Not sure if I mentioned Oviedo v Real Madrid, which kicks off at 645pm, but the suggestion, with these 2’s club friendly form, is for goals. That is covered in Real’s 1.16 quote. real Madrid take friendlies seriously -they scored 13 goals in just 2 recent friendlies. Speculators could load up on goals. Team news vital as ever. Oviedo are 2nd tier Spanish.
7pm – FC Basel v Flora Tallinn – 1.13 home – 0-2 to Basel in this Champions League 2nd round qualifier will see them through against Flora tallin. 2 late goals though, and one a penalty could have highlighted Flora’s home tactics. Bookies have all but scratched Flora out of this tie with a 1.13 quote. Rightly so as Basel have recent CL victories against the likes of Man Utd and Barcelona if memory serves. I suppose with a commanding enough lead that we should inspect team news nearer kick off to determine any weakening of the Basel outfit. This should not happen as this is pre season, and this is the Champions League where complacency will be punished. As ever, sub 1.15 signals a 4+ goal win.
730pm – Debrecen v Skenderbeu – 1.27 home. Debrecen are 1-0 down from the first leg and the market expects them to win and secure a place in the next round. If this is a consideration, then of course, they must score 2 goals and that should be your starting point. Of course a 1-1 will further the match but the odds suggest a win, and 2 goals minimum to nil will take Debrecen through with the minimum of fuss.
Skenderbeu took until the 60th+ minute to score in the first leg suggesting Debrecen and their defences were on top. Will that be the case this evening? Perhaps a 1-0, 2-0 scoreline will offer value although if Skend score they could go through if away goals are considered.
6 defeats, 1 draw and 1 win in Celtic’s last 8 friendlies sees them possibly opposable tonight at 745pm against Norwich.
Celtic have lost their last 3 home friendlies against Premiership opponents.
Norwich beat Celtic on the 22nd May 2-0 in a friendly at Carrow Road. They recently lost 3-2 to Hertha Berlin. Celtic seem to be opposable 2.24 favourites based on their form against Premiership opponents. 2.24 might be a bit big to lay though? Remember this is a friendly.
7.45pm – Partizan Belgrade v Valletta – 1.12 home – 4-1 to Partizan from the first leg makes this a tricky one to read. Changes perhaps? This Champions League tie is over. The bookies have priced Partizan up as if they will replicate the 4-1. Remember my rule though – teams that don’t need to win, rarely do. But Valletta? My Sunday league team could be them, and that’s with 4 players not turning up because of hangovers, and another because he pulled the night before.
And finally Los Angeles play Spurs at 330am in a game fraught with danger. LA were playing a league match against Chivas only a couple of days ago. Luca Modric may not have travelled with the Spuds who have a new manager, Villa “Oh Arse!” so their whole tactical structure may have changed. Add to this the friendly element and the fact that LA may want to rest some first teamers, and this makes for an unreadable friendly.