Ligue One to begin with a bang
Bet 1: Back Over 2.5 Goals in Bordeaux v Nantes @ 15/8 – KO 18:00 BST
Bordeaux and Nantes kick off the Ligue One season and despite it being a very big price, Over 2.5 Goals looks like a decent prospect at the Matmut Atlantique.
The hosts finished in 12th place last season, winning nine, losing nine and drawing the other 10 of their 28 fixtures. They scored 40 goals, conceded 34, and their matches averaged 2.64 goals each time.
A dozen of their 28 saw this selection land, but it is worth noting that 10 only failed by a single goal, and four of their last seven on this ground had at least three goals.
The visitors also finished their campaign on 37 points, but their matches were lower-scoring. Their games were averaging 2.11 goals per 90 minutes, but it’s worth noting that three of their last four on the road all had a minimum of four goals in them.
Rovers to keep the goals flowing
Bet 2: Back Over 2.5 Goals in Shamrock v Shelbourne @ 4/5 – KO 19:45 BST
Shamrock Rovers finished as runners-up to Dundalk last season, but after eight games of the new campaign, they are four points clear at the top, having only dropped two points to date.
Shelbourne are new to the Irish Premier Division having been promoted last term, and they have started well enough, sitting sixth of 10 with 10 points.
It could be a long evening for the Shels though as Stephen Bradley’s men have scored a dozen goals in just three home games this year, with their scorelines being 6-0, 3-2 and 3-1.
To their credit the visitors have won two of their four away outings since their promotion, but this is by far and away their toughest test.
More Europa success for Sevilla
Bet 3: Back Sevilla 13/5 – KO 20:00 BST
The Europa League Final should be a cracking affair, as both Sevilla and Inter have been mightily impressive since the end of lockdown, but I just feel that the Spaniards have been overlooked by the market.
Julen Lopetegui’s side are a battle-hardened outfit, who know what it takes to win this competition. They won the Europa League in 2014, 2015 and 2016, and while obviously most of those players are no longer at the club, there is still a winning mentality there.
Inter are a little bit too inconsistent for me still, and if either of them are going to freeze, it will be Antonio Conte’s men. They looked good in their 5-0 thumping of Shakhtar in the semis, and they have seen off Bayer Leverkusen and Getafe too, but Sevilla have overcome Roma, Wolves and Manchester United – which reads better to me.
Source: Betfair Europa League
