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After few months of summer holidays, beach parties and heavy transfer rumours – THE ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE IS BACK! The headline every football fanatic wanted to read since the last game of the season in May. Since then Liverpool won their 6th European Cup, England disappointed yet again during the UEFA League of Nations, and it was a relatively quiet transfer summer for the English clubs (well that is subject to a change in the last 3-4 days of the transfer windows). Could City retain their title or could Liverpool finally break their duck by winning the league after years of failure to secure the silverware locally? How will Ole-Gunnar Solskjaer and Frank Lampard cope with their first full season in charge of clubs where they made their names as footballers? Who will break into Top 4 and how will promote Aston Villa, Norwich and Sheffield United fare in the big time?

Enjoy the WhaleBets team by team preview of the season and don’t forget – let’s bust the bookies together! Do not forget to follow our Strategies and Reviews section and build your style of play, or take a look at our VIP Section to see how you can benefit from WhaleBets experts team predictions.

1. Arsenal

The Gunners turbulent summer have taken a few twist and turns, a dreadful end of the last season and UEFA Europa League final heartache – just a few topics which the Arsenal era got after the retirement of Arsene Wenger. Club captain Laurent Koscielny is on the verge of leaving the club, Aaron Ramsey left on a free, but there were some reasons to be optimistic after the highly-rated acquisitions of Nicolas Pepe and Dani Ceballos. Unai Emery has a big task on his hands to make sure the Gunners return to the UEFA Champions League, after three successive seasons outside the Top 4.

1. Star Player
   • Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
2. Major Signings
   • Nicolas Pepe (Lille, £73m)
   • William Saliba (Saint-Etienne, £27m)
   • Gabriel Martinelli (Ituano Futebol Clube, £6m)
   • Dani Ceballos (Real Madrid, loan)
3. Kits

   

4. First 5 Fixtures
   • Newcastle (A), Burnley (H), Liverpool (A), Tottenham (H), Watford (A)
5. Predicted Finish
   • 6th Place

2. Aston Villa

The Villans returned to the Premier League after 2 years of absence, and the Play-off win against Derby County confirmed that one of the most successful English clubs returned where they belong. You can argue whether they were taking the right approach after making at least 12 signings and reshaped their promotion squad. Fulham did that last term, and we all know what happened. Jack Grealish and John McGinn were the keys, and they both remained at the club, so if the manager Smith wants to establish the Midlands club at the league, he must build the team around them. Goals from Tammy Abraham will be missed, but new signing from Belgium Wesley Moraes must fire in his debut season.

1. Star Player
   • Jack Grealish
2. Major Signings
   • Wesley Moraes (Club Brugge, £22m)
   • Tyrone Mings (Bournemouth, £20m)
   • Douglas Luiz (Manchester City, £15m)
   • Matt Targett (Southampton, £14m)
   • Ezri Konsa (Brentford, £12m)
   • Marvelous Nakamba (Club Brugge, £11m)
   • Trezeguet (Kasimpasa, £8.75m)
   • Anwar El Ghazi (Lille, £8m)
   • Tom Heaton (Burnley, £8m)
   • Bjorn Engels (Reims, £7m)
   • Jota (Birmingham, £4m)
   • Kortney Hause (Wolves, £3m)
3. Kits

   

4. First 5 Fixtures
   • Tottenham (A), Bournemouth (H), Everton (H), Crystal Palace (A), West Ham (H)
5. Predicted Finish
   • 15th Place

3. Bournemouth

The Cherries established themselves as a Premier League club having being saved from extinction almost a decade ago when they were fighting for survival in League Two. Eddie Howe did wonders on a limited budget on the South Coast and even was rumoured to be linked higher profile jobs over the past few years. The rise of Callum Wilson and Ryan Fraser also saw them linked to bigger clubs, and if they remain at the club, the Vitality Stadium attacking football will continue. Home form is going to be crucial, and if they repeat last year’s performances, the Cherries should comfortably avoid the drop.

1. Star Player
   • Ryan Fraser
2. Major Signings
   • Nicolas Pepe (Lille, £73m)
   • Philip Billing (Huddersfield, £15m)
   • Arnaut Danjuma (Club Brugge, £13.5m)
   • Lloyd Kelly (Bristol City, £13m)
   • Jack Stacey (Luton Town, £4m)
3. Kits

   

4. First 5 Fixtures
   • Sheffield United (H), Aston Villa (A), Manchester City (H), Leicester City (A), Everton (H)
5. Predicted Finish
   • 13th Place

4. Brighton

Brighton finished last season so bad that the poor run almost costed their elite status. The Seagulls finished the campaign with ten games without a win, winning just 2 points which cost Chris Hughton’s job. Many questioned the decision to hire Graeme Potter from Swansea. His inexperience, combined with lack of proven goal scorers in the Premier League (albeit Glenn Murray). Maybe the signing of the season could be Brentford striker Neal Maupay, who have taken the Championship by storm during the past few years.

1. Star Player
   • Mat Ryan
2. Major Signings
   • Adam Webster (Bristol City, £20m)
   • Leandro Trossard (Genk, £18m)
   • Matt Clarke (Portsmouth, £3.5m)
3. Kits

   

4. First 5 Fixtures
   • Watford (A), West Ham (H), Southampton (H), Manchester City (A), Burnley (A)
5. Predicted Finish
   • 16th Place

5. Burnley

Burnley suffered from Europe hangover after a few early matches in last season’s campaign did harm to the Clarets in the long turn. Sean Dyche’s squad started early on last season and disappointed with their 15th place finish. The core of the Clarets side which raised the expectation with a few Top 10 finishes remained, plus fan-favourite Jay Rodriguez returned after impressing for West Brom Albion last season in the Championship.

1. Star Player
   • James Tarkowski
2. Major Signings
   • Jay Rodriguez (West Brom, £5m)
   • Bailey Peacock-Farrell (Leeds, £2.5m)
   • Erik Pieters (Stoke, £1m)
   • Ryan Cooney (Bury, undisclosed)
3. Kits

   

4. First 5 Fixtures
   • Southampton (H), Arsenal (A), Wolves (A), Liverpool (H), Brighton (A)
5. Predicted Finish
   • 17th Place

6. Chelsea

The main talking point around the Blues from London, of course, was the long-anticipated return of the club legend Frank Lampard who took the helm after a stormy season under the Italian Maurizio Sarri. The fan-favourite made a huge step forward after almost guiding Derby County to the Premier League in his 1st managerial season, but yes, he can benefit from a massive amount of backing from owner Roman Abramovich and the Blues’ faithful. Eden Hazard left for Real Madrid after guiding Chelsea to yet another European success after he masterminded 4-1 final win in the UEFA Europa League against city rivals Arsenal. American wonder kid Christian Pulisic will be a man in the middle, but it’s yet to be seen whether Lampard will give Chelsea youngsters a chance after so many players returned from successful loan spells.

1. Star Player
   • N’golo Kante
2. Major Signings
   • Mateo Kovacic (Real Madrid, £40m)
3. Kits

   

4. First 5 Fixtures
   • Manchester United (A), Leicester City (H), Norwich City (A), Sheffield United (H), Wolves (A)
5. Predicted Finish
   • 4th Place

7. Crystal Palace

Roy Hodgson main concern and task during the summer was to convince talismanic forward Wilfried Zaha to stay – a familiar story in South London over the last few years. Their club captain and fan favourite were heavily linked with a transfer to Arsenal, Everton and abroad and it is yet to be seen whether he will remain at Selhurst Park for yet another season. The signing of Gary Cahill from Chelsea will certainly bolster Palace’s defence, and if the Eagles want to cement themselves in the Top 10 and even aim higher, they need to score more and turn their home ground into a fortress.

1. Star Player
   • Wilfried Zaha
2. Major Signings
   • Jordan Ayew (Swansea, £2.5m)
   • Stephen Henderson (Nottingham Forest, free)
3. Kits

   

4. First 5 Fixtures
   • Everton (H), Sheffield United (A), Manchester United (A), Aston Villa (H), Tottenham (A)
5. Predicted Finish
   • 12th Place

8. Everton

Everton finished 8th last season without moving any place further or down the table since their previous campaign with Sam Allardyce. The Goodison faithful was firmly against the ex-England manager, but after a series of high-profile signings and new manager, the situation hardly changed. The Blues are doing everything possible to add to their squad and the likes of Cisse from Monaco, Zaha and Doucore will undoubtedly improve the potential of the playing team. The signings of Kean from Juventus and Fabian Delph certainly made the impression that Silva is trying to improve the squad. Breaking in the Top 6 would be the target for the Toffees.

1. Star Player
   • Richarlyson
2. Major Signings
   • Moise Kean (Juventus, £36.6m)
   • Jean-Philippe Gbamin (Mainz, £25m)
   • Andre Gomes (Barcelona, £22m)
   • Fabian Delph (Manchester City, £8.5m)
   • Jonas Lossl (Huddersfield, free)
3. Kits

   

4. First 5 Fixtures
   • Crystal Palace (A), Watford (H), Aston Villa (A), Wolves (H), Bournemouth (A)
5. Predicted Finish
   • 7th Place

9. Leicester City

Brendan Rodgers enters his first full season in East Midlands, and he has a big task ahead of him. Harry Maguire’s long-awaited transfer to Man United finally materialized, and Leicester must sort out the defensive woes and keeping hold of their lead after disappointing last season. Youri TIelemans’ big-money arrival from Monaco seems one of the transfer gems of the summer after impressive stats for the Belgian midfield maestro during his loan spell at King Power’s last season. Jamie Vardy’s performance up front again should be crucial for the Foxes and the England international yet to recapture his form from the champion-winning season.

1. Star Player
   • Youri TIelemans
2. Major Signings
   • Youri Tielemans (Monaco, £40m)
   • Ayoze Perez (Newcastle, £30m)
   • James Justin (Luton Town, £6m)
3. Kits

   

4. First 5 Fixtures
   • Wolves (H), Chelsea (A), Sheffield United (A), Bournemouth (H), Manchester United (A)
5. Predicted Finish
   • 8th Place

10. Liverpool

The Reds enter the season as one of the bookie’s favourites to win the league after missing out last season just by a small margin to Man City. The points earned by the Jurgen Klopp’s side was so impressive that it makes you wonder what can the Merseyside side do ever to win the league. The front trio in Salah, Mane and Firmino will be again crucial, but having in mind that all of them finished the season late on and played in their continental competition, fatigue is on the cards for Jurgen Klopp and his players. This was confirmed in some disappointing results during the pre-season, but can Liverpool start the new season on a high and establish themselves as pace-setters in the league it’s yet to be seen.

1. Star Player
   • Virgil Van Dijk
2. Major Signings
   • Sepp van den Berg (PEC Zwolle, £1.7m)
   • Harvey Elliott (Fulham, undisclosed)
3. Kits

   

4. First 5 Fixtures
   • Norwich (H), Southampton (A), Arsenal (H), Burnley (A), Newcastle (H)
5. Predicted Finish
   • 2nd Place

11. Man City

Pep Guardiola is quickly becoming a City favourite after winning back to back Premier League titles and winning domestic Cup trophies for fun. Just to think that City managed to record 98 points last term and played unreal football makes them a firm favourite even without a ball been even kicked. Rodri joined for a significant amount from Atletico Madrid and will be added to the variety of talent Guardiola has at his disposal currently – De Bruyne, Silva, Bernardo Silva, Fernandinho are to name a few. Vincent Kompany returned to his homeland, and it will be interesting to see how will City replace his presence on and off the pitch.

1. Star Player
   • Kevin De Bruyne
2. Major Signings
   • Rodri (Atletico Madrid, £63)
   • Angelino (PSV Eindhoven, £11m)
   • Zack Steffen (Columbus Crew, £7m)
3. Kits

   

4. First 5 Fixtures
   • West Ham (A), Tottenham (H), Bournemouth (A), Brighton (H), Norwich (A)
5. Predicted Finish
   • 1st Place

12. Man United

The English Premier League most successful club in terms of league titles has tough times repeating Sir Alex Ferguson’s good times after David Moyes, Van Gaal, Ryan Giggs, Jose Mourinho and now Solskjaer been in charge. The uncertainty of the future of key players like Pogba, De Gea and Lukaku certainly didn’t please the ever-demanding United’s fan base. Harry Maguire and Wan-Bissaka added to the defensive ranks, and now it’s up to be seen whether United will have changes in the attacking front. Jose Mourinho often argued with the Man United hierarchy over lack of backing in the transfer market, but now the situation looks like been changed. Hopefully, for United, the acquisition of world’s most expensive defender will ease the 54 conceded goals last season. Will Dybala join and who will lead the attack – one thing is sure, United’s season is going to be pretty exciting

1. Star Player
   • Paul Pogba
2. Major Signings
   • Harry Maguire (Leicester, £85m)
   • Aaron Wan-Bissaka (Crystal Palace, £50m)
   • Daniel James (Swansea, £16m)
3. Kits

   

4. First 5 Fixtures
   • Chelsea (H), Wolves (A), Crystal Palace (H), Southampton (A), Leicester City (H)
5. Predicted Finish
   • 5th Place

13. Newcastle

Anger in Tyneside reached new highs after the departure of Raffa Benitez who was idolized by the fans. Club owner and club board didn’t convince with the appointment of Steve Bruce either, knowing that he was 11th choice for the manager. Takeover talks didn’t help either as potential new buyers are nowhere to be seen so the problems off the field will undoubtedly impact the Magpies performances. Arrivals of Joelinton for a club-record fee of 40 million and Allan Saint-Maximin from Nice will undoubtedly raise a few eyebrows, but it’s there to be seen whether Bruce can work wonders with limited resources as Benitez did

1. Star Player
   • Miguel Almiron
2. Major Signings
   • Joelinton (Hoffenheim, £40m)
   • Allan Saint-Maximin (Nice, £20m)
   • Jetro Willems (Eintracht Frankfurt, loan)
   • Kyle Scott (Chelsea U23, free)
   • Jake Turner (Bolton, free)
3. Kits

   

4. First 5 Fixtures
   • Arsenal (H), Norwich (A), Tottenham (A), Watford (H), Liverpool (A)
5. Predicted Finish
   • 18th Place

14. Norwich

Continental-looking and attacking Norwich returned to the big time after storming the Championship last season. Daniel Farke, ex-assistant to Jurgen Klopp, had transformed the Canaries to a more attractive looking side compared to when the East Anglian club was last in the elite. The Canaries scored 93 goals in 46 matches so Teemu Pukki and co will undoubtedly be one of the sides to watch this season. The mixture of European talent and young academy graduate makes the Yellows an exciting party. The first trip to Anfield, friendly Place to start, huh?

1. Star Player
   • Teemu Pukki
2. Major Signings
   • Sam Byram (West Ham, £750k)
   • Daniel Adshead (Rochdale, £300k)
   • Josip Drmic (Borussia Monchengladbach, free)
   • Patrick Roberts (Manchester City, loan)
   • Ralf Fahrmann (Schalke, loan)
   • Rocky Bushiri (KV Oostende, undisclosed)
   • Aidan Fitzpatrick (Partick Thistle, undisclosed)
3. Kits

   

4. First 5 Fixtures
   • Liverpool (A), Newcastle (H), Chelsea (H), West Ham (A), Manchester City (H)
5. Predicted Finish
   • 19th Place

15. Sheffield United

Chris Wilder is a miracle worker and the Sheffield-born and bred manager must be knighted in terms of his successes for Sheffield United. Well, at least in the red part of the Steel City. The Blades did the unthinkable climbing up the Football League, and the core of the squad is the same as the one won promotion in League 1. Sheffield United managed to avoid Play-Offs and beat the odds by surpassing Leeds, Villa and many other teams with bigger budgets from the Championship. Now they are facing the even more difficult task in trying to compete against bigger monsters, and Bramall Lane certainly will not be a comfortable place to go to.

1. Star Player
   • Billy Sharp
2. Major Signings
   • Oli McBurnie (Swansea, £20m)
   • Lyss Mousset (Bournemouth, £10m)
   • Callum Robinson (Preston, £7m)
   • Luke Freeman (QPR, £5m)
   • Phil Jagielka (Everton, free)
   • Ravel Morrison (Ostersund, free)
   • Ben Osborn (Nottingham Forest, undisclosed)
   • Dean Henderson (Man United, loan)
3. Kits

   

4. First 5 Fixtures
   • Bournemouth (A), Crystal Palace (H), Leicester City (H), Chelsea (A), Southampton (H)
5. Predicted Finish
   • 20th Place

16. Southampton

Stability is maybe the keyword for Southampton and its fans. They flirted with the relegation during the past few seasons, but this is not reflecting on the quality, and the potential Saints are having at their disposal. Gone are the days of outgoing transfers of key players to bigger clubs now with the level set by the likes of Virgil, Mane, Wanayama, being hard to recapture. Che Adams is an exciting young prospect from Birmingham City, who will compete for a starting place with Charlie Austin, Shay Long, Danny Inggs and others.

1. Star Player
   • Mario Lemina
2. Major Signings
   • Danny Ings (Liverpool, £20m)
   • Che Adams (Birmingham, £15m)
   • Moussa Djenepo (Standard Liege, £14m)
3. Kits

   

4. First 5 Fixtures
   • Burnley (A), Liverpool (H), Brighton (A), Manchester United (H), Sheffield United (A)
5. Predicted Finish
   • 14th Place

17. Tottenham

Plenty of things to be excited about around the Spurs currently – reached UEFA Champions League Final, moved to a new stadium, making some transfers (finally!), Pochettino is staying for the time being etc. etc. If we add plenty of stars coming in during the last few days of the transfer window, we are sure that Harry Kane and co. are going to be firing all cylinders this season. If Spurs manage to stay injury-free and not be complacent, why not to think that they can fight for the title against City, Liverpool and the rest.

1. Star Player
   • Harry Kane
2. Major Signings
   • Tanguy Ndombele (Lyon, £54m)
   • Jack Clarke (Leeds, £10m)
3. Kits

   

4. First 5 Fixtures
   • Aston Villa (H), Manchester City (A), Newcastle (H), Arsenal (A), Crystal Palace (H)
5. Predicted Finish
   • 3rd Place

18. Watford

Watford and the Pozzo family were changing their manager we hardly remember their total number, but Javi Gracia is doing a remarkable job by setting high standards for him and his team. The Hornets even reached the final of the FA Cup which shows that they’ve enjoyed a fruitful last season. A bad form in the previous 11 games of the season during which they’ve focused on the Cup run saw them drop outside of the Top 10. Will Hughes, Doucoure and Capoue can dictate each game from the midfield, so the Hornets are going to be exciting to be watched next season too.

1. Star Player
   • Abdoulaye Doucoure
2. Major Signings
   • Craig Dawson (West Brom, £5.5m)
   • Sam Dalby (Leeds, free)
   • Tom Dele-Bashiru (Manchester City U23, open)
3. Kits

   

4. First 5 Fixtures
   • Brighton (H), Everton (A), West Ham (H), Newcastle (A), Arsenal (H)
5. Predicted Finish
   • 11th Place

19. West Ham

West Ham would want to avoid the start they had last season and disappointing results made by Pellegrini and his players. The Hammers improved throughout the season and finished in the Top 5 within reach of the European qualification. The additions of Fornals and Haller on a record deal from Eintracht Frankfurt certainly add to the real potential at disposal with the likes of Felipe Anderson, Declan Rice and the rest. The London Stadium is about to witness an entertaining season, but could the Hammers brake into Top 6 and aim for the even greater season.

1. Star Player
   • Declan Rice
2. Major Signings
   • Sebastien Haller (Eintracht Frankfurt, £40m)
   • Pablo Fornals (Villarreal, £25m)
   • David Martin (Millwall, free)
   • Roberto (Espanyol, free)
3. Kits

   

4. First 5 Fixtures
   • Manchester City (H), Brighton (A), Watford (A), Norwich (H), Aston Villa (A)
5. Predicted Finish
   • 10th Place

20. Wolves

Nuno Espirito Santo would want to ensure that the last season’s heroics were no a fluke and the Midlands club is a power to be reckoned. Wolves have taken the league by storm after winning promotion the season before. Wolves main strength is in midfield where Neves and Moutinho you could argue that they could walk into any midfield of the league. The permanent signing of the Mexican striker Raul Jimenez is crucial to Wanderers in terms of scoring goals, so sit back and enjoy some European football and hard campaign at home, Wolves’ fans!

1. Star Player
   • Ruben Neves
2. Major Signings
   • Raul Jimenez (Benfica, £34m)
   • Patrick Cutrone (AC Milan, £16m)
   • Leander Dendoncker (Anderlecht, £12m)
   • Flavio Cristovao (Desportivo Aves, free)
   • Jesus Vallejo (Real Madrid, loan)
   • Bruno Jordao (Braga, undisclosed)
   • Pedro Neto (Braga, undisclosed)
3. Kits

   

4. First 5 Fixtures
   • Leicester (A), Manchester United (H), Burnley (H), Everton (A), Chelsea (H)
5. Predicted Finish
   • 9th Place

Enjoy the new season and do not forget to follow WhaleBets website for new strategies and styles of play so that you can enjoy even higher profits. Take a look in the Infographics section where the new one would be published after the transfer window shuts.

The growth of the internet has led to a massive boom in the popularity of betting on sports over the past few years.

Following expert sport betting tips can be a great way to make a profit, but there are also numerous other strategies worth considering. Identifying which ones to use can be a tricky task, with many systems promising big returns but often failing to deliver.

However, there are some strategies which have been proven to work, although each of them requires a strict level of discipline. Read on as we look at some of the best betting strategies for pros.

The Martingale system

Initially made famous as a casino betting strategy, the Martingale system has successfully crossed over into the sports betting world.

It is a progressive betting system that requires you to double your stake after any losing bet and to keep repeating this until you back a winner. To make it work you must always back at odds of Evens or better to ensure that you eventually secure a profit.

For instance, you could use the Martingale system to back one soccer team to draw their game each week. As the odds for drawn matches are generally 2/1 or higher, you are guaranteed a winning return if you stick rigidly to the system.

You could start by placing a £10 on your chosen team to draw a game. Assuming odds of 2/1, if they draw you would receive £30, but if the game has a winner you would double your bet on the team’s next match.

Staking £20 on that game would potentially return £60 if it ends as a draw – giving you a £30 profit at that stage.

The mathematics behind the system return a profit at whichever point a draw comes in, although you may need a significant bankroll to cover the eventuality that a team doesn’t draw for a few weeks. However, if you can maintain your discipline and your bankroll can withstand a few repeated hits, the Martingale is a strategy that can move your gambling to pro level.

Managing your bankroll

All pro bettors understand the importance of managing their bankroll properly and never deviating from their system.

Betting to a low percentage of your budget might seem boring, but adopting a conservative approach will help you handle the periods where you find winners hard to come by.

All pro gamblers set an amount that they are prepared to lose within a particular timeframe. This is generally per month, but can also be weekly or over the course of a season.

Keeping your stakes to a low percentage of your bankroll, say 5%, would ensure that you are never risking too much of your cash at any given time. For a £1,000 bankroll your stake would be £50 if you chose to risk 5% per wager.

By sticking to the system, and never chasing losses, you will be able to safely navigate the many peaks and troughs toy will be faced with in sports betting.

A level staking plan on single matches gives you the best chance of taking advantage of your knowledge of your chosen sport and boosting your bankroll over time.

Extracting value from live betting

Consistently backing short-priced favourites might seem like an easy way to make money, but the unpredictability of sport means there is no guarantee this will yield a profit.

However, there are ways to extract more value from ‘banker bets’ to help you boost your winning returns.

For instance, Montreal Canadians are playing at home to Ottawa Senators and are priced at 1/2 to win the match.

A £100 bet would return £150 if Montreal are successful, but could you have obtained better value by waiting for the game to develop?

Montreal won 25 out of 41 matches at home in 2018/19, yet there were periods where they would not have been in front in those games.

Waiting for the odds to lengthen as play progresses is an easy way to boost your returns, particularly when you are backing a high winning percentage team like Montreal.

The returns can be even greater if your chosen team goes a goal behind, and many pro punters choose this moment to bet big on the favourite.

Choosing the right opportunity to strike is the key to successful live betting and is a strategy well worth using.

Jurgen Klopp will entertain Mauricio Pochettino in the UEFA Champions League Final where their teams will want to put a trophy to the great looking they both started at Liverpool and Tottenham respectively. Both managers are currently major ones not only in England but in whole European football and a major trophy like the UEFA Champions League will cement them in the folklore of the game. This will be second consecutive final for the Reds and they will certainly would like to avoid the heartache suffered in Kiev last year. Spurs on other hands are writing their own history as this is their first European final appearance since 1984 where they lifted the UEFA Cup. So in an emotional Madrid evening who should be victorious – Mo Salah or Harry Kane? Klopp or Pochettino? The Reds from Anfield or the Spurs from White Hart Lane?

Meet the teams:

TOTTENHAM (ENG)

• UEFA club ranking: 17
• European Cup finals: 1
• Last appearance: N/A

This season

• Entry: group stage
• P12 W6 D2 L4 F20 A17
• Top scorer: Harry Kane, Lucas Moura (5)
• Current league position: 4th

Possible first-choice XI:

Lloris; Trippier, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Rose; Winks, Sissoko; Lucas Moura, Eriksen, Alli; Son

Route to the final

• Qualified: 3rd in Premier League
• Group B runners-up
• Round of 16: 4-0 agg v Dortmund
• Quarter-finals: 4-4 agg v Manchester City (won on away goals)
• Semi-finals: 3-3 agg v Ajax (won on away goals)

LIVERPOOL (ENG)

• UEFA club ranking: 11
• European Cup finals: 9
• Last appearance: 2018, 1-3 v Real Madrid

This season

• Entry: group stage
• P12 W7 D1 L4 F22 A12
• Top scorer: Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mané, Mohamed Salah (4)
• Current league position: 2nd

Possible first-choice XI:

Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Fabinho, Henderson, Wijnaldum; Salah, Firmino, Mané

Route to the final

• Qualified: 4th in Premier League
• Group C runners-up
• Round of 16: 3-1 agg v Bayern
• Quarter-finals: 6-1 agg v Porto
• Semi-finals: 4-3 agg v Barcelona

In the second all-English UEFA Champions League final, after both finalist did the unthinkable in their second leg matches against Ajax and Barcelona. Tottenham lost the first leg against the young and impressive Dutch side, only to overturn the tie in the second game in Amsterdam thanks to a Lucas Moura second half hattrick. The Brazilian was in lethal form and after shaking their recent injuries, Son and Harry Kane could provide selection headache for their manager Mauricio Pochettino. The English talisman striker Kane trained with the rest of the squad earlier this week so he will be definitely on the plane to Madrid, whether he will feature since the first minute – it remains to be seen.

Liverpool on other hand missed the long-awaited English Premier League trophy this season only losing with 1 point to Manchester City, but the spirit shown in the history second leg against Barcelona will be remembered for a long time. The likes of Wijnaldum, Origi and Alexander-Arnold became unlikely heroes in the absence of the most dangerous attacking threats – Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino.

The Venue

The 2019 Final will be played at Atletico Madrid’s Estadio Metropolitano and this will be the second city to host it’s 5th final, after London. Madrid is the capital of the Spain and home of the two of the most glorious football teams in the world – Real and Atletico. Diego Simeone’s side moved to their new stadium in 2017 after playing their home matches at their Vicente Calderon stadium for decades. The venue has a capacity of round 68 000 seats and will be full house for the final match.

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After yet another great season of drama, goals galore, come backs and plenty of splendid football, it all came down to a single match. The UEFA Europa League final in Baku is going to be between the London giants Chelsea and Arsenal. English clubs dominated in Europe this season and after both clubs booked their trip to Azerbaijan all eyes were to see who will win the trophy. Unai Emery has a lot of history with the tournament in his Seville days, but can Maurizio Sarri make a parting shot at Chelsea by winning the trophy and then leave to return to Italy?

Meet the teams

CHELSEA (ENG)

• UEFA club ranking: 12
• UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League finals: 2
• Previous final appearance: 2013, 2-1 v Benfica

This season

• Entry: group stage
• P14 W11 D3 L0 F32 A9
• Top scorer: Olivier Giroud (10)
• Current league position: 4th

Possible first-choice XI:

Arrizabalaga; Azpilicueta, Christensen, David Luiz, Alonso; Kovačić, Jorginho, Barkley; Pedro, Giroud, Hazard

Route to the final

• Qualified: 5th in Premier League
• Group L winners
• Round of 32: 5-1 agg v Malmö
• Round of 16: 8-0 agg v Dynamo Kyiv
• Quarter-finals: 5-3 agg v Slavia Praha
• Semi-finals: 2-2agg v Frankfurt (won 4-3 on pens)

ARSENAL (ENG)

• UEFA club ranking: 9
• UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League finals: 2
• Previous final appearance: 2000, 0-0 v Galatasaray (lost 1-4 on pens)

This season

• Entry: group stage
• P14 W11 D1 L2 F29 A9
• Top scorer: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (8)
• Current league position: 5th

Possible first-choice XI:

Čech; Kolasinač, Koscielny, Papastathopoulos, Mustafi, Maitland-Niles; Xhaka, Torreira; Aubameyang, Özil; Lacazette

Route to the final

• Qualified: 6th in Premier League
• Group E winners
• Round of 32: 3-1 agg v BATE Borisov
• Round of 16: 4-3 agg v Rennes
• Quarter-finals: 3-0 agg v Napoli
• Semi-finals: 7-3 agg v Valencia

One of the highlights of the final will be that legendary keeper Petr Cech will play his final match in his career against his former team Chelsea. But should Emery trust the retiring keeper or Bernd Leno should retain his #1 spot? It remains to be seen, but from a neutral point of view and from a moral point of view – the keeper deserve one final shot. The team is eager to win the cup for the sake of their teammate Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who was forbidden to travel to Baku due to diplomatic reasons. This fueled anger by both sets of fans in addition to high prices of match tickets, distance from London and many more. Many fans asked the right reasons behind choosing the final venue.

Chelsea on another hand must ignore all the talk for the summer revolt – manager leaving, transfer embargo, Eden Hazard leaving and many more gloom coming in the papers. Club captain Cesar Azpilicueta insisted that he and his team are focused and hungry for success. The Blues were in similar situation in 2013 where they won the cup against Benfica. Back then Raffa Benitez was just interim manager and never won the Blues fans on his back. After winning the UEFA Europa League, the Spaniard left the club. It is now to be seen whether Sarri will go back to Seria A and join either Juventus or Roma.

Venue

Baku is the capital of Azerbaijan and it’s the lowest-lying capital city in the world – 28 metres below sea level. The capital is the biggest city in the Caucasus region. The Baku Olympic Stadium is nearly 70 000 seated and opened in February 2015.

Do not forget that you can build your own strategy of play and you can earn a few quid by visiting our Strategies section. You can find different approaches there and you can adjust to your budget and desired style of plays.

Systematic bets are very popular amongst punters in the bookies companies. In many of them like the Trixie bet, Yankee, Heinz or any other it is not necessary to win every single bet in your selection to guarantee profit. Systematic bets give a significant advantage compared to the accumulator type of bets, simply because they are covering big part of the risk and the possibility to win in them is considerably bigger!

What is a Trixie bet

Trixie bet is a popular and preferred system for betting. It consist of 3 selections in 4 wagers – three doubles and one triple). Trixie is a full cover bet, which only looks at multiples and doesn’t includes single bets. In such systematic bets which are Trixie it is not necessary to guess right all events in your wager in order to get a win. You will get familiar with the possibilities in which by using Trixie bets you can get a heft bounties.

How to place a Trixie bet

In order to understand better how does the systematic bet functions, please have a look at the example we are giving below.

We are choosing the three events we are considering involving in the Trixie systematic bet.

1. Selection 1 – Bournemouth vs Burnley – X -3.60
   Selection 2 – Huddersfield vs Leicester – 2 – 1.61
   Selection 3 – Newcastle vs Crystal Palace – Over 2.5 Goals – 2.20
2. You must go to the betting slip and click on the “multiple bet option” button
3. Mark the field ’Trixie“in order to activate the system.
4. Place the value of your bet
5. Make your bet
   We consider the best place to use the Trixie bet to be the 22Bet (affiliate link)

When we could win via the Trixie bet

As we mentioned earlier, Trixie bet is a multiple bet option similar to the system patent (link). The major difference being that Trixie bet do not cover not even one single bet, so in order to guarantee a win you must get at least 2 winners out of 3 selections.

Using the Trixie bet we are actually making 4 bets on the chosen by us 3 selections:

• Bet 1 – selection 1 and selection 2 (double)
• Bet 2 – Selection 1 and selection 3 (double)
• Bet 3 – Selection 2 and selection 3 (double)
• Bet 4 – selection 1, selection 2 and selection 3 (treble)

Here are the possible outcomes:

• Outcome 1 – You don’t get right not a single event from the chosen three – the wager is lost and we are not getting anything from the bet.
• Outcome 2 – You get only one of the three events. In this case you will not get anything in and lose your bet either.
• Outcome 3 – You get two out of three selections giving a winning double. We are guaranteeing ourselves a return of the bet amount and we are getting a profit which is calculated by the following formula:

  ( total stake / 4 ) x (( Winning Selection 1 odd x Winning Selection 2 odd ) – 1) – ( total stake / 4 ) x 3

• Outcome 4 – You are guessing right all 3 selections of your betting slip. In this case the profit is the biggest as we are winning all three doubles and one treble. If we take the odds from the above given example: Selection 1 – odd 3.60, Selection 2 – odd 1.61, Selection 3 – odd 2.20 and we decide to place a 10 euro bet, we will have total amount of the win – 40 euro and calculated by the following formula:

  10 x (3.60 x 1.61) + 10 x (3.60 x 2.20) + 10 x (1.61 x 2.20) + 10 x (3.60 x 1.61 x 2.20) – 40 = +260 Euro Profit

If you want to learn more about other interesting styles of bets and to increase your success rate and profitability, please follow our Strategies posts and column. We are starting a series of educational articles and we do hope that this will help you build your own style of play. The WhaleBets team wishes you luck and like we always say: Let’s bust the bookies!

On May 18, 2019, the race track of Pimlico Park will open once again to pave a way for three-year-old thoroughbred racers to compete in the Grade 1 Stakes category. The Preakness Stakes will commemorate its 144th edition showcasing the best of the best colts found across the country.

Also, with the recent conclusion of the controversial edition of the Kentucky Derby this year, a lot of horse racers are in doubt joining the Preakness Stakes. While this may be true, the case of giving up and backing out is not an option for Anothertwistafate. This colt had made him the biggest decision to bypass the Kentucky Derby in order to prepare well for the upcoming Preakness Stakes on the 18th of May.

In fact, it was a hard decision for his trainer, Blaine Wright, not to include him in the derby. According to him, Anothertwistafate earned not points to secure an entry in the “Run for the Roses” that’s why he decided to join the derby. He also mentioned that if he did and wage so much money for him they might end up very bad; thus, it might not be a good deal for them as well as for the colt. He also added that the Preakness Stakes will be the best venue for the colt to show off his skills as he had the longest time to prepare before the Preakness racing showdown comes. In that way, he will secure a  good condition and emotion to make sure that he will place or win the Preakness crown, his trainer added.

Talking about his ability to run in the Preakness Stakes, Anothertwistafate has won several titles in different prep racing races if you look back to his racing form and wagering information. He had won three straight times against Golden Gate’s synthetic, and a very dominant win in El Camino Real Derby. He placed second in Sunland Derby after Cutting Humor edged him in few lengths. His jockey, Juan Hernandez was the one responsible to make it possible for Anothertwistafate to be victorious.

Aside from the fact that Anothertwistafate is fully set and ready to take part in the upcoming Preakness Stakes, the competition in Pimlico Park this May 18 is not going to be easy for him. He will be facing his rival like Sueno which he faced in Lexington along with Owendale. He will also face tougher entries this year like Signalman and Alwaysmining. Truly, it will be an amazing horse racing showdown to look forward as the Preakness comes to its nearing date.

According to some fans of Anothertwistafate, it was a bright decision for his trainer to bypass the Kentucky Derby as they might end up losing the game. Some fans even say that he will be a great player this year who will bring in a lot of challenge to all entries. Also, if they choose to head on to the derby and end up very bad, they might not be able to join the Preakness Stakes, some fans added.

Anothetwistafate is a sure bet when it comes to wagering. In his latest odds, he placed 11th in the last review list of contenders. Despite the fact that he stands in this place, he is one of the non-Kentucky Derby racers who you should keep an eye in the betting game. Be reminded that there are various categories of the betting game you can dive in the Preakness Stakes and to include this colt deems a profitable betting for you.

By the way, the Preakness Stakes in the middle jewel of the Triple Crown Series which also holds the record of having the shortest race course. Unfortunately this year, there might no Triple Crown winner as the controversial winners of the recently concluded derby might not be able to take part in the Preakness Stakes. Although the entry of 2019 Kentucky Derby winner Country House is not yet confirmed, reports are showing that he is ill and might have no chance of running in Pimlico Park.

Additionally, Blaine Wright hasn’t decided yet as to who’s going to be the jockey that will saddle for Anothertwistafate. According to him, he’ll announce the name of the jockey few days before the Preakness racing starts. He also added that he might need ample time in choosing the right jockey because this year’s Preakness Stakes is not an easy task to fulfill.

A lot of fans are waiting what’s going to happen in this year’s “Run for the Black-Eyed Susans”. Despite the fact the Kentucky Derby undergone it’s first ever controversy this year, the Preakness Stakes is looking forward to sealing a convincing and dominating winner this year. Hence, with Anothertwistafate joining the lineup of Preakness entries this year, surely this will entail a more exciting edition of the Preakness Stakes racing season.

The final 4 of both European cups are here and we look to all of them – what they’ve achieved so far this season, what are their strengths and how they rank among their contenders. Eyes will be on the English clubs left – Liverpool, Tottenham, Chelsea and Arsenal, on Spanish sides – Barcelona and Valencia and on the surprise packages Ajax and Frankfurt. All to play for and everyone will be hoping to reach the final in Madrid and Baku respectively. Please have in mind that we wrote the article before the first matches and that chances might be different after.

Tottenham

Mauricio Pochettino’s side famously knocked out current (and potential) English champions Manchester City after entertaining second leg finishing 4-3 and winning on away goals thanks to a single goal win at their newly opened ground a week before. Spurs had to rely on the VAR assistance and referee’s decisions took center stage in their winning goal and in the disallowed goal by Raheem Sterling. The fact that they haven’t acquired any player during the past 2 transfer windows and that they will be without Harry Kane until the rest of the season raises doubts. Their most threatening attacker Son is banned for the first leg against Ajax. If we put also that Spurs have to fight for their spot in the Top 4 in the Premier league and guarantee participation in the Champions League next season too. If you like to bet on Spurs on winning the tournament, then you have to take into consideration injuries, suspensions and possible lack of depth in the squad.

Chances to win the UCL: 4/10

Ajax

The Dutch giants are the headline of this year’s edition of the tournament. They famously knocked out 2 of the favorites to win it – Real Madrid and Juventus, scored 150+ goals in all tournaments and are playing really attractive. The young stars will definitely be the most mentioned names next transfer window. Frankie De Jong is already agreed to join Barcelona, but the likes of De Ligt, Ziyech, Neres and the others impressing will definitely will raise big interest from Europe’s big clubs. Ajax have big record in Europe but the young age and the rather inexperienced squad might be too big to handle.

Chances to win the UCL: 5/10

FC Barcelona

The Spanish giants seems the obvious choice for the win of the cup as bookies favorites. Leo Messi and co will be relishing their chances at home against a strong Liverpool side but the Catalans are yet to lose a game in Europe this season. Strong performances against the Reds arch rivals Manchester United and Lyon in the second leg and Barca are all guns blazing at this point of the season. Barca wrapped the title over the weekend and are in high spirits before their meeting with the Jurgen Klopp’s side. Actually, if they win the cup and the Copa Del Rey final later this month, they will complete a treble. Barcelona are in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals for the first time since winning their fifth European title four seasons ago, although they have won only two of their last five contests at this stage.

Chances to win the UCL: 8/10

Liverpool

Jurgen Klopp certainly wants to overcome his UEFA Champions League hoodoo after losing twice in the final – once with Dortmund to Bayern and last year with Liverpool at the hands of Real Madrid. Liverpool look more experienced and in good form compared to last season although they will most probably suffer Premier league heart ache and do not having the chance to win the league despite dominating the league. Virgil Van Dijk certainly is Liverpool’s most important player and the Dutch canter back must cope with former Kop favorite Luiz Suarez. Getting a positive result at Camp Nou will certainly play biggest part in the chances of the Reds winning the cup. They will have to deal (if overcoming Barca) a young or inexperienced team in the final, so Liverpool fans can fancy their chances.

Chances to win the UCL: 7/10

Frankfurt

The German team is the most attractive looking attack-wise from Bundesliga and are certainly looking to be playing in the Champions League next season – either by winning the Europa League or by qualifying in one of the places in the league. The German team is enjoying a fruitful European season – they topped their group with maximum points, then they’ve eliminated three teams over the odds – Shakhtar Donetsk, Benfica and Inter. It was believed that Frankfurt will struggle after their manager Niko Kovac left for Bayern last summer, but Addi Hutter did a magnificent job with their strikers Luka Jovic, Ante Rebic and co scoring goals domestically and in Europe for fun. Only problem for Frankfurt will be that they would face much more experienced Chelsea side, but the Blues from London not having their best seasons, the last German representative certainly have their chances.

Chances to win the UEL: 6/10

Chelsea

Maurizio Sarri certainly didn’t lived up the expectations of the fans in London and UEFA Europa League is Chelsea’s last resort in saving their season. The Blues flirt with the Top 4 spot and are yet to claim their place in next season’s Champions League. Midway through the season Sarri had to deal with players’ revolt and lost their confidence. Rumors that Eden Hazard wants to leave are not doing any favors also. Chelsea have history in winning the Europa League with Raffa Benitez and the likes of David Luiz, William and other experienced players might have the edge over inexperienced Frankfurt side. Bonus of winning the cup is also that Blues will guarantee Champions League football, something which they might miss out in the league.

Chances to win the UEL: 7/10

Arsenal

The Gunners started their life after Arsene Wenger in a somehow good fashion – playing good football, semi-finals in Europe and chance to earn top 4 spot in the league. Through to the UEFA Europa League semi-finals for the second successive season, Arsenal take on Valencia hoping to avoid the same fate as 12 months ago, when they were eliminated by Spanish opposition, going out to eventual winners Atlético Madrid. Now they are having Unai Emery at helm and he is the leader in UEFA Europa League wins. The London side were solid against strong Napoli side and didn’t conceded a single goal. This is in contrast with their defense in the Premier league – where they ship out 3+ goals on a weekly basis. Arsenal look strong, but their leaky defense might cause their team a chance to win the cup.

Chances to win the UEL: 6/10

Valencia

The Spaniards began European campaign in the Champions League where they finished 3rd after Juve and Manchester United. Celtic, Krasnodar and Villareal were Valencia’s casualties in the knock out stages. This is Valencia’s third appearance in the semis of the tournament with their previous two lost to fellow Spanish clubs – Atletico Madrid and Sevilla. Marcelino’s side must overcome old foe Unai Emery and will be hoping to gain advantage from Arsenal’s slip in form and gain valuable away result.

Chances to win the UEL: 7/10

After witnessing the first legs of 4 intriguing clashes, the ties are yet to be decided in crucial 2nd legs. Who will gain advantage and will reach the Semifinals and eventually the final match in Madrid is yet to be seen, but one thing is for sure – all 4 ties are still alive. Spurs, Barcelona and Liverpool hold a lead against their opponents and Juve and Ajax will decide the outcome of their duel in a stunner in Turin. See our preview below and if you want to build your way of betting on them, take a look at our Strategies section.

Barcelona vs Manchester United

Barca hold a narrow lead ahead of their home match against Man United. Luke Shaw scored an own goal in what proved to be an affair with not so much clear chances and goal opportunities. Now if United manage to repeat the performance in their return leg in Paris from last round, they will get a chance to go to a semi-final against the potential winners of the clash between Liverpool and Porto. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer certainly keeps great memories from his last visit on Nou Camp. The Norwegian scored the winner against Bayern Munich in the 1999 final and Man United famously lifted the trophy with Sir Alex Ferguson in charge. Barca holded the ball very well in the first leg and now knowing that the English side must be looking for at least 2 goals, plenty of space should be expected for Barca counter attacks. Barca won all 3 last meetings but United emerged winners from last two-legged clashes.

Juventus v Ajax

Cristiano Ronaldo’s hunt for another UEFA Champions League trophy after winning it 3 times in a row with Real and one with Man United. The Portugal star was the main man yet again after returning from injury and scoring the opening goal in the Amsterdam game. That was his 8th goals in 6 matches against the Amsterdam giants. The teams had different results over the weekend with both of them giving a rest to key players. Juve lost to SPAL 2-1, but that won’t affect their title bid having a lead at the top. Ajax meanwhile won heavily at home to Excelcior – 6-2 courtesy of a Huntelaar’s hattrick. Ajax stunned the football world after beating Real Madrid 4-1 and producing magnificent attacking display. Now, Dusan Tadic and co will again go to the away tie knowing that a win will guarantee their progress and first semi-final appearance in more than a decade period.

FC Porto v Liverpool

Porto are facing an uphill battle to overturn a two goal deficit against the high-flying Reds side. Liverpool won the first leg and have fond memories from their last visit in Portugal in which they won 5-0 with Sadio Mane scored a hattrick. UEFA Champions league is something like a distraction to Jurgen Klopp’s side because they are fighting for the title with Manchester City as well. Porto will fancy their chances and are in good form at home – they won their last 4 games in the tournament. They have to score at least 3 goals against a stable looking Liverpool defense. The Reds will be boosted by the return from a ban of their left back Andy Robertson. Naby Keita and Roberto Firmino scored the goals in the first leg and is to be seen whether Keita will keep his place in the midfield with the competition from Wajnaldum, captain Henderson and James Milner.

Man City vs Tottenham

The all English affair is more than alive after Spurs won narrowly at their new stadium to delight the home crowd. Now, they face a tough task in their visit of the reigning Premier league champions – Manchester City. Pep Guardiola’s side are on the hunt for a domestic treble and a possible UEFA Champions League win will guarantee a quadruple meaning that the Spaniard will become one of Citizens greatest managers ever. Son scored the winner and Spurs will be without their talismanic captain Harry Kane who injured himself and will miss the rest of the season with an ankle injury. This means that both Son and Lucas Moura will have to fill his boots and provide the goals for the North London side. Lucas Moura did so over the weekend by scoring a hattrick in a 4-0 win against Huddersfield, so he will be certainly looking for a starting berth. Manchester City despite dominating locally find it hard when it comes to European matches against fellow Premier league sides. Citizens were eliminated by Liverpool last year and now could repeat that if they not win against Pochettino’s side. Sergio Aguero will be hoping for a better day after his early penalty miss at the first leg.

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After yet another dramatic round in the UEFA Champions League, the 8 best teams in the most commercial club competition in Europe are now here. English clubs reminded for themselves after all 4 representatives reached the round – Liverpool and Tottenham impressed against strong German sides Bayern and Dortmund, City didn’t gave a chance to Schalke and Manchester United stunned everyone by overturning the tie against favorites PSG. English sides will have to face the competition of Barcelona, Porto, Ajax and Juventus. We take a look at all for clashes and will preview them for you. Do not forget to follow our blog for more interesting articles on world’s football

Manchester United vs Barcelona

Maybe the blockbuster of the round – Manchester United will host Barcelona after both clubs made memorable second-leg games to reach this level. Both clubs have a big history in facing each other in Europe, but this will be their first meeting in almost 8 years. Barcelona beaten United in UEFA Champions League finals in both 2009 and 2011, but United proved to be the winners in the last two-legged clashes with the Catalans. Last time Manchester United reached the quarters was with David Moyes in charge and they lost to Bayern Munich, so now Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and his staff will be hoping for a better scenario. After the record start as a manager with 8 wins in a row, Solskjaer’s squad showed glimpses old habits with many injuries and squad rotation taking their toe. Ander Herrera also missed that Wolves match with a knock; Eric Bailly has not played for United since being replaced in the first half at Paris and has been struggling with concussion. Barça are unbeaten in eight away matches in all competitions (W5 D3) and have lost only three of their 23 games away from home this season (W14 D6). Can United produce yet another great performance against stronger side, it is to be seen.

Tottenham vs Manchester City

The other Manchester giant will face familiar opponent having been drawn against English team – Spurs. The first tie will be played in freshly opened Spurs’ stadium and world will have the chance to see it in such high-profile game. The two sides meet for the first time in Europe and Pep Guardiola admitted that despite his side dominance in the league – domestic form goes out of the window now and the chances are 50/50. While Spurs are in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals for the first time since their sole previous appearance eight years ago, this is City’s third last-eight tie in the past four seasons – and a second successive contest at this stage against a fellow English club. This season, Mauricio Pochettino’s side lost 4-2 at home to Barcelona in their first home game, but beat PSV Eindhoven (2-1) and Internazionale (1-0) in the next two. That helped them overtake Inter to snatch second place in Group B behind Barça; Spurs had just one point after three matches. Then Harry Kane and co. reminded about themselves by trashing Borussia Dortmund 3-0. The league game between the two finished 1-0 for City after Riyad Mahrez netted the winner for the Citizens.

Ajax vs Juventus

After stunning the whole footballing world in the previous round by beating 4-1 the reigning champions Real Madrid, now Ajax have another uphill battle against the runaway Italian leaders Juventus. The Turin’s giants also put on a show to reach this phase by beating heavily Atletico Madrid 3-0 at home and overturned a two goal deficit. In terms of history in Europe, this is maybe the highest profile matches of the round as both club being one of the two most prestigious on the continent. While Juventus are on a hunt of 3rd semi-final in 5 seasons, Ajax never made it that far since 1996/1997. Juve dominate recent clashes with the Dutch side having not lost in 9 games and winning 6 of them. Both clubs exchanged wins in two memorable finals – in 1974 where Ajax won and in 1996 where Juventus won the cup courtesy of Fabrizzio Ravanelli’s goal and a penalty shoot-out. Juve have won all four of the teams’ two-legged contests, most recently prevailing 2-1 in the Amsterdam first leg of their 2009/10 UEFA Europa League round of 32 tie and progressing after a goalless draw in Turin. Juve continued their dominance in the league over the weekend after beating AC Milan 2-1 but the referee’s decision were the major talking point. Will Cristiano be fit for the game, that remains to be seen? Ajax have the be wary because some of their most influential players could miss out the second leg due to bookings: Blind, De Ligt, Tagliafico, Van de Beek, Ziyech.

Liverpool vs Porto

The Reds are on a hunt for another great European campaign after memorable run last season in reaching the final. Now Jurgen Klopp’s side bid to reach Madrid is via another familiar opponent. Liverpool beaten FC Porto in 5-0 aggregate win and certainly will be hoping for a repeat. The Portuguese champions reached this level after impressing against Roma and now will be looking to get a good result before taking the tie in Portugal on 17/04. Liverpool will be on high spirits having made a comeback against Southampton in 3-1 win away from home to keep the pressure at the top for City. Now Klopp have to put either Moreno or Milner at the left back because Robertson is suspended, but Porto’s problems with cards are maybe bigger – Pepe and Herrera will miss out on the Anfield tie. Porto are 3D and 3L against English side in their last 6 games and the prospect do not look good for Iker Casillas and his teammates. Liverpool are 14 matches unbeaten in all competitions (W9 D5), since a 2-1 FA Cup defeat at Wolves on 7 January