over a few players with Raul Fernandes and Raul Torrente, Kamil Jozwiak and Augusto Batala all not fully fit.

Head-to-head statistics: 3 games – 2 wins Girona and 1 win Granada.

Betting selection – Top v bottom clash but nothing at all to play for. These games can peter out to nothingness due to the lack of motivation. Home odds of 1.25 Girona are restrictive. They have had 6 of last 8 both score yes and Granada 3 of the last 6 – let’s take both score yes at 1.67 or 4-6 with Unibet.

A place in next years Bundesliga in on offer in this play off final first leg. Vonovia Ruhrstadion will host Bochum’s home leg.

Bochum ended Bundesliga with 33 points and 16^th place, losing out on goal difference to Union Berlin. Overall form was 7 wins, 12 draws and 15 losses. Home form of 5 wins, 8 draws and 4 losses. Recent form of 2 wins, 2 draws and 4 losses. Fortuna Dusseldorf finished 3rd in 2. Bundesliga with 63 points. Overall form was 18 wins, 9 draws and 7 losses. Away form of 8 wins, 6 draws and 3 losses. Recent form is 5 wins, 2 draws and 1 loss (unbeaten run of 7 games)

Team news: Home side are without keeper Manual Riemann but Felix Passlack is back from suspension. Visitors have just Jamil Sibert missing.

Head-to-head statistics: 20 games – 6 wins Bochum, 6 draws and 8 wins Fortuna Dusseldorf.

Betting selection – Bochum to take the win at home but I see Fortuna winning their home leg also. Close game but take Bochum at 2.20 or 6-5 Betfair.

Scotland Premiership playoff between Raith (2^nd top of the Championship) and Premier Leagues 11^th placed side Ross County.

Raith ended the Championship with 69 points from 36 games. Overall form was 20 wins, 9 draws and 7 losses. Home form of 9 wins, 6 draws and 3 losses. Recent form of 4 wins, 3 draws and 1 loss (unbeaten in 6 games) Ross ended season second bottom with 30 points.  Overall form 7 wins, 9 draws and 17 losses.  Away form terrible of 1 win, 5 draws and 11 losses. Recent form is 2 wins, 2 draws and 4 losses.

Team news: Home side are without Keith Watson. Visitors have no new injury issues.

Head-to-head statistics: 16 games – 7 wins Raith,4 draws and 5 wins Ross County.

Betting selection – Two sides with wildly different form but to be expected. Raith ended season well while Ross struggled and played badly on the road. Take Raith draw no bet at 1.95 or 19-20 Betfair.