Soccer Betting Podcast

Despite his red card against Bosnia, FIFA have cleared Folarin Balogun to feature in the USA’s clash with Belgium on Monday night. It's one of the most disgraceful decisions in the history of football. From the Trump lead FIFA corruption, to the horrible and embarrassing fan chants, to the obnoxious and entitled takes on social media about how to "improve a game" Americans watch every 4 years, the WORLD NEEDS BELGIUM TO WIN TONIGHT. 

Billi breaks down the first 4 World Cup Round of 16 matches, taking place on Saturday and Sunday, headlined by Mexico v England. Two late goals from captain Harry Kane spared England’s blushes against DR Congo but they will need to raise their levels significantly if they are to overcome co-hosts Mexico at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City in the last 16 on Sunday night. If England are at their best they should be able to beat Mexico but largely they have underwhelmed at the World Cup. They impressed in their opener against Croatia but then struggled to impose themselves against Ghana and Panama, before coming close to what would have been a humiliating defeat to DR Congo.In contrast, Mexico have probably improved with each game so they are the form team coming into this clash. El Tri also have the benefit of home advantage and this game will be played at altitude as the Azteca sits 7,200ft above sea level – the Mexican squad are used to playing in these conditions and England don’t have the time to adapt.

Billi breaks down his second set of selected games from the Round of 32. USA impressed during the group stages and the co-hosts will feel they have a chance to go far at the World Cup but they need to end a winless streak when they face Bosnia in the round of 32 on Wednesday night. A 3-2 defeat to Turkiye in the final batch of group games means the USA are winless in 12 games against European teams, with 10 defeats. They now haven’t managed a competitive win over a UEFA team since 2009 – when they upset Spain in the Confederations Cup. That run will be a concern for head coach Mauricio Pochettino, but not something clueless plastic US soccer fans are aware of, as they continue to blindly look past their opponents. 

The Round of 32 is set and Billi breaks down 4 selected games from Monday and Tuesday's slate. France reached the final of the World Cup four years ago and they look good value to reach the same stage of the competition if their first three games are anything to go by.They topped Group I after winning all three matches, as they proved too much for Norway, Senegal and Iraq. Their reward is a clash with Graham Potter’s Sweden, who finished third in Group F on four points. Sweden hammered Tunisia 5-1 before then losing 5-1 to the Netherlands and they should come unstuck against France. Didier Deschamps’ team have scored three goals or more in four consecutive matches and they should put Sweden to the sword in East Rutherford.

Colombia and Portugal meet at the Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday night in a game that will decide who claims top spot in World Cup Group K.The South Americans have the advantage after two wins, while Ronaldo and Portugal have four points on the board and have to win to move ahead of their opponents and avoid Spain in the Round of 16. 

The key games show looks at five of the early key games from the third phase of the group stage, including matches involving Canada, Brazil and the clash between France and Norway, which is a straight shootout for top spot in Group I, as two of the world’s best strikers go head-to-head in Foxborough on Friday. Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe already have four goals apiece in their race for the World Cup Golden Ball, with their sensational displays contributing to two wins apiece for their nations.

The key games show looks at five of the early key games from the second phase of the group stage, including matches involving Argentina, France and England. The USA put in a blistering display to beat Paraguay 4-1 in front of a home Los Angeles crowd and the Star and Stripes will be hoping for more of the same against Australia.The opening round saw Argentina legend Lionel Messi made history as he became the oldest player ever to score a World Cup hat-trick as La Celeste thrashed Algeria in their opener, and he is expected to make the difference again as their title defence continues against Austria.The 38-year-old has scored 120 goals for his country and has found the net nine times in his last seven appearances for Inter Miami and Argentina. His hat-trick against Algeria took him level with Miroslav Klose as the all-time leading goalscorer in the World Cup, and he looks good value to take another record for himself in pursuit of his first-ever World Cup Golden Boot award.

The key games show looks at five of the early key games from the second phase of the group stage, including matches involving the USA, Brazil and Germany. The USA put in a blistering display to beat Paraguay 4-1 in front of a home Los Angeles crowd and the Star and Stripes will be hoping for more of the same against Australia.In contrast to the US, Brazilian fans wouldn't have been happy with what they saw in their opener. Aside from a stunning goal by Vinicius Junior, there was little sign of Brazilian swagger in their 1-1 draw with Morocco. The African side were the stronger team in the first half, before largely controlling the second. That draw has raised the stakes as the five-time winners arrive in Philadelphia to take on Haiti. The battle for top spot could now come down to goal difference, so Carlo Ancelotti will hope his side can dial up their intensity and put up an impressive performance against the group minnows.

The key games show looks at five of the eight remaining game week 1 matches, including England's opening match against Croatia- who they lost to in the semi-finals of the 2018 tournament. However, it's not a great omen for the Croatians that their squad is largely the same from their run to the final in 2018. That side wasn’t exactly young, and their group stage exit at Euro 2024 suggests this group has had their day. England beat Croatia in their opening game of Euro 2020 before making the final, and they’ll hope that a victory in Dallas can kick off a similar run this summer.

World Cup 2026 kicks-off tonight at the Estadio Azteca, with Co-hosts Mexico taking on South Africa. The Mexicans head into their first hosting of the World Cup since 1986 unbeaten in eight matches, and it is worth noting that El Tri have recorded a joint-best quarter-final showing in both their previous World Cups on home soil. This is hardly surprising given the high altitude of many Mexican stadiums, which may explain why almost half of Javier Aguirre’s squad are based domestically. Their recent unbeaten run includes draws against European heavyweights Belgium and Portugal, and they have conceded just two goals in this sequence.The key games show also includes five other Matchday 1 matches, including the USA's opener against Paraguay. The road to the USA’s opening game at the 2026 World Cup has been a rocky one, and it's fair to suggest that the tournament co-hosts don’t seem entirely ready for their clash with Paraguay in Los Angeles. Mauricio Pochettino’s side have lost three of their four games in 2026, and they’ve kept just one clean sheet across their previous 14 internationals. Meanwhile, Paraguay return to the World Cup for the first time since 2010, and certainly can't be dismissed after finished level on points with Brazil, Uruguay, and Colombia in qualifying. 

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is right around the corner and the biggest tournament in world football is also one of the world’s biggest betting events. Millions of people place bets on the tournament, with many casual fans taking the opportunity to have a wager on the event. Unfortunately, many of these fans will be looking for good information, and will end up finding some used car salesman type - who only took an interest in football because of the tournament - masquerading as a "Soccer" expert, leading them down a path where their bankroll is blown before the the knockout stages.Luckily you've found this podcast. Over the past week, Billi has delivered 6 extensive group preview episodes over on the Soccer Betting Podcast, and now closes out his Fututes content with this very episode- primarily focusing on the outright market. Billi has watched this sport since religiously since 1989, and has covered football betting since the 2014 World Cup, when he began on the Sport's Gambling Podcast as their lead Soccer expert. Since 2013, he's delivered 156 months of consecutive tracked and transparent betting profit across all sports, and has navigated his way through 11 major international tournaments (World Cup, Euros and Copa Americas) since then, delivering 10 winning tournaments- with his only losing tournament being Euro 2016.American restaurants are known for generous portion sizes and this summer’s World Cup will be an all-you-can eat feast of football. The tournament, co-hosted by the USA, Canada and Mexico, has been expanded from 32 teams to 48 and the 16 venues are scattered across the North American continent. From Vancouver in the north to Mexico City in the south, from California to Massachusetts, this is a World Cup on a grand scale. In the outright market, there isn't much separating the top sides in this tournament, and it won't be surprising to see any of the top 7 names making it to East Rutherford, New Jersey, where the World Cup final takes place on July 19. Matches at last summer’s Club World Cup in the USA were played in sweltering conditions with thunderstorms forcing several lengthy breaks in play. Therefore, its massively important to factor in who is and who isn't equipped to handle the circumstances, heat and conditions. 

Billi concludes his 2026 World Cup Group breakdowns by deep dive into Groups K and L. World Cup Group K includes Portugal, DR Congo, Uzbekistan and Colombia, with matches to take place in US states Texas, Florida, Georgia and in Mexico City and Zapopan. Cristiano Ronaldo is set to play at his sixth and surely his final ever World Cup this summer, and will desperate to replicate what Lionel Messi did 3 and a half years ago.World Cup Group L is England's group. They are alongside Croatia, Ghana and Panama. Thomas Tuchel's Three Lions begin against Croatia on June 17 in Arlington, before they then face Antoine Semenyo's Ghana in Boston. The conclude their group stage ghase against Panama in New Jersey.

Billi continues his 2026 World Cup coverage by breaking down Groups I and J. World Cup Group I includes 2022 runners-up France, Senegal, Iraq and Erling Haaland's Norway, and will feature an Mbappe v Haaland match (if both players start). Group I will see it's matches played in US cities New Jersey, Philadelphia and Massachusetts, plus Canada's Toronto.World Cup Group J includes reigning World Champions Argentina, Algeria, Austria and Jordan, with Lionel Messi playing in sixth World Cup with Argentina and with Jordan taking part in their first tournament. Group J will see it's matches take place in Texas, Kansas and California.

Billi continues his 2026 World Cup coverage by breaking down Groups G and H. World Cup Group G includes Belgium, Egypt, Iran and New Zealand, with matches taking place in US cities Seattle and Los Angeles and in Canada's Vancouver. Meanwhile, World Cup Group H includes pre-tournament favourites Spain, Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia and Uruguay, with matches set to take place in Zapopan, Mexico and USA cities Atalanta, Miami and Houston.

Billi continues his 2026 World Cup coverage by breaking down Groups E and F. World Cup Group E includes Germany, Curacao, Ivory Coast and Ecuador, with matches taking place in the USA's Houston, New Jersey, Philadelphia and Kansas City plus Toronto in Canada. The four-time winners, Germany, will be looking for their first World Cup victory since 2014, while Curacao will be taking part in their first ever World Cup. Group F includes Netherlands, Japan, Sweden and Tunisia, with matches set to take place in Arlington, Houston and Kansas City in the US, plus Guadalupe in Mexico. The three-time runners-up, the Netherlands are the favourites for the group, and wil be desperately looking for their maiden World Cup win.

Billi continues his 2026 World Cup coverage by breaking down Groups C and D. World Cup Group C includes Scotland, Brazil, Morocco and Haiti, with matches will take place in the USA in Foxborough, Miami, New Jersey, Philadelphia and Atlanta. Brazil have won every group since 1982 and are widely expected to top their group once again. World Cup Group D includes co-hosts the United States of America, Paraguay, Australia and Turkey with the fixtures taking place in the USA in Los Angeles, Seattle and Santa Clara, plus the Canadian city of Vancouver. Some Americans have high hopes for their team, however, the road to the USA’s opening game at the 2026 World Cup has been a rocky one, and the tournament co-hosts don’t seem entirely ready for their clash with Paraguay in Los Angeles. Mauricio Pochettino’s side have lost three of their four games in 2026, and they’ve kept a single clean sheet across their previous 14 internationals.

Billi begins his 2026 World Cup coverage by breaking down Groups A and B. World Cup Group A includes co-hosts Mexico, South Africa, South Korea and Czech Republic; matches will take place in Mexico and USA, with Mexico opening tournament vs South Africa on Thursday June 11th. World Cup Group B includes co-hosts Canada, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Qatar and Switzerland; matches will take place in Canadian cities Toronto and Vancouver and in the USA's Santa Clara, Los Angeles and Seattle.

Billi recaps and analyses this season's Champions League and major European leagues, and glosses over what we might see next season. This season's action concluded last Saturday, with Paris St-Germain underlining their status as one of European football's greatest ever teams by becoming only the second club to retain the Champions League.Their nervy 4-3 win on penalties over Arsenalfollowing a 1-1 draw in the final in Budapest backed up their 5-0 win over Inter Milan in Munich 12 months ago.In doing so they became the first side to successfully defend their title since Real Madrid's three-peat from 2016 to 2018, and only the second to do it in the Champions League era - 1993 onwards.

Billi breaks down what was Manchester United's 25/26 season. A season that began with Amorim and has concluded with Michael Carrick securing the job as the head coach of the men’s first team, having signed a new contract which will run to 2028.Carrick returned to United as head coach in January and was awarded the Premier League Manager of the Month award after victories against Manchester City and Arsenal in his first two games in charge. He has overseen qualification into next season’s UEFA Champions League with 11 wins from 16 games, accumulating the highest points tally in the Premier League since his arrival.

Billi recaps an EPL Season which saw Liverpool - who were never at the races - relinquish the Premiership title to Arsenal, who ended a 22-year wait for a league title. The season also saw Pep Guardiola end a 10-year stay at Manchester City, while Manchester United returned to Europe's top table- with Chelsea missing out on Europe entirely. Meanwhile, at the other end of the table, Tottenham narrowly avoided relegation, as West Ham dropped down to the Championship with Burnley and Wolves.

The winners of this season’s UEFA Champions League will be decided in Budapest on Saturday, as Paris Saint-Germain face Arsenal in the final.Although not historically two of Europe’s powerhouses, both sides have proved their worth in recent years and now sit proudly at the head of Europe’s top table – not only as finalists but as champions of two of the most famed domestic leagues in the world.PSG’s dominance in France’s Ligue 1 is well established, winning 12 of the last 14 league titles, while Arsenal’s three consecutive second-placed finishes in the English Premier League finally saw them take the next step this year.

The Final Day of the 2025/26 Premier League season approaches on Sunday and while the title race is over there is still plenty to play for.There are places in the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Conference League to be secured, while the final relegation spot will also be decided.Even clubs without European qualification or Premier League safety to play for will still hope to finish the campaign on a high and potentially boost their prize money by securing a higher position in the table. Last season, each league place provided an extra £2.6million in prize money.Tottenham Hotspur's midweek defeat at Chelsea means the relegation battle goes down to the wire, but Spurs' fate is in their own hands. The equation is simple: Beat Everton and they stay up. A draw would also almost certainly suffice, with Spurs’ -10 goal difference superior to West Ham United's -22. Elsewhere, there are still two ways into the Champions League for Bournemouth. A Liverpool win against Brentford coupled with a Villa defeat at Man City, would result in Liverpool moving up to fourth and Villa dropping down to fifth, given the Reds have a superior goal difference. Fifth place in the Premier League will be given a European Performance Spot (EPS) in the Champions League, but Villa have already qualified for the competition by winning the Europa League. Consequently, should Villa finish fifth, the EPS spot will be passed down to sixth sending that club (currently Bournemouth) into the Champions League instead of the Europa League. Bournemouth can seal sixth-place with a draw as they are three points ahead of Brighton.

Unai Emery heads into his fifth Europa League final in Istanbul on Wednesday, and the most successful manager in the competition’s history can lead Aston Villa to glory and get his hands on the trophy for the fourth time.Underdogs Freiburg are enjoying their most successful European season to date, but much of their success this campaign has been built on their flawless home record, and the lack of home advantage may prove a deciding factor on Wednesday.

Milan are on seemingly on the verge of squandering Champions League football, however, they might represent a value bet away at Genoa on Sunday, despite their recent poor form. Massimiliano Allegri’s side face Daniele De Rossi’s team at Stadio Luigi Ferraris and could be worth backing to get the win against a Genoa side who have failed to score in three straight Serie A games and have been unable to find the net in five of their last seven matches.

Manchester City will contest the FA Cup final for the fourth year in a row tomorrow, as they face Chelsea at Wembley. City have lost the last two finals and will be desperate to avoid a third consecutive defeat in the final of the world’s oldest cup competition. Only one team has lost three successive FA Cup finals before and that happens to be Chelsea, losing in 2020, 2021 and 2022 – and this is their first appearance in the showpiece since.In any case, the pressure is on both sides here as City look to keep their domestic treble hopes alive and Chelsea bid to salvage what has been a disappointing season.

AC Milan are locked in a five-way battle for Champions League qualification, and they can give their chances a boost when they host the European-chasing Atalanta on Sunday.The Rossoneri have put in some poor performances lately, but they have only lost three home games all season and face a visiting side winless in their last five.

Manchester United’s revival under Michael Carrick was further enhanced by last weekend’s victory over bitter rivals Liverpool, a result that guaranteed the club’s return to the Champions League next season.That 3-2 success at Old Trafford also made it three wins on the bounce for United and 10 victories in 14 since Carrick returned to the club in January, form that makes a more permanent stay for the 44-year-old seem increasingly likely.Another win on Saturday would certainly help those claims and United’s record against Sunderland is impressive, as they have won three on the bounce and five of the last six meetings between the two sides, including a 2-0 success in October’s reverse meeting at Old Trafford.

Manchester City will need to beat Brentford on Saturday and will be desperately hoping for a favour from West Ham, who host Arsenal on Sunday afternoon. Arsenal secured a spot in their first Champions League final in two decades in midweek, but their Premier League title hopes may take a hit when they visit a West Ham side battling relegation. The Hammers sit a point adrift of safety after last weekend's defeat to Brentford, but that was their first defeat since the middle of March and their record at the London Stadium is promising - with zero league defeats in last 9.

Billi breaks down the betting lines for all six semifinal 2nd Legs from the Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference League.All eyes will be on Munich on Wednesday as Bayern host PSG in their Semifinal 2nd Leg. PSG clinched a crucial first-leg lead in one of the games of the season in Paris last week, and another thriller is expected between two of the best attacking sides in Europe when they reconvene in Munich on Wednesday.Both sides followed their midweek thriller with high-scoring draws at the weekend, with a heavily rotated Bayern Munich side seeing their eight-game winning streak at the Allianz Arena come to an end. However, with their stars back in action, expect Die Bayern to return to winning ways on Wednesday, with Harry Kane backed to make a difference once again.He failed to find the net off the bench against Heidenheim, but he scored and assisted in the first leg to take his tally to an incredible 54 goals for the season, with 13 of these coming in 12 Champions League outings. He has 20 goals in his last 17 appearances and should be backed to strike again.

Manchester United sit third in the Premier League table and victory over bitter rivals Liverpool on Sunday would guarantee Champions League football for next season.The visitors sit fourth in the standings and are on course for a place in Europe’s top competition themselves, and if they win in Manchester they will draw level on points with United.United have claimed 29 points in 13 games since Michael Carrick took charge until the end of the season and they’ve been close to perfect at Old Trafford. The Red Devils have won six of their seven home games under the former midfielder and their home form has been strong all season with 36 points from 17 games, losing just three.

Inter could win the Serie A title before a ball is kicked this weekend, with Napoli and Milan needing positive results to keep up the pressure on the champions elect.However even if their chasers don’t do them a favour Cristian Chivu’s men should be able to secure the Scudetto with a win over Parma on Sunday, landing us over 6.5 Units from Futures payouts. 

Billi (@LockBettingSS) breaks down all of the Matchday 35 Premier League betting lines. This Bank Holiday weekend slate will have a massive impact at both ends of the table, as Arsenal could potentially put some significant pressure on Manchester City ahead of their Monday night trip to Everton, if they can open up a 6 point gap at the top of the table by winning at home to Fulham on Saturday. However, Arsenal have won just two of their last eight games in all competitions, which has seen Manchester City go joint-favourites to reclaim the Premier League title, leaving Arsenal staring down the barrel of a potentially trophyless season just months after being priced up for the quadruple.

Defending champions PSG play host to Champions League outright favourites Bayern Munich on Tuesday night, in a tie that most feel will decide the destination of the Champions League trophy. Vincent Kompany’s side won a seven-goal thriller away to Mainz on Saturday, and with the Bundesliga trophy secured, they have been able to rest their main stars over the past 3-4 weeks-- which could be a key component against a PSG side still in a battle for the Ligue 1 title.That win over Mainz extended their unbeaten run to 19 matches and 17 of those have ended in victory, including each of their last nine fixtures. This streak encompasses a massive 6-4 aggregate win over Real Madrid, while hosts PSG have had their fair share of issues in front of their own fans this term- failing to win three of their seven Champions League home games this season.

Only an almighty collapse will see Manchester United not featuring in the Champions League later this year. Some bookmakers go as short as 1/500 on the top five finish required for qualification. A shock Monday night defeat to Leeds ended a run of five consecutive wins at Old Trafford, however the victory over the Chelsea got them right back on track. As impressive as Brentford have been this season, the price on a United winning moving to +100 is too big for me to ignore.The Bees draw a lot which may be part of the explanation behind the price, yet they're returned only 7 points from a possible 18 in away games against fellow top half sides, while winning none of their last six. 

Milan have fallen to three defeats in their last five Serie A matches and have allowed their rivals Inter to get away despite beating them in the derby at the beginning of last month.They beat struggling Hellas Verona last week when a Adrien Rabiot goal did the damage, but the 3-0 home defeat they suffered to Udinese the week before was particularly deflating and that reverse does not bode well for a visit from Juventus, who are storming towards the end of the season. 

Billi breaks down the Matchday 34 EPL and both of the weekend's FA Cup semifinals. Arsenal’s title hopes are in the balance after defeat at Manchester City last weekend and they desperately need all three points when Newcastle visit on Saturday. Arsenal were knocked off the top of the table on Wednesday for the first time since early October, however, a win would see them move back to the summit, due to Man City's FA Cup commitments.

Seven points separate Chelsea and Manchester United as both sides vie for a top-five spot in the Premier League, and the Red Devils could take a step closer to Champions League qualification at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.Michael Carrick’s side lost 2-1 at home to Leeds on Monday, but their performances since the former England midfielder took the reins have been a world apart from their early season struggles, and they come up against a Blues outfit in turmoil.

Billi (@SGPSoccer) breaks down this weekend's EPL slate, which will be headlined by a potential title decider on Sunday. Manchester City are hoping to extend their winning streak when they host Arsenal on Sunday, and the Etihad Stadium could witness a huge shift in momentum in the Premier League title race.Pep Guardiola’s side come into this tie six points adrift of the Gunners, but they are on a three-game winning streak, which started when they beat Arsenal 2-0 at Wembley to win the EFL Cup.

Liverpool host Paris Saint-Germain in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie on Tuesday with a two-goal deficit to recover after defeat in the French capital last week.The Anfield side have staged some outrageous European comebacks over the years but aside from that history it is hard to make any kind of case for them to fight back against PSG.Elsewhere, Real Madrid must overcome a one-goal deficit if their pursuit of a 16th Champions League title is to continue, but that appears unlikely against a Bayern Munich side that looks like one of the best sides on the continent this season.Vincent Kompany’s side beat Los Blancos 2-1 at the Bernabeu and followed that with a fifth successive victory when they visited St Pauli on Sunday, extending their unbeaten run to 15 games across all competitions.

Manchester United face their first fixture in 25 days tonight, having been given a watching brief since the opening match of the last round of league action. With no European or FA Cup fixtures, the Red Devils have had plenty of time to prepare for the visit of Leeds.The visitors have played twice since United’s last game, including a penalty shoot-out win at West Ham in last weekend’s FA Cup quarter-finals. Daniel Farke’s side are without a league win in over two months, which has left them firmly in the relegation dogfight.

A three-game winless run, one which began with a 1-0 defeat to rivals AC Milan, will have had Inter fans worrying their title charge was set to unravel but Cristian Chivu’s side alleviated those fears in emphatic fashion last weekend. The Nerazzurri proved why they are sitting pretty at the Serie A summit by routing Roma 5-2 and they can overcome another tricky test when making the short trip to Como on Sunday. Como themselves have enjoyed an excellent season and are firmly in the mix to finish in the top four. However, Inter have looked a cut above the other 19 Serie A teams all season and can prove their strength at the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia. 

Billi (@LockBetting on IG) breaks the Matchday 32 EPL slate. With eight games to go, City will be keen to put the pressure on leaders Arsenal but a nine-point gap at the start of this weekend means any slip up could be fatal. Arsenal host Bournemouth in Saturday's early kick-off, while City travel to Chelsea on Sunday night. If Arsenal win on Saturday, City will be 12 points behind the Gunners going into their game. Having both booked their place in the FA Cup semi-final last weekend, Sunday may not be the last time that Chelsea and Manchester City lock horns this season, as they could well meet again in the FA Cup final at Wembley. However, there is still plenty at stake for both in the Premier League, and City should be full of confidence, coming off wins against Arsenal and Liverpool.

Billi breaks down all of the Champions League Quarterfinals 1st Leg ties, including the renewal of the Real Madrid and Bayern Munich rivalry, and a rematch between PSG and Liverpool.Manchester City dealt Liverpool’s hopes of laying their hands on silverware a hammer blow on Saturday as the Citizens thrashed Arne Slot’s side 4-0 to dump them out of the FA Cup. PSG knocked Liverpool out of this competition last season, and they could compound the Reds’ misery at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday.The Champions League holders put eight past Chelsea over the two legs of their last-16 tie in March and have since extended their winning streak to four matches in all competitions.

AC Milan’s 1-0 win over rivals Inter last month kick-off a winless month in the league for the Nerazzurri, opening the door to a potential title race in the final stretch of the season.Ahead of this weekend’s action, Milan are six points shy of Inter, while defending champions Napoli are seven shy of top spot. With Inter facing a test against Roma on Sunday, both sides will be desperate to keep the pressure on the leaders with three points.Napoli have won four straight Serie A games, and they host a Milan side who have only lost once on their travels this season. The visitors have won away games against Inter and Como, and they’ve scored in draws at Roma and Atalanta.

Bayern Munich look home and hosed in the race for the Bundesliga title, but Borussia Dortmund and Stuttgart, who occupy the next two spots, should serve up a treat when they meet as the league resumes after the international break on Saturday.

Billi breaks down all 4 of this weekend's FA Cup Quarterfinals, before closing out with a Lock. The game of the round sees Liverpool travel to Manchester City. Manchester City and Liverpool have spent much of the last decade battling it out for the Premier League title but they may have to watch on as Arsenal lift the crown this season.Out of the Champions League and adrift in the Premier League, the FA Cup may be the only other opportunity that Manchester City get to add to the Carabao Cup, as they host a Liverpool outfit who are even further back in the top flight, after an extremely disappointing title defence. As a result, tomorrow's FA Cup quarter-final has much more significance than usual in what has been one of the defining rivalries in recent English football history.

Billi (@LockBettingSS) breaks down the final 4 World Cup qualifiers before closing out by looking at the friendlies between England and Japan, and USA and Portugal. The USA’s World Cup preparations took a hit last week, as they fell to a 5-2 defeat to Belgium. The 2026 co-hosts have arranged four big friendlies ahead of the tournament, and they face the second of those on Tuesday when they host Portugal. Portugal are likely to have too much for a US side who conceded 10 shots on target against Belgium. The Red Devils were good value for their victory and weren't flattered by the scoreline, which should be cause for alarm for Mauricio Pochettino’s side and any US fans who have inflated expectations for the summer. 

This episode primarily focuses on a selection of tonight's European World Cup qualifiers, before moving on to some of the more glamorous friendlies that will be taking place across the next few days, including Brazil v France and USA v Belgium. The United States did not have to come through World Cup qualification due to being hosts but they have lined up a number of high-profile friendlies to warm up for the summer’s big tournament. With less than 3 months to go, the Americans finally have some momentum, after beating Uruguay 5-1, along with a pair of 2-1 wins over Australia and Paraguay.

In a game Igor Tudor described as like a "World Cup Final" for his players, Tottenham v Nottingham Forest on Sunday is the absolute epitome of a six-pointer. Despite their first-leg defeat making qualification almost impossible,  Tottenham players will have drawn a lot of confidence from their 3-2 win over Atletico Madrid in midweek - a victory that ended a run of eight winless games for Igor Tudor’s side - which followed on from their point against Liverpool last weekend. Tottenham come into this weekrnd just a point above both the relegation zone and Sunday’s opponents Nottingham Forest. 

Michael Carrick has got Manchester United firing on all cylinders and on course for a place in next season’s Champions League, but his side may not have it all their own way when they travel to Bournemouth tonight. The Cherries’ own European hopes now appear slim, but they have proven to be a bit of a bogey team for the visitors in recent seasons-- with two wins and no defeats in the last five league meetings between these sides. They have also only lost 2 of their 15 home league games so far.