Soccer Betting Podcast

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.

While 5 of the 8 ties looked heavily lopsided, Barcelona and Newcastle remains in the balance. It would've been "advantage Newcastle," if not for a 96th-minute penalty from Lamine Yamal, which kept Barcelona’s unbeaten streak intact at St James’ Park last week. Barcelona are now expected to get the win back in front of their own fans in this second-leg tie in Wednesday's early kickoff. Hansi Flick’s La Liga leaders have not failed to win a home game since the start of October, scoring a massive 50 goals in 15 successive wins since that defeat to PSG.

Manchester United’s failure to progress in the cups and their lack of European football mean they’ve been stewing on their 2-1 defeat at Newcastle for 11 days. This is a clear rust vs rest situation, as Aston Villa were in France on Thursday night for their Europa League tie with Lille.The Villans were 1-0 winners in that first-leg, but that left them with little turnaround time for a key clash with one of their main rivals in the quest for Champions League football. The Red Devils have had plenty of time to prepare for this one, and their empty midweeks could be a major advantage in the run-in.

Inter Milan lost the Milan Derby last weekend, however, they still have a 7 point lead at the top. Inter built that lead thanks to a run that has seen them win 17 of their last 20 Serie A games. They have also gone seven home games unbeaten and have lost just one of their last ten on home soil, which looks like a bad omen for an Atalanta side who shipped 6 to Bayern Munich in midweek.

Billi breaks down this weekend's Matchday 30 Premier League slate. Arsenal head into Gameweek 30 with a seven-point cushion at the top of the Premier League table, although title rivals Manchester City do have a game in hand over Mikel Arteta’s troops. Arsenal’s record in front of their own supporters is formidable and they have only lost once at home in 14 Premier League games. Only Manchester City have scored more goals and enjoyed a better record at home, but the Citizens have played a game more than Arsenal on home soil.Sunday will see Liverpool host Tottenham, and it's fair to say that neither enjoyed their midweek European trips in the Champions League, however, only one side was embarrassed. Slot’s men lost 1-0 to Galatasaray and should have found the back of the net on several occasions in Turkey. By contrast, Tottenham lost 5-2 to Atletico Madrid, with goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky replaced inside 20 minutes after a torrid start.Spurs caretaker Igor Tudor has been heavily criticised for that decision, and he has yet to show any evidence that he is the right man to steer Spurs away from the relegation zone. Tottenham have lost all four games under Tudor and they continue to leak goals at the back. Spurs are only one point above the bottom three and they have not won at Anfield since May 2011.

The Champions League Round of 16 will see Real Madrid and Manchester City meet again in what is now the third-most common fixture in the history of the Champions League, and before it the European Cup. This is the fifth time in the last six seasons that the pair have met in the knockout stages of the Champions League, combined with a league phase meeting back in December.Pep Guardiola’s men won that game 2-1 at the Bernabeu, and they are favourites to repeat the trick with Los Blancos plagued with key injuries. Elsewhere, holders Paris Saint-Germain had to navigate a tough play-off round to reach the Champions League last 16 and they face a stern test across two legs against Chelsea.PSG will be looking for a bit of revenge after defeat to the Blues in last summer’s Club World Cup final, but Chelsea have impressed during Liam Rosenior’s brief spell in charge.

The Derby della Madonnina headlines the weekend action in Serie A as Inter bid to extend their ten-point lead at the summit against fierce rivals Milan.Eight straight wins has allowed Inter to cruise clear in the title race and second-placed Milan know anything but a win would all but end their hopes of silverware.

Newcastle host Manchester City in the tie of the round. The Magpies received a welcome boost as they beat Manchester United in midweek, howwver, they have lost five of their last nine domestic fixtures, including a trip to the Etihad last month. 

The Red Devils came from behind to beat Crystal Palace 2-1 on Sunday, extending their unbeaten streak to 11 league assignments, the first of which was a 1-0 win over Newcastle on Boxing Day.They have won six of their last seven outings, scoring 14 goals in the process and securing shock results against Arsenal and Manchester City in January.

Billi (@LockBettingSS) breaks down the EPL Matchday 29 slate. Premier League table-toppers Arsenal restored their five-point advantage over Manchester City with Sunday’s 2-1 derby defeat of Chelsea but with their title rivals having a game in hand and with an April trip to the Etihad to come, Mikel Arteta’s side cannot afford to let up.The Gunners slipped up twice last month, drawing with both Brentford and Wolves before routing Tottenham 4-1, and City fans will be hoping the north Londoners suffer the same fate at Brighton on Wednesday. As for City, they play hosts to relegation-threatened Nottingham Forest. Antoine Semenyo's strike against Leeds made it 6 wins on the spin for the title hopefuls and they haven’t lost a home since November, winning 11 of their 13 home games since.

Manchester United will look to maintain their challenge for the top five when Crystal Palace visit Old Trafford on Sunday. Michael Carrick’s men have not been able to maintain the high level of performance that they produced in the immediate aftermath of his appointment, drawing 1-1 with West Ham and scraping a 1-0 win at Everton on Monday.Neither performance was particularly good, but the Red Devils showed impressive character when faced by resolute tactics and a physical approach, also finding a new saviour off the bench in Benjamin Sesko.

Roma host Juventus at the Stadio Olimpico on Sunday in a crucial clash in the race for Champions League qualification. Fourth-placed Roma sit on 50 points, four clear of Juve in fifth, with both sides sharing an identical goal difference of +18 after 26 rounds.The Giallorossi boast Serie A’s best defensive record this term, conceding only 16 goals, and come into this on the back of a dominant 3-0 home win over Cremonese last weekend. Gian Piero Gasperini’s side have conceded only six times at the Olimpico and added attacking firepower in Juanuary with the capture of Donyell Malen.

Billi (@LockBettingSS) breaks down the Matchday 27 EPL slate. Arsenal’s lead at the top of the Premier League table may have been cut to just two points by the time they take to the Emirates pitch on Sunday, as closest rivals Manchester City play Leeds on Saturday. Back-to-back draws with Brentford and doomed Wolves had led to the suggestion that Arsenal could be bottling it in the title tussle but an emphatic 4-1 North London Derby win last weekend has eased those concerns.Mikel Arteta’s side now face another local rival this weekend as Chelsea visit, but the Gunners have dominated this fixture in recent years. Arsenal beat Chelsea in both legs of their EFL Cup semi-finals in January and February and have won seven of the last 10 head-to-head meetings. The league leaders have also won 10 of their 13 home league games, losing just once, and have won each of their last four home games against Chelsea.

Real Madrid bring a 1-0 first-leg back to the Bernabeu for an eagerly anticipated return clash with Benfica in the Champions League Play-off round on Wednesday.The first match in Lisbon was marred by an incident of alleged racism toward Vinicius Junior and Uefa have provisionally suspended Gianluca Prestianni “without prejudice” for one game pending a thorough investigation.Los Blancos have not been convincing in the Champions League this season, but it is usually around this time that they start to hit their stride. They sputtered through the league stage last year with three losses in eight games before turning it on in the knockouts against Manchester City and Atletico Madrid.

Billi addresses Jim Ratcliffe's recent "colonisation" comments, before moving onto to previewing tonight's trip to Everton. Manchester United’s winning run was stopped by West Ham last time out, but the Red Devils remain on the right path under interim coach Michael Carrick.The Red Devils have yet to lose since he stepped into the dugout to replace Ruben Antorim in January and four wins and a draw have given the Red Devils every chance of finishing in the top four.

Billi (@LockBettingSS) breaks down the Matchday 27 EPL slate. Draws in Arsenal’s last two Premier League matches against Brentford and Wolves have left the door ajar for Manchester City to steam towards the title, and they look unlikely to reject the opportunity to narrow the gap to two points when they face Newcastle on Saturday night.Pep Guardiola’s side needed a late goal at Liverpool earlier this month to effectively stay in the race, but they now have a great chance of putting the pressure on the Gunners before they face a north London derby at Tottenham on Sunday.

Inter Milan are making a mockery of their +350 price to win the title at the start of the season. Inter are top of the league, having won 20 of their 25 games so far. They travel to Lecce side on Saturday, who are 18th with just five wins and 13 defeats this season. Inter are widely expected to extend their lead over Milan and Napoli, who play on Sunday. Napoli travel to Atalanta in the Serie A game of the weekend. 

Benfica clinched their place in the Champions League playoffs in astonishing fashion last month with a 4-2 win over Real Madrid and another lively encounter can be expected when the pair meet in this rematch. Elsewhere, there’s a sense of history repeating itself for European champions PSG. They missed out on the top eight and landed a tie with a fellow Ligue 1 side in the first knockout round, just as they did last season. This time around, it's Monaco, who have always beaten PSG 1-0 at home this term, and they’ve won three of their last five home meetings with PSG.

Missing out on retaining their Serie A title on the final day of last season has only awoken the beast that is Inter Milan, and that is terrible news for the rest of the league, including their next opponents Juventus. The summer departure of influential manager Simone Inzaghi could have left the Nerazzurri in trouble but former defender Christian Chivu has expertly picked up the pieces and Inter now hold an eight-point lead at the Serie A summit. Rivals AC Milan do have a game in hand but they face a tough task catching Chivu’s red-hot side, who have smashed in 17 goals and conceded just three while winning their last five matches in all competitions. 

Billi breaks down selected matches from this this weekend's FA Cup 4th Round action. An FA Cup fourth-round tie may offer a welcome distraction for Aston Villa and Newcastle who have been going through a tough time. They face off this evening in the tie of the round.

Manchester City overcame a huge hurdle in the Premier League title race on Sunday, clinching a last-gasp winner at Anfield to keep the league title race alive. League-leaders Arsenal hammered Sunderland on Saturday, to open a nine-point lead, so City desperately needed to respond with a win. The Citizens remain six points adrift in the battle for top spot, but they can cut that down to three points against a Fulham side that have suffered a few poor results of late and who Manchester City have beaten in the last their last 19 H2H's. By doing so, they will put the pressure back on Arsenal, who travel to Brentford on Thursday. 

Michael Carrick has said that, "do it for Frank” is unlikely to form part of his team talk as United head to West Ham this evening. But perhaps it should- as no one should be embarrassed the club like this kid has, while professing to be a real United supporter.It is clear that when fan Frank Ilett vowed not to cut his hair until his team had won five games in a row, he did not expect to be approaching 500 days without stepping into a barber’s, or for his look to have grown quite so ridiculous, or to have accumulated more social media followers than some Manchester United first-team players.After four consecutive wins, though, he is extremely close to his self-inflicted ordeal finally being over. We know he's not a real fan and wants this to carry on forever, however, all real United fans are praying we get it done today, so that he can piss back into obscurity. 

Billi breaks down selected matches from this weekend's Serie A slate. Inter lead Serie A, having won 18 of their 23 games this season, and lead the league by 5 points. They travel to Sassuolo on Sunday, who are 11th in the table with eight wins, five draws and ten losses. Inter have won their last four Serie A away games without conceding, have won 17 of their last 20 league matches and have gone seven away trips without losing.it is hard to see Sassuolo getting anything to help the chasing pack at the MAPEI Stadium on Sunday.

Billi breaks down the EPL Matchday 25 slate, while also offering up some very important advice for betting the NFL Super Bowl this weekend. Matchday 25 is headlined by Sunday's clash between Liverpool and Manchester City. Meetings between Liverpool and Manchester City at this stage of the season are usually decisive in the direction of which way the Premier League title will go but City are six points adrift of leaders Arsenal while the Reds are 14 points adrift of top spot going into this weekend. 

Manchester United have reeled off three straight Premier League wins against fierce rivals City, league leaders Arsenal and Fulham and look in a much happier headspace than Spurs, who are still being weakened by injuries. The Red Devils have lost only one of their last 11 home league games, winning seven times including against City, Chelsea and Newcastle.

Manchester United have looked a transformed side since Michael Carrick took the reins, picking up sensational wins over Manchester City and Arsenal. They have won three of their last four Premier League home meetings with Fulham, and the Cottagers have lost two of their last four away days.