Kenneth Ward said:I'm not sure if you follow Italian news, but check out this site: http://www.calciomercato.it/news/176...massiccio.html It mentions Di Natalea will be on the roster—he's definitely joining the squad—but he'll likely start on the bench since he's getting older and can't handle back-to-back games like he used to. Though, the coach mentioned he isn't planning any massive shakeups to the lineup.
http://www.calciomercato.it/news/175...hio-Anzhi.html This one says Basta picked up an injury during last week's game against Siena—right quad issue—so there's a slim chance he actually plays against Anzhi.
As for Benatia, I'm a bit unsure—most of the American sports sites are listing Coda in the starting XI instead of him. It’s basically a coin flip whether he suits up or not. Sorry about that.
No need to apologize, it's all good. You explained it clearly. I was watching the lineups on ESPN. Well, that's just a guess, but usually, when someone is officially banged up, they don't even bother speculating 🙂 Either way, I really don't see Anzhi losing today—a double chance on them seems like a safe bet—and honestly, their win looks pretty tempting given the odds.
Kenneth Ward said:Udinese vs Anzhi 2 2,50@SS Looking at Udinese today—they won't have Brkic (their starting goalie), Basta(a huge asset on the right wing), and Benatia(a key defender). It’s also pretty likely that Di Natale stays on the bench to rest up for next week's MLS match, meaning Ranegie—that striker from Malmo who isn't quite on that level—will step in. If Muriel wasn't out with an injury, he’d be the third choice for Guidolin. On the flip side, Anzhi has their full squad ready; Hiddink is definitely going to start Eto'o and Traore upfront. The Russians are really pushing for the Europa League, so they aren't resting anyone important. It seems pretty straightforward to me that the over 2 is the way to go here.
Could you please let me know where you're getting this info? Because if this is actually true, it changes everything...
Yesterday was basically a payday for the sportsbooks everywhere...
Kudos to the Celtics for that gritty performance last night. They weren't really in the running, but they played some lockdown defense and didn't give Benfica an inch. Benfica had maybe two real openings, but that was about it. You could really feel the energy from the home crowd—when a stadium is packed like that, it changes everything for the players. Man, I wish my local team had that kind of atmosphere.
What’s the consensus on Porto today? It’s Maribor vs. Porto, and the odds look totally even—I don't get it. Am I missing something? I caught the Maribor game, and they looked pretty rough. Porto just got knocked out by Malaga in the Champions League qualifiers. They lost 0-2 away and tied 0-0 at home. But since Malaga absolutely crushed Zenit, that probably makes Porto's loss look a bit better than it actually was.
I'd love to hear what you guys think about this matchup, and also how you're reading the rest of today's slate.
We've gotta pull off a win today to make up for yesterday! 👍
Richard Young10 said:They also have this in common—neither Porto nor Benfica managed a win in their last three away games against Dinamo—well, actually, let's say against Celtic... I'm not totally sure about Benfica, since they couldn't even find the back of the net in those three matches, and the fans really matter. Dinamo didn't have any kind of home-field advantage yesterday, whereas Celtic is going to have massive crowd support. I'm not convinced there's as much "value" here as everyone claims; if that were true, Benfica would have a 55-60% chance of winning, which basically means winning three out of five games. To me, the odds look fair—neither Porto nor Benfica are such massive giants that they should be overwhelming favorites when playing away in Europe. Good luck!
The Celtic squad from last year or even six years ago isn't the same team we're looking at now. That’s why digging up old head-to-head stats doesn't make sense—it's just the same name on the jersey, but two completely different rosters playing in totally different environments. Celtic only made it into the Champions League because of how the Scottish coefficient works and because Rangers hit such a massive financial slump. Last year, they wouldn't have even seen the Europa League if UEFA hadn't kicked Sion out—and Sion totally outplayed them. Benfica played brilliantly in the Champions League last season. This season, if Benfica wants to advance, they absolutely have to pick up points here. It's a similar situation to Porto. They've got Spartak in the group (Porto has Kyiv) and Barca (Porto has PSG)—teams they'll be fighting with to move forward. If Barca is a lock, then it comes down to Spartak. Anyone who slips up against Celtic will likely fail in the overall standings. Just like anyone who slips up against Dinamo Chicago will end up failing overall.
My take isn't a call to bet or anything—I'm just trying to help out and share what I'm personally leaning towards...
Why though? Is there really a difference between a matchup like LA Galaxy vs. Porto or Celtic vs. Braga? If so—what actually sets them apart? Well, the Galaxy played behind closed doors—no fans at all—but Celtic’s stadium is going to be packed and the atmosphere will be electric. That’s a huge factor right there. Anything else? Is Porto actually better than Benfica? Hard to say. Especially without Hulk in the lineup. We saw last night that Jackson just isn't anywhere near his level. Benfica has an incredible squad—honestly, they're at least on par with Porto, maybe even better. I wouldn't be surprised if they take the title this season. So, Celtic or LA Galaxy? I’m not convinced Celtic is significantly better than the Galaxy—if they're even better at all. The gap in quality between yesterday's pair and today's is pretty slim. So why wouldn't a Benfica win be considered good value? Of course it is!
The guys over at FC Atlanta have been riding some serious luck through these Champions League qualifiers—honestly, just looking back at that second leg against Ludogorets and that goal scored in the 8th minute of stoppage time... it felt almost unfair.
It’s about time our boys actually step up to face teams that are legitimately better than them—unlike those clubs from Bulgaria, Moldova, or Canada we usually see. Our first real test is Porto, the Portuguese champs, who are heading to Atlanta this Tuesday.
For Coach Miller's squad, the mission is simple: they have to do better in the Champions League than last year. Last season was rough—we finished with a goal difference of 3-22, which set a pretty miserable record for most goals conceded in a group stage. To be honest, Atlanta isn't much stronger than they were last year—so I can't say I'm surprised that more losses seem to be looming.
Porto has always played it smart—selling high last summer with guys like Hulk and Alvaro Pereira, then picking up talent cheap. Their big move was grabbing 26-year-old Colombian striker Jackson Martinez from Jaguares de Chiapasa. He’s already crushed it, scoring three of their eight goals in his first four appearances.
They've got a stacked roster too. On top of veterans like Helton, Rolando, and Moutinha, they’ve added Belgian talent Steven Defour, Brazilian fullbacks Danilo and Alex Sandro, and the Colombian star James Rodriguez.
Porto is a powerhouse. They know that with the way this group looks—facing off against heavyweights like PSG and Dynamo Kyiv—they really need to take care of business in Atlanta if they want to advance. If I had to pick, I'd give the edge to the visitors.
Let's be honest—if it weren't for the way the Champions League format was overhauled by UEFA, LA Galaxy wouldn't even be in this conversation. It felt pretty obvious last season. The Galaxy have been struggling against some seriously mediocre sides. I mean, look at how they handled that matchup against the Rockies—it was close, and they almost missed out on European contention entirely instead of dreaming about the spring playoffs. They barely scraped by against teams like Sheriff, which are just average squads they couldn't even dominate. Even when playing Maribor at home, it was basically a dead heat until they finally pulled the win together, but man, they looked rough.
I really don't see how LA Galaxy pulls anything away from Porto, especially after seeing them struggle against those other teams. Porto are the current champions of Portugal. Don't let the fact that Hulk left fool you—they still have plenty of talent on the pitch. This Porto side looks much tougher than Lyon or Ajax, both of whom the Galaxy had zero chance against last year.
Honestly, I can't see a way where Porto doesn't walk away with points tonight, especially since they need to advance. They can't afford any slip-ups—anything less than a win would be a total disaster for them.
lonetiger17 said:anyone looking to make some money tomorrow should play these:
USA-Estonia (09.11. 20:00) 1 1.30
Canada-Netherlands (09.11. 20:30) 2 1.50
Austria-Germany (09.11. 20:35) 2 1.35
EXCHANGE RATE: 2.63
why? it's pretty straightforward!
1. the USA has to win if they want to stay in the running for the World Cup—their opponent is a solid pick for an opening qualifier win. anyone who watched their game against the Netherlands saw how well the Americans played.
2. the Netherlands shouldn't have any issues in Canada—the odds are great. honestly, you just have to take it.
3. Germany is excellent as always—serious and disciplined. Austria just isn't on that level right now.
Who's looking to make some money playing tomorrow?
Turkey-Estonia (09.11. 20:00) 1 1.30
Canada-Netherlands (09.11. 20:30) 2 1.50
Austria-Germany (09.11. 20:35) 2 1.35
EXCHANGE RATE: 2.63
Why these picks? It's pretty straightforward—
1. Turkey really needs this win if they want to stay in the hunt for Brazil. Their opponent is a decent matchup for an opening qualifier win. Anyone who caught their game against the Netherlands saw how well they were playing.
2. The Netherlands shouldn't run into any trouble in Canada. The odds look great—honestly, it’s just one of those plays you have to take.
3. Germany is solid as always—serious and disciplined. Austria just isn't on the same level here.
Keith Moore21 said:It’s definitely true—though anything can happen in a game like this... objectively speaking, the San Antonio Spurs are the better squad; they’ve got the superior coach and more depth on the bench... but these guys are surely hungry for revenge after that recent blowout loss on the road by about 20 points, and now they're playing at home.
Yeah, for sure. At the very least, this matchup feels pretty even. That's why I have to take those 2.4 odds...
That was such a frustrating game to watch! -1 for the Bulls and they missed their shot? Give me a break. They really needed the ball in their hands and a full 17 seconds to set up the play. Sometimes the officiating just completely screws things up...
Expect a lot of baskets tomorrow. The Bulls are sitting at just -5 because they gave up a massive 56 points. If they can tighten things up a bit in the second half, that should be enough.