thinkpink63

Wolves v Crystal Palace BTTS YES @ 2.10 with Pinnacle Great value here IHMO. The home side are in a great moment, with 4 wins in last 6 and a high mood following the 3-1 away win over Tottenham. They scored 11 goals in 6 of last 7 league games, mising to find the net only against Liverpool. On the other hand they have conceded in 5 of last 6 home games. Crystal Palace come from 3 consecutive away BTTS, with 6 goals scored in the process (conceding 8).

I think that the glory days of Mourinho ended after the "Triplete" with Internazionale Milan, his real last masterpiece. After that in the 3 years in Madrid he wasn't that successful, considering the stellar squad he had. Just one La Liga title and no CL finals. After him Ancelotti and Zidane won four with more or less the same players. And he brought the polemics against everyone and everything to a never seen before level: the games vs Barcelona were bloody affairs, more wars than football, and he almost cracked the Spain national team too. I can't forget when he pressed a finger in the eye of poor Tito Vilanova (R.I.P.) coming unseen from behind. A very coward act. He had a great comeback at Chelsea in the first 2 seasons followed by an inglorious season and a sack, with Conte winning the title next with the same squad. And considering the budget he had, his top salary and the full power at United his experience was again far below the expectations. An Europa League win was his top achievement, that isn't bad, but let's not forget that he also cashed again something from his luck when Celta de Vigo failed an incredible very easy goal in the stoppage time of the reverse leg of the semifinal. Oh well, luck is a part of many wins sometimes. I'm an AC Milan lifetime fan and can't forget the fog of Beograd, November 1988, with the legendary team led by Arrigo Sacchi 1-0 down against Red Star and with ten men in the reverse leg (1-1 in San Siro). Remove that fog and the story would have been much different. I never liked Mourinho as a man (did you notice? ) and I think he made his masterpieces with Porto and Inter, on which he built an overrated career following next. About him I think he will go back to Madrid. For an unknown reason (to me at least) Florentino Perez is still in love with him. Most of the players that were against him there are gone or will, so that's a possibility. Or he could go back to Internazionale, where the fans still adore him. But have no idea what the thoughts of Mr Suning, the chinese owner of the club, are. Rodgers, Wenger and Moyes as next managers..lol..God Save the Queen and United just in case.. Pochettino more likely moving to Madrid if the spot becomes available for him. Ancelotti would gladly move to Manchester but I don't see him leaving Napoli so soon, but you never know. Zidane had a huge CL success at Real Madrid and poor domestic results. He knew every breath of Madrid's camp when replaced Benitez, am not sure he could feel so at ease by the Red Devils. Simeone plays a fighting football that couldn't be appreciated that much at Old Trafford right now, after the Mourinho's era, that didn't deliver results and sparkling football. But I would be curious to see him in another big club, since the man knows his stuff. Hey, the Colchoneros never had that great squad in last years, barring a couple of players. He really got the maximum out of them. Blanc and Deschamps look unlikely to me. Conte wants to come back to PL, that's his first choice. But also here his football and managerial style is rather similar to Mourinho's one. Don't see a change in that direction. even if I would add that the Special One has lost with the years the capability he had to gel his players around him always and against the world, as in his first Chelsea and Internazionale. Conte still has this capability, so far.. Finally we could be all surprised by an unpredictable choice like the one made by PSG with Tuchel, with a not much "exposed" manager on big media. Time will tell soon. "Baby Face" Solskjaer could anyway stay until June. He's always the "super sub" finally there and the man of the 1999 CL final, with that legendary comeback in the injury time.

Trapani v Rende Trapani are the best side of the league: 7 wins out 8, 18 goals scored and only 4 conceded. Actually they lost only last game against table leaders Juve Stabia, that are dominating so far. Rende are a good side: 2nd place so far ,even with some more game in hands: 10 wins, 1 draw and 5 losses. They haven't been brilliant lately though, losing at home to 8th placed Casertana and away to weak Matera,eventually winning last one at home over 16th placed Rieti. Trapani won both H2H last season and I see them grabbing 3 points again. Trapani to win @ 1.90 with Unibet

Serie B Brescia v Lecce Brescia have been a great side for BTTS so far : 12/14 overall and 6/7 at home. Lecce aren't so sparkling, but they have scored in 11 of last 12 games and 3 of their last 4 travels ended BTTS BTTS YES @ 1.80 with Betfair

Sampdoria v Parma I like a lot the Blucerchiati at home. They score a lot, even if they concede too many counter attacks. Parma are a good side. Don't forget that they come from 3 consecutive promotions from serie D after going bankrupt, and that's amazing. Sampdoria won last home league game 4-1 against Bologna, won 2-1 over Spal in Coppa Italia and drew 2-2 to Lazio in last game. Old striker Quagliarella is literally on fire (8 goals and 5 assists so far, only Ronaldo has better stats) and the price for the home win is decent for my money. Sampdoria to win @ 1.86 with Pinnacle

Frosinone v Sassuolo Frosinone still have to win at home in 7 this season, but they scored 6 goals in last 4 home games. Sassuolo have won just 1 of last 9 games and had 5 BTTS in last 7 overall games, including the Coppa Italia game. Both sides need points for different reasons. Babacar and Berardi will be a threat for Frosinone's questionable defence but I don't see the visitors keeping a clean sheet as well. BTTS YES @ 1.84 with Pinnacle

Fiorentina v Empoli Fiorentina haven't won any of last 8 games, collecting 7 points, while Empoli under new manager Iachini have won 3 of last 4,even if 3 were home games and the only road one ended with a 2-2 draw against Spal. Fiorentina have the full squad available and I fancy a home win here. At home they lost only to Juventus, winning 4 and drawing 2, scoring in all games barring the one against Juventus. Striker Simeone (the son of Atletico Madrid's manager) find the net after some time in last game against Sassuolo and I fancy him to score anytime @ 2.30 too. Empoli have conceded in all last 12 games. Fiorentina to win @ 1.81 with Pinnacle

2-2, and both picks land

MOL Vidi v Chelsea MOL Vidi can progress with a win (if BATE don't win in Greece v PAOK) or with a draw (if PAOK wins). Chelsea, even heavily rotating in every game,have won all 5 EL games so far. Many players haven't been named for this game (Hazard, Azpilicueta, Kante, Arrizabalaga, Cahill, Moses, Kovacic), while some academy graduates have been included in the travelling squad and could be fielded. I can see some possibility to see an upset here, hence my 2 picks: BTTS @ 1.95 MOL Vidi or Draw @ 2.50 with Bet365

To begin I'm on 2 draws : Celtic v Salzburg @ 3.4 Slavia Prague v Zenit @ 3.80 both with Bet365 Both Celtic and Slavia Prague have tough away domestic games following next. and since both need one point to progress a draw without spending too many energies could be an acceptable outcome.

I would be very cautious with Roma. They are in a big mess right now, bad domestic campaign and manager Di Francesco at big risk to be sacked. If the players aren't with him this is the right chance to get rid of him.. More while Roma is already through as 2nd Plzen can still reach a spot in the EL. They just need a point unless CSKA Moskow win in Madrid. Roma miss Dzeko, De Rossi and El Shaarawy and some regulars will surely be benched, keeping an eye on the upcoming must win game in Rome vs Genoa. Another game where I'll keep an eye on for some in-play opportunity.

I think a lot will rely on the news coming from Bern about Juventus game. if Juventus don't win (not likely), with a win United can still progress as first of the group. Actually this season there are some dangerous 2nd placed that everybody would like to avoid (Atletico Madrid and Liverpool over all, even if United can't face Liverpool in the round of 16, just like City), but you can for sure avoid Barcelona, PSG, Dortmund, Real Madrid and most likely Bayern. So I'm going to keep an eye on this in-play rather than pre-match.

About the situation in the "Death group" with Liverpool, Napoli and PSG battling for the 2 spots to progress I paste from the Uefa site to make things more clear : Group C: Liverpool (6) v Napoli (9), Crvena zvezda (4) v Paris Saint-Germain (8) Napoli will be through if they draw, or if they lose and Paris are also beaten. Paris will be through if they win, and are also certain to advance if Liverpool do not gain victory. Liverpool must win to have any chance of progress. If Paris win, Liverpool must win 1-0 or by two goals or more. If Liverpool, Paris and Napoli all finish on nine points, the English club would finish first on the three-way head-to-head, with second place depending on the scoreline at Anfield. Crvena zvezda will finish third if they win and Liverpool lose (Liverpool have a superior head-to-head goal difference).

Rennes v Dijon One of the two Ligue 1 games not postponed today (hopefully..). Not touching the 1X2 market here. Rennes have conceded in 11 of last 12 games, and at home they haven't kept a clean sheet in last 5. Dijon have concede in 9 of last 10 games. So here is more a question of poor defences rather than good attacks. Last 4 H2H all ended BTTS, so I find some value here given the odds. BTTS YES @ 1.95 with Bet365

Herta Berlin v Eintracht Frankfurt Herta Berlin haven't been brilliant at home lately, with 2 draw and one loss, 4 scored and 7 conceded. But they regained some morale with the away win 2-0 to Hannover. Eintracht lost last game at home 1-2 to Wolfsburg, but actually they had a really busy schedule with EL too. Their firepower is out of doubt and are the second most entertaining side in the Bundesliga, with an average of 3.5 goals per game. More they scored 10 goals in last 4 travels. BTTS YES and Over 2.5 @ 1.83 with Bet365