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BOBBY’S BEST WEEKEND BETTING EVENTS – 3RD AND 4TH MAY

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Soccer – League One – Luton Town vs Oxford

The first of my big betting events comes from League One. It’s the final day of the EFL season, and this is one of many decisive fixtures.

Luton have been leading the way for the majority of the season, but they’ve stumbled towards the finishing line, and the Hatters will be desperate to book their place in the Championship with three points here.

The bookies have priced them up at short odds-on, and I’ve seen quotes of around 1/3 for Mick Harford’s men to seal promotion in style, but Oxford are a team in-form, and the leaders could be in for a difficult afternoon.

In fairness to Luton, the fixture list hasn’t been overly kind to them. It pitched them against in-form Charlton, free-scoring Burton and dogged AFC Wimbledon, who were desperate for the points. Harford admitted that his side were far below their best against the Brewers, and that is surely a concern for anyone backing them at a short price here.

Oxford were unlucky to only draw 2-2 with Doncaster last weekend, and although Karl Robinson’s men have absolutely diddley squat play for, they will fancy their chances of upsetting the odds here. March 9th was the last time that they suffered a defeat, and they’ve netted at least two goals in four of their last five League One matches.

Luton’s defence has looked far from assured in recent weeks, and Oxford’s lively forward line will certainly look to exploit any potential vulnerabilities.

I understand that the Hatter’s need for victory which can skew the prices, but backing a side who have won just two of their last five home games at long odds-on allows us plenty of scope to explore other betting markets.

This is a fascinating game which should ebb and flow nicely throughout the 90 minutes. Both sides have been playing decent football lately, and it should be fairly easy-on-the-eye.

However, it is certainly interesting from a betting perspective, and the visitors look far too big. They arrive in form, and COULD potentially derail Luton’s best laid plans for a return to the Championship.

EFL Fans can see highlights of this game on Quest TV’s Saturday night highlights show which airs at 9pm in the UK. 

 

Boxing – WBA, WBC and IBF Middleweight Championships – Saul Alvarez vs Daniel Jacobs

We’re off to the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas for this Saturday night showdown between Saul Alvarez and Daniel Jacobs, and this bout is the second of our big betting events for this weekend.

The Mexican will be looking to add another IBF belt to his collection, and is odds-on to win this match-up. The bookies have given Jacobs a sniff, although he’s up against it here.

The man known as “Canelo” will be keen to build upon his dismantling of Rocky Fielding, and will be coming back down in weight here. He puts his WBA, WBC and The Ring titles on the line, and will be confident of securing Jacob’s IBF belt on Saturday night.

Canelo is a veteran of the sport, and has been fighting since the age of 15. He is a familiar name to sports fans, and his record is absolutely sensational. I love watching him fight, and it’s good to have him back in the ring here.

He’s only ever been defeated once, and that came against Floyd Mayweather. There is absolutely no shame in that. He’s won 51 of his 54 fights, and won’t be fazed by this match-up.

Jacobs is no slouch though, he’s won 35 of his 37 fights, but has far less experience. He secured his belt following a split decision against Sergiy Derevyanchenko back in October, and he also gave Gennady Golovkin a scare prior to that.

Both fighters are confident of their chances with Alvarez saying that he “has no doubt that I will be victorious” in this contest. Jacobs admits this is the “opportunity I’ve been waiting for” and also added it is a chance to “achieve greatness in the ring”.

It should be a fascinating head-to-head between two classy contenders, both of whom will fancy their chances of coming out on top in LasVegas on Saturday.

UK Boxing Fans will be able to watch this bout on Sky Sports on Saturday evening 

 

Soccer – Bundesliga – Werder Bremen vs Borussia Dortmund

My friends and family are probably sick of me banging on about the Bundesliga title race, but it is absolutely fascinating this season, and another pair of crucial fixtures take place this weekend. This clash between Dortmund and Bremen is the third of my big betting events. 

Lucien Favre’s side slipped up last weekend, surprisingly losing 4-2 to Schalke. Their loss didn’t prove to be overly costly with Bayern failing to see off relegation-threatened Nurnberg 24 hours later.

With three games left to play, it leaves the title race wide open, and this battle between the pair continues to leave the neutrals (like me!) enthralled. Dortmund still have to go to Gladbach, and they also host Dusseldorf next weekend, but they must overcame this stiff test first.

This tie will not be easy for the black and yellows, and they are coming up against a side who have only lost three times at home all season. There is always a terrific atmosphere around the stadium, and that will certainly help the home side here.

Dortmund are going to start as clear favourites for this tie, but Werder haven’t lost here since December 1st when Bayern edged past them. Favre’s men will be buoyed by the fact that the hosts have only kept two clean sheets here all season, and there should certainly be goals in this one.

The visitors have only won twice on the road since the beginning of January, and I thinkl there will be plenty of nerves around when the players take to the field on Saturday.

This will certainly be an entertaining fixture, and the two teams should put on a real feast of football. I can’t wait for the next couple of weeks, and I’m looking forward to seeing the reamining twists and turns in this fascinating title race.

UK viewers can watch this Bundesliga clash on BT Sport on Saturday afternoon. 

 

Aussie Rules – AFL – GSW vs St Kilda

With the football coming to a conclusion around Europe, it’s always good to have some sport from down under to look forward to. The Aussie Rules season is well underway, and the ladder is beginning to take shape.

The fourth of my big betting events sees two sides pitched together who have made solid starts to the campaign. GSW and St Kilda have both hold a 4-2 record so far, and they’ll be hoping to build upon a positive couple of months.

Greater Western Sydney were expected to be towards the top of the ladder, and after a mixed start, they’ve now won three of their last four. They easily swept aside the Swans last week, 120-79.

GSW have dominated this fixture in recent years, winning three of the last five meetings, and they’ll be hoping to continue their fine record this weekend.

St Kilda have been one of the surprise packages this campaign, although their progress was halted by a defeat against the Crows seven days ago. The injuries are starting to mount up for them, and they may struggle to maintain that early-season pace with their depleted squad. Jack Lonie is the latest player to pick up an injury, and he will definitely miss this clash with GSW.

He is likely to be sidelined for a significant period of time, and it doesn’t bode well for their future prospects. They must dig deep here, and they are understandably outsiders for this clash. A quick glance at the ladder suggests that there isn’t much between the pair, but GSW have a talented roster which is largely injury-free, and they should be able to take advantage of their opponents fitness misfortunes.

UK AFL fans can watch highlights of every Aussie Rules clash on BT Sport 

See the LATEST ODDS now for the above FEATURED BETS at BOBBY’S WEEKEND BETS!

 

 

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Best Bets of the Day – Sunday, April 28th 2019

Mo Farah

Worcester v Gloucester
Premiership Rugby – 3.00 pm
BT Sport

Gloucester look set to be heading to the Gallagher Premiership semi-finals and they could mathematically seal their place this weekend. They are in some hot form at the moment too with the Cherry & Whites on a four-match winning streak in the league. Their last game saw them overhaul a 7-17 half time deficit at home against Bath to post a win. The last time that Gloucester managed to win five in a row was back in December 2017. Gloucester start the weekend of action in third place in the table, eight points behind second-placed Saracens. Gloucester are 1/2 odds-on with top bookmakers to secure the victory.

As for Worcester, they are having some issues down at the other end of the table. They are second from bottom, seven points ahead of the ailing Newcastle Falcons, who look the likely candidate for the drop with three rounds of action only to go. Worcester need the crowd at Sixways behind them to give them something of a lift, but they have only won one of their last five games against Gloucester. That was in this corresponding fixture last season, and they are 11/10 to pull off a repeat.

Manchester United v Chelsea
Premier League – 4.30 pm
Sky Sports

This is a big game in the context of a top-four finish this season. That top four race is now basically boiling down to these two and Arsenal for the one remaining spot. Chelsea could do themselves a huge favour in the race by winning such a big away game but their record against the others in the Big Six this season has been poor. The Blues have lost all four games on the road in such contests. The Blues head to Old Trafford as 7/4 underdogs with leading bookmakers for the win. Chelsea have lost five of their last seven away games in the league, so aren’t carrying top form.

Manchester United have been called out recently for some really poor performances. They lost at home again in midweek against rivals Man City. In a short span of time, they crashed out of the FA Cup, the Champions League and four defeats in their last six Premier League games, has left their shot at a top-four finish in jeopardy. With so few games remaining now, will they be able to finish with a strong showing of power? As much as they can be faulted recently, their home form has been decent. The loss against City snapped a 14 match unbeaten run of home games. It’s now about character more than anything at this point and United are 17/10 to show some and claim the win.

Burnley v Manchester City
Premier League – 2.05 pm
Sky Sports

There is the not-so-small story for Manchester City’s title hopes of course in this one. However, before getting into that, Burnley deserve credit for the way that they dug out a point at Stamford Bridge against Chelsea last Monday. It wasn’t pretty from them, but it was a point which will see them safe at the end of the season. So they can relax and breathe a little bit easier ahead of this clash at Turf Moor against the title-chasing Citizens. Burnley have won their last two home games so can they potentially trip up Man City? The Clarets are 14/1 underdogs.

Manchester City probably won’t be relishing such a trip to Turf Moor. It’s a tricky game, a potential banana skin. But Pep Guardiola’s men will likely be hoping that Burnley are in a relaxed mood after maintaining their Premier League status for next season. So from that perspective, this could be good timing for the Citizens. City, who have posted wins over Spurs and Man Utd in their last two games, are such overwhelming odds-on favourites in the match outright that they are even still at odds-on with leading bookmakers at 4/5 to win to nil. While they are red-hot favourites and will be backed by many as a best bet of the day for the victory, the majority of their league losses have been away from home this term.

Leicester v Arsenal
Premier League – 12.00 noon
Sky Sports

Arsenal are one of those teams who can’t afford to have their home form desert them. It did last weekend as they suffered a 3-2 loss at the Emirates against Crystal Palace. That was the last thing they needed in their scrap for a top-four finish because their away form just hasn’t been there this season. Following a 3-1 defeat at Wolves on Wednesday, the Gunners have now lost five of their last eight on the road in the top flight (W2 D1).  Arsenal are 11/8 favourites with top bookmakers for the game but will they be able to raise their away game?

Leicester have a target in mind as well, so they aren’t just coasting to the end of the season. There is a chance of a top seven finish for them still, which is likely to reward with a place in the Europa League next season. The Foxes haven’t been in bad shape either with three wins in their last four at the King Power. So they could pose a further threat in this one to Arsenal’s top four ambitions. It’s a tough finish for Leicester as they face Man City and Chelsea in their final two games of the season. They have to take what they can get at home.

London Marathon
Athletics – 10.00 am
BBC

Mo Farah is looking for another highlight moment in his career. The British Olympian legend will be lining up at the start of the London Marathon as the second favourite at 7/2 odds with leading bookmakers. Last year he had a crack at it and took a 2 hours 6 minutes 21 seconds finish. He was out at the Chicago Marathon following that and knocked a minute and change off his best time. But can he bridge the gap to take down Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge who is the 4/6 odds-on favourite? Kipchoge has won the London marathon three times and he set a new world record in Berlin last year for the marathon. That’s going to take some beating.

The best bookmakers to fit your own personal betting needs can help to enhance you overall experience by delivering the services that you want.

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Best Bets of the Day – Saturday, April 27th 2019

Billy Sharp

Tottenham v West Ham
Premier League – 1.30 pm
Sky Sports

Spurs were let off the hook a bit over the Easter Weekend. They suffered a 1-0 loss at Manchester City which should have blown the race for a top-four finish wide open. However, of the three chasing teams (Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United), they managed to pick up just the one point between all of them on the weekend. So Spurs survived in third place and then rolled out a midweek win at home over Brighton, thanks to late strike by Christian Eriksen to strengthen their position.

Spurs are on a three-match winning streak at home. They have won six of their last seven on home soil in the top flight (D1). So they have the form, they have something to play for and they are 13/8 with top bookmakers to win to nil in this fixture. As for the West Ham, they look to have run out of a bit of steam. They have lost five of their last eight league games (W2 D1) and have one point from their last four played. The Hammers are on a four-match losing streak away from home currently. They are also winless in eight road games, averaging under a goal per game. They have big 14/1 underdog odds to defy in this London derby.

Wasps v Saracens
Premiership Rugby – 4.30 pm
BT Sport

Last weekend Saracens beat Munster to book a place in the Champions Cup Final. That was a huge boost for them, considering that the Premiership title has slipped away from them. They lost their last league outing, a shock 23-21 away defeat against the lowly ranked Bristol Bears. That leaves Saracens W2 L2 in the league currently and nine points adrift of leaders Exeter Chiefs. There are three rounds of action to go including this one and Sarries are 8/11 to pick up the victory. This may not be an easy road game as they visit Wasps.

The hosts could have a sting in their tail because they had a huge fillip of confidence in their last league game. Wasps ran out 26-19 winners away at leaders Exeter in a massive win for themselves to leave them sitting in fifth place. The stakes are high for Wasps as they try and overhaul Harlequins for a top-four finish and a place in the semi-finals at the end of the season. Wasps are even money underdogs for this but are facing a Saracens side who have lost their last four away games in all competitions. Punters may see the home win as one of the best bets of the day for value.

Sheffield United v Ipswich
Championship – 5.15 pm
Sky Sports

This is just the kind of game that Sheffield United need at the moment. They are sitting in second place after the busy Easter weekend of action in the league, with contenders Leeds having had a couple of setbacks. A win in this one, their penultimate game of the regular season, would see Sheffield United secure anatomic promotion, regardless of what Leeds do. The Blades and Leeds could finish up with the same amount of points at the end of the season, but Sheffield United have a far superior goal difference.

The Blades start as 1/6 odds-on favourites to pick up three points in this one and  are 4/6 to win to nil at leading bookmakers. That is because they are facing Ipswich who are already relegated and are likely to finish rock bottom of the pile. The Tractor Boys have won just two road games all season and aren’t playing for anything at the moment. That leaves the away win option in this game a little unlikely. They are 14/1 underdogs to pull off a win at Bramall Lane and potentially leave an exciting climax for the final weekend of the season.

Brighton v Newcastle
Premier League – 5.30 pm
BT Sport

The Magpies will be celebrating another top-flight season next term after having gotten themselves safe with games to spare. That will have been a relief considering the amount of struggles that they have had this season. Newcastle have put in a strong finish as they have won their last two league games, taking down Leicester and Southampton. The Magpies are 5/2 underdogs to win this game, as it hasn’t been a great season from them on the road with only three wins recorded.

They will be facing a Brighton side who are desperate. The Seagulls lost in midweek against Tottenham, which was their game in hand over the others around them near the drop zone. Brighton are only the three points from safety now but are well out of form with just the one point earned from their last six league outings. They haven’t been able to find much respite at the Amex as they have lost five of their last seven there (W1 D1). Their two remaining fixtures after this are against Arsenal and Man City. How important would three points of this fixture be for them? They are 6/5 to get that crucial victory.

If you are looking to keep track of all the latest action that is going on during this busy Saturday, or any other day for that matter, check out the live bets section.

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BetVictor’s Top-Priced Teams for This Weekend

Middlesbrough.and .West .Brom

Once again, BetVictor are back with their “Top-Priced Teams” of the weekend. Incredible value can be found in ten teams from the English football league, in which their prices trump all their competitors; jump on these sides to get the job done this weekend!

Middlesbrough and West Brom are two top-priced sides from the Championship with two very winnable home matches. Boro’ take on Reading at the Riverside who are struggling to keep their head above water in 20th position, whereas the Baggies invite nearly-relegated Rotherham to the Hawthorns with a home victory emphasising their hold on fourth spot in the league. Both sides have won their last two home matches, and are well positioned to make it three on the spin this weekend.

Birmingham invite Wigan to St. Andrews having gone unbeaten in their last five outings. Wigan’s survival means there will be little for the Latics to play for on Saturday, with the two points difference between the sides an unfair reflection of the gulf between them following Birmingham’s nine-point deduction. Swansea are the other side worth a look in the Championship. A win at home to Hull (who have lost their last three on the bounce) will keep them in the hunt for a playoff spot (just) at this late stage. Swansea have won seven of their last eight home Championship matches, underlining their pedigree.

Southampton have a very winnable game on Saturday in their South Coast derby against Bournemouth. After a solid start to the season, the Cherries have popped in 2019 conceding worrying amounts of goals. The Saints still need a point or two to confirm safety; Bournemouth don’t travel too well and will be lacking motivation in late April.

Three wins on the spin scoring nine goals, Barnsley are worth a punt in their home tie against Blackpool. The hosts are still chasing Luton for the League One title, with both sides’ main focus on automatic promotion. Luton travel to Burton having lost just five times in 44 league matches this season; their 86 goals are a testament to the threat they pose any defence – Burton have conceded five in their last two outings.

Scunthorpe still have a chance of escaping the drop, and although they have failed to win in their last seven, Saturday sees them host already relegation Bradford City. A home win is a must here, putting pressure on Wimbledon, Plymouth and Southend above them.

Carlisle and Mansfield grab the attention in League Two. Mansfield need three points to continue their chase for the automatic promotion spots, with Carlisle looking for an entrance to the playoff spots around the back door. Both have very winnable home matches, with a Mansfield win over Stevenage helping Carlisle in their playoff push. The way League Two is shaping up, it wouldn’t be a surprise if these two crossed paths in the playoffs.

Don’t miss out on a chance to land some betting bonuses for you play, check out our section to see what takes your fancy.

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Why the Premier League is Europe’s Best

Premier League best

To say that the Premier League is the best domestic league in Europe may sound like hyperbole. Can we really say that English football’s top flight is better than those in Germany, Spain or Italy? Yes, I think we can. But first we should be clear about what I mean by ‘best’.

I’m not necessarily referring to the ‘best’ football as that is often a subjective judgement. I’m talking about tension, surprise, drama; in short, the sort of pulse-quickening excitement that can only come from a truly competitive league, where predictability is kept to a minimum.

And every year, fans all over the UK and around the world tune in to the Premier League’s compelling action. This season, fans following the competition on Sky Sports have been treated to another dramatic run-in as Liverpool and Manchester City have duelled for supremacy, taking it in turns to lead the table, as the season winds down and the tension mounts. And while City have been the odds-on favourites with bookmakers for most of the campaign, they have been pushed all the way.

Compare this season’s Premier League drama to the state of domestic football in Italy, where Juventus have clinched their eighth Serie A title in a row, or Spain, where Barcelona and Real Madrid have taken the top two places La Liga in eight out of the last ten seasons. In France, Paris St-Germain have won six of the last seven Ligue 1 titles, and in Germany, Bayern Munich are bidding for their seventh Bundesliga success in a row.

Of course, there have been one-sided Premier League seasons. Last year Manchester City walked away with the crown, winning it by 19 points. But for several years now, ever since the Manchester United dynasty ended, competition for the Premier League has involved a rotating cast of teams.

For a start, there have been four different winners of the tournament in the last six seasons, including Leicester City, who won it in 2016 having started the season rated as a 5000/1 chance! And over that same period, five different teams have finished as runners up.

That isn’t to say that the Premier League is a completely open competition. There is a very clear hierarchy at the top of the league, consisting of the Manchester clubs, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham. Leicester’s success has proven to be a one-off, and while supremacy within the Big Six shifts from season to season, given the financial realities of modern top flight football, it has proven all but impossible for other teams to break into that mini-league.

That still makes for a more competitive league than any of the other competitions in Europe. It may be that the long history of English football has enabled the growth of a wider selection of big clubs. The fact that the game originated among the scattered industrial towns of the north rather than in wealthy London may also have helped to ensure that no single team could dominate in the early years.

But whatever the reason, and whatever the quality of the football played outside the Big Six, it remains almost indisputable that the Premier League is the most competitive top flight league in Europe, which is why this summer millions of European football punters who use the bigbetbookmakers site will be eagerly looking for the best prices on next season’s Premier League.

One of the most important aspects of online wagering is having access to a bookmaker with the services to meet your betting needs

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Best Bets of the Day – Friday, April 26th 2019

Huddersfield

Liverpool v Huddersfield
Premier League – 8.00 pm
Sky Sports

The Reds are the first ones up this weekend in the title race. They get a home fixture on Friday night against the already-relegated Terriers. The Reds have been relentless recently in their pursuit of a Premier League title and they are on a six-match winning streak. Their home form has just been immense as it stands at W15 D2 L0 for the term. The Reds have averaged 2.8 goals per home game and with the strength of their defence as well, the leading bookmakers have them at 4/7 odds-on to win to nil. That will probably appeal to a lot of punters as one of the best bets of the day.

The Terriers are just waiting to be put out of their misery at the end of the season really. They have extended their losing streak to seven now in the league. In that sequence of games, Huddersfield have managed to produce only the two league goals. During this campaign, they have won once on their travels only. It is just one point from the last 33 available to them on the road which they have taken. It would be some shock to see them be the ones to derail Liverpool’s title challenge at Anfield.

Somerset v Essex
One Day Cup Cricket – 1.00 pm
Sky Sports

Somerset have powered their way to three wins from three in the One Day Cup putting up a net run rate 2.80 in the campaign. Somerset crushed Kent by 264 runs in their opener, before squeezing out a two-run victory over Glamorgan. They were far more comfortable in their third match with a 68 run success over Sussex and they are 4/6 odds on with leading bookmakers to pick up the victory.

Can Essex (6/5) stop them in their tracks? It has been a bit of an unsteady start from them with a W1 L2 record from their three games. Their only success in the competition so far came in their opening match when they took out Glamorgan with a 180 run victory in Sophia Gardens. A home defeat against Middlesex and a road defeat to Surrey has set them back. So they need to start picking up the pace a bit to get back into contention for at least a place in the playoffs.

Sale v Bath
Premiership Rugby – 7.45 pm
BT Sport

This will be seventh-placed Bath taking on Sale who are one place and just the one point behind them in the table. So this may end up being a tight battle between the two clubs, who really at this stage are just playing with only the very faint glimmers of hope about reaching the top four at the end of the term. There are only two rounds of action to go following this one. In each of Sale’s last four league matches, the home side has come out on top. That could bode well for them at the AJ Bell Stadium on Friday.

The Sharks are 4/7 favourites for the win and they are looking for their fourth straight Premier League home win as well. The head to head over the recent meetings have produced a win for each and a draw. Bath are +3 at 10/11 in the handicap market with leading bookmakers. Exactly like Sale, the last four league games they have been involved in have ended in a home win. Bath suffered a tough defeat last time out in the league, blowing a 17-7 half time lead at Gloucester. Bath have had their struggles on the road as they have just one win away from home since September in all competitions.

Augsburg v Bayer Leverkusen
Bundesliga – 7.30 pm
BT Sport

Augsburg have a comfortable cushion between themselves and the drop zone with just the four games to play. So they can rest easy. They do have a bit of form behind them as well having taken back to back league wins over Frankfurt and Stuttgart, firing off a total of nine goals in those two games. Each of their last five league games have produced at least four goals in them. So this may be entertaining and four of Augsburg’s five home wins this season have come in their last six on home soil. Still, they are 15/4 underdogs with leading bookmakers for this.

Bayer Leverkusen have bigger fish to fry. They are in seventh place in the table, three points outside of the top five. So they are still in the mix for some European action next season and need to continue some recent good momentum to get there. They are on a two-match winning streak in the league, both of them being with a clean sheet. Leverkusen are on a nine-match scoring streak on their travels and they have won five of their last seven on the road. So again, this looks like a game with the promise of goals. The top bookmakers think the same with over 2.5 goals at 1/2 odds.

Get set for another big weekend of action by reading Bobby’s Big Weekend bets!

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2018/19 Europa League Semi Final Previews

Olivier Giroud

We could still be in line for an all-English final in the UEFA Europa League this season with Arsenal and Chelsea lining up in opposite semifinals. The tournament is down to the final four now with the first leg of the ties being played on Thursday, May 2nd. The return fixtures will be played a week later.

Standing in the way of that potential all-English final are Valencia and Eintracht Frankfurt who meet the Gunners and Chelsea respectively in the final four.

The prize here is not only the taste of glory in picking up a piece of European silverware, but the winner also gets a place in the Champions League group stage next season (if not already qualified through their domestic league standings).

Arsenal v Valencia

The Gunners get home advantage in this tie to start with. That’s not the most favourable route to go for them, but maybe it will work out for them. After cruising to a group win at the first stage of the competition, Arsenal did hit a couple of bumps in the road in the first couple of knockout stage ties.

They lost the first legs out on the road against BATE and then Rennes in the rounds of 32 and 16 respectively. The Gunners overturned a 1-0 away loss against Belarusian side BATE and then had to claw their way back from a 3-1 first leg away defeat against French unit Rennes. In taking on the much stronger Napoli in the quarterfinals, Arsenal started at home and had no trouble in the tie as they cruised to a 3-0 aggregate win.

Home start good for Gunners?

So maybe Arsenal, who are 4/6 odds-on favourites To Qualify from the tie, are well positioned in starting on home soil. Twelve months ago Arsenal lost out at this stage of the tournament, suffering 2-1 aggregate against eventual winners Atletico Madrid. As for Valencia, they dropped front the Champions League this season where they finished third in their group behind Juventus and Manchester United.

They were relatively comfortably in their ties against Celtic and Krasnodar, before going up against their local rivals Villarreal in the quarterfinals. Valencia came racing straight out of the blocks in the tie though, landing a 3-1 away win in the first leg, helped out by their opponents going down to ten men. Valencia won the all-Spanish tussle 2-0 on aggregate.

Previous Meetings

There isn’t much history between these two. Their first meeting was in the 1980 Cup Winners’ Cup Final which the Spaniards won on a penalty shootout. Valencia then took an away goal win in their Champions League quarter-final tie in 2001. The following season they met again in the Champions League with Valencia earning a draw and a win in the second group stage. That leaves Valencia with a W2 D2 L1 record against the Gunners.

Arsenal’s record in European semi-finals is W5 L2 while Valencia’s European semi-final record is at W4 D2. Valencia are previous winners of the UEFA Cup, claiming the title back in 2014 over Marseille. Arsenal’s previous appearance in the final ended in a loss in 2000 against Galatasaray. Valencia are 11/10 with leading bookmakers To Qualify from this tie.

Eintracht Frankfurt v Chelsea

The Blues get to start this tie out on the road, which leaves them with the more favourable situation of having home advantage to settle the tie. Chelsea are strong odds-on favourites to the tune of 4/9 with leading bookmakers To Qualify from this tie. It could all hinge on how well their defence holds itself together on the road in Germany. This will be the first-ever meetings in UEFA competition between the two clubs.

Chelsea on cruise control

It has not been the most strenuous or stressful of tournaments for Chelsea at all. They only dropped the two points in the group stage, sauntering to the group win. In the round of 32, the Blues posted a 5-1 aggregate victory over Malmo before dispatching Dynamo Kiev by an 8-0 aggregate in the round of sixteen. It did then get a little more stressful for them in the quarterfinals against Slavia Prague.

The Blues were heavy favourites to win the tie but came under some pressure in the first leg away from home. Slavia Prague created plenty of chances, but couldn’t get their breakthrough and Chelsea snatched a late winner. In the second leg at Stamford Bridge, they found themselves 4-1 ahead at half time before a second-half collapse when Petr Sevcik netted a quick brace for the visitors to heap some pressure on the Blues. Chelsea held out for 5-3 aggregate win.

Frankfurt a goal scoring threat

Eintracht Frankfurt powered their way to a 100% record in the group stage of the Europa League this season. It was impressive from them and they posted a 6-3 aggregate win over Shakhtar Donetsk in the round of 32. They then were underdogs for a round of sixteen tie against Inter Milan, but a second leg away win at the San Siro gave the Germans a 1-0 aggregate success.

Then in the quarterfinals, after their 10-man performance ended in a 4-2 loss in Lisbon against Benfica in the first leg, things looked dire for Frankfurt. However, the Germans turned things around with a 2-0 home win, moving through on away goals. That was some character they showed, not only back on home soil, but in the way, they never gave up in Lisbon and kept pushing with a man disadvantage to get those precious away goals. Frankfurt are 13/8 underdogs with leading bookmakers to win this tie.

There may be goals in this tie. Chelsea (30) and Frankfurt (28) at the top two highest scorers in this season’s Europa League. Chelsea’s Olivier Giroud is the top scorer in this season’s competition with 10, but Frankfurt’s Luka Jovic isn’t far behind with an eight-goal haul. Chelsea’s William is the joint-top assist-maker this season with seven, with Frankfurt’s Mijat Gacinovic on five.

Frankfurt hold a W2 L1 record from previous European semi-finals, while Chelsea are at W5 L7.

The domestic and European seasons are getting to the business end of things, so don’t miss out top opportunities by getting the right bookmaker for your big betting.