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At 12:00pm ET, my selection is on Bayern Munich. This is a great matchup between two elite clubs. PSG recently won the Champions League but today's Club WC match will go Bayern's way. PSG has lost each of its last four meetings with Bayern, without scoring a single goal. The most recent encounter was a 1-0 Bayern victory in the the League Phase of the Champions League, back in November 2024. Though Bayern plays without Davies and Ito, the Germans are still absolutely loaded. Bayern head coach Vincent Kompany has insisted that his players “will be ready” to perform on the “big stage," Harry Kane, who scored twice in Bayern's last match, leads the way as the best team in Germany takes down the best from France. Play on Bayern Munich.

At 9:00pm ET, my selection is on Manchester City. There is a very clear class distinction between these clubs. Manchester City is among the best teams on the planet and Al Hilal is not. This will quickly become apparent when the teams collide at Camping World Stadium in Orlando. In each of yesterday's Round of 16 matches, the superior team won by at least 2 goals. City was the only team in the group stage to have a perfect 3-0 record and the full nine points, outscoring opponents by a combined 13-2 score. While Man. City was scoring 13 goals in its 3 group stage matches, Al Hilal managed only 3. Al Hilal was already outmatched but playing without captain Al-Dawsari reduces its chances even further. Man City will get up early and Al Hilal won't be able to match. City controls play and wins in a one-sided match. Play on Manchester City.

At 8:30pm Et, my MLS Game Of The Week is on Dallas. After missing the playoffs last season, FC Dallas endured a sluggish start to the 2025 campaign, earning 18 points from its opening 16 matches, with four wins, six losses, and six draws. This included a six-match winless streak in league play, capped by a 1-0 away loss to Seattle Sounders and draws against FC Cincinnati and Philadelphia Union. However, Dallas regained momentum with a 4-2 victory over Sporting Kansas City last week. Now sitting in 10th place, just one point behind ninth-placed Colorado Rapids and five points off the top seven, Dallas aims to sustain this upward trajectory with a second consecutive win on Wednesday. The Earthquakes, 0-1-1 their last 2 games, will be without Ian Harkes, who was sent off in their draw against Portland Timbers last time out, while Noel Buck, Niko Tsakiris and Bruno Wilson all remain out with injury. Off its big win and momentum back on its side, playing at Toyota Stadium, Dallas will have the edge.

At 9:00pm ET, my WC Wipeout is on Chelsea. Off a 3-1 loss to Flamenco, we will see the best of Chelsea tonight. There is a big class difference between these teams. To give some perspective, Chelsea was -200 to win the Group, entering the tournament. Esperance Sportive Tunis was +4000. Though it only needs a draw, Chelsea is likely to beat Esperance Sportive de Tunis by multiple goals due to its superior squad quality, tactical sophistication, and attacking prowess. Prior to the 3-1 loss to Flamengo, Chelsea demonstrated fluid attacking football in its 2-0 win over LAFC, with players like Pedro Neto, who has scored twice in the tournament, and Enzo Fernandez driving their offensive threat. Esperance, while resilient in its 1-0 win over LAFC, struggled offensively against Flamengo, managing only one goal in the group stage and relying heavily on defensive organization. Chelsea’s 4-2-3-1 formation, high passing accuracy (88% vs. Esperance’s 81%), and ability to create chances through wide players and set-pieces give it a clear edge. With key Esperance player Youcef Belaïli suspended, an absolutely critical loss, the Blues are poised to exploit Esperance’s limited attacking output and secure a comfortable victory by at least two goals.

At 6:00 PM ET, my selection is on Salzburg. Before the tournament, I projected that Red Bull Salzburg and Al Hilal would compete for second place in their group, with Real Madrid as the clear favorite. Despite similar pre-tournament odds of +800 and +900 to win the group, Al Hilal’s surprising draw against Real Madrid has created additional betting value on Salzburg today. Given Al Hilal’s confidence from that result, their likely victory over Pachuca, and Real Madrid’s expected win against Salzburg, the Saudi side should be content with another draw. This makes Salzburg getting an extra +0.5 goals, particularly appealing. In my pre-tournament analysis, I noted: “Salzburg’s youth-driven, high-pressing, and attacking style brings energy and unpredictability, making them a strong contender for second place.” Play on Salzburg. 

At 3:00pm ET, my Golden Goal selection is on Real Madrid. Real Madrid, by far the strongest team in the group, faces Pachuca, the weakest. Frustrated by a draw in its opening game, Real Madrid will come out with intensity from the start, determined to secure a decisive victory. Pachuca, having conceded two goals to Salzburg in its previous match, will struggle to contain the formidable Spanish side. Real Madrid is poised to score multiple goals and Pachuca will be fortunate to get any. The class difference will be clear from the start. The better team will dominate possession and scoring chances and will win by at least 2 goals. Play on Real Madrid.

At 6:00pm ET, my selection is on Porto. Getting an extra half goal with arguably the stronger team is always something which appeals to me. We already saw a draw in this group yesterday and another one is entirely possible today. If there is a winner, it's more likely to be Porto. Coached by Abel Ferreira, Palmeiras' balanced squad combines physicality and tactical discipline with flair. However, Porto’s attack offers pace and clinical finishing and ultimately Porto's European experience will provide an edge. 

At 7:30pm Et, my selection is on the New York City Fc. I had the over in New York City's recent match at Nashville. City came through with two goals in a 2-2 draw. That was on the heels of a 3-0 loss vs Houston. That same pattern - a home loss, followed by a road draw - was repeated a few weeks back, in the middle of May. Off the road draw, City returned home and won 2-0 (and 3-1 in its next game). Once again, a resilient NY City FC team will respond to going winless in two matches to get back to securing max points tonight. Since entering MLS in 2015, City has never lost a regular-season home fixture against Atlanta. Also, Atlanta has allowed multiple goals in every one of its away fixtures in the league this season. Play on NY City FC.

At 7:30pm Et, my MLS Game Of The Week is on Chicago. DC United is off a win but hasn't won consecutive games all season. Playing at home hasn't provided United any sort of advantage. The Fire ended the month of May with a fifth win in their last six matches, across all competitions. A much improved team from last season, Chicago is very good on the road. The Fire have a 100% road record this season against teams with fewer points than them currently in this competition. The Fire have also scored 20 of their 28 goals on the road. With five MLS away victories, Chicago is tied with the Philadelphia Union for the most in the league, thus far. The Fire will score multiple goals and DC United will be unable to keep pace. Play on Chicago.

At 2:30pm ET, my Ligue 1 Game Of The Week is on Metz. There's a lot at stake at Stade Auguste Delaune. This is the second of two legs, the first finished at 1-1. That means that the winner of this match will play in the French top flight next season while the loser will not. Reims has real trouble scoring and is winless in its last six matches, losing four times. Reims finished the Ligue 1 season in 16th place with just 33 points. Conversely, Metz has lost just one of its last 12 matches, achieving victory in seven of those. Metz has also won five of its past seven away matches. Importantly, when backing Metz at +0.5, we win in the event of another draw. Metz was the better team in the first match, creating substantially more offense, and has been in better form all season. Play on Metz.

At 2:30pm Et, my selection is on Elversberg. Its a Bundesliga relegation playoff pitting Heidenheim, the 16th-placed team in the Bundesliga, against Elversberg, the third-placed side from the 2. Bundesliga. There's a spot in Germany’s top flight next season on the line. This is the second of two matches. The first, which was played at Heidenheim on Thursday, resulted in a 2-2 draw. The visitors got an early 2-0 lead and the home team battled back to salvage the tie. That means that the stakes for Monday's match at Elversberg are extremely high. For a club that had never competed above the third tier before 2023, Elversberg’s potential promotion to the Bundesliga would mark a historic milestone. With significant financial implications for both teams, Elversberg enters the match in stronger form, riding the momentum of its recent success (undefeated in its last 9 matches!) to close out the regular season. Though the level of competition wasn't the same, Elversberg has played better football all season and that gives a lot of confidence. Earning the draw in the first leg and now playing at home will provide the edge. Elversberg has an opportunity to make history. Its happening!

*play at pk, if available 

At 3:00pm ET, my La Liga Game Of The Year is on Osasuna. This match holds greater significance for Osasuna; the visitors are striving to secure a top-eight finish and a coveted spot in European competition. Currently positioned 14th, Alavés has successfully avoided relegation, largely due to a strong run of form in recent matches. With its primary objective achieved and no further tangible goals to pursue, Alavés may struggle to maintain its intensity, potentially leading to a dip in performance. However, historical context suggests that Alavés’ current form may be irrelevant in this fixture. Osasuna have dominated at this venue, winning its last six visits to Mendizorroza. More talented and with more to play for, expect Osasuna to extend its streak here to seven consecutive victories. Play on Osasuna.

At 2:30pm Et, my Golden Goal selection is on Elversberg. The upcoming Bundesliga relegation playoff match carries immense stakes, pitting Heidenheim, the 16th-placed team in the Bundesliga, against Elversberg, the third-placed side from the 2. Bundesliga, with a spot in Germany’s top flight next season on the line. Heidenheim’s campaign faltered, culminating in a 4-1 defeat to Werder Bremen on the final matchday, relegating them to the playoff spot. In contrast, Elversberg capped an outstanding 2. Bundesliga season with a 2-1 victory at Schalke, securing third place. For a club that had never competed above the third tier before 2023, Elversberg’s potential promotion to the Bundesliga would mark a historic milestone. It's happening! With significant financial implications for both teams, Elversberg enters the match in stronger form, riding the momentum of its recent success. Given its trajectory and opportunity to make history, my recommendation is to back Elversberg.

At 10:00am ET, my EPL Game Of The Week is on Leicester City. Both Leicester City and Ipswich Town face will be relegated next season, but Sunday's clash at King Power Stadium carries extra weight for the Foxes. This match marks the final appearance of Leicester legend Jamie Vardy, who will lace up his boots for the club one last time. With 199 career goals, the 38-year-old striker is on the cusp of a historic 200th goal, and the electric atmosphere at King Power will fuel his drive to deliver a memorable farewell. Vardy, a cornerstone of Leicester’s miraculous 2015-16 Premier League title and 2021 FA Cup triumph, is unlikely to exit quietly. He's always had a knack for clutch moments and he's a likely candidate to find the net against an Ipswich side struggling defensively. Leicester, buoyed by the emotional weight of Vardy’s send-off (and likely 200th goal) will harness the home crowd’s energy to secure three points. Its a party for Jamie Vardy! Play on Leicester

My La Liga Game Of the Week is on Real Sociedad. Real Sociedad, playing at home and still with an outside chance to secure European qualification, enters this match with high stakes. Competing at Estadio Anoeta provides a significant advantage. While Celta Vigo has been formidable at home, its away form is poor, earning only 13 points from 17 road matches, ranking 17th in La Liga. A determined Real Sociedad side, fueled by motivation and home support, is poised to deliver a crucial victory for their fans in San Sebastián.

At 2:45pm ET, my Serie A Game Of The Week is on Roma. Turning a draw into a victory is of critical importance in this afternoon's Serie A matchup in Bergamo. Though a win is always preferred, Atalanta knows it can essentially wrap up third place in the standings with a draw. Surging Roma, which hasn't given up on Champions League qualification, needs more and will be giving it everything its got. Having goalkeeper Mile Svilar makes it tough to score against Roma. Svilar has recorded 15 clean sheets in Serie A this season. No keeper has more in a season for nearly 20 years. Play on Roma.

At 3:00pm ET, my Champions League Game Of The Week is on Arsenal. We were against Arsenal last match, when the Gunners lost to Bournemouth. Part of my thinking was that Arsenal was already going to be thinking about today's match. (PSG also lost its last league game.) Winning here, after dropping the first leg at home, is no easy task. If anyone is up for the challenge, its Arsenal. The Gunners are undefeated in their last 7 road matches overall. They've won their last 4 European road matches, scoring at least 2 goals in each. The Gunners will benefit from the return of Thomas Partey. A very important player, Partey was suspended for the first leg and was badly missed. PSG is expected to have Dembele but he may not be at full health. Go with the Gunners. 

At 9:00am ET, my EPL Annihilator is on Newcastle United. Some may not yet realize how strong NewCastle is this year. The gap between these teams is entirely real. The Magpies have won six of their last seven top-flight matches. The Magpies, who have the fourth-best away record in the Premier League, have a +21 goal differential. The Seagulls will be without Joao Pedro, their top scorer, as he's suspended. The Magpies can taste that top 4 finish and they won't let the opportunity for maximum points escape them. Play on Newcastle 

At 12:30pm ET, EPL Game of the Week is on Bournemouth. Having the extra half goal in our favor is important, when playing Arsenal matches. The Gunners have been involved in 13 ties this season. In this case, the Cherries will cash for us, in the event of a draw. Arsenal is in a difficult spot. The Gunners have had some time to recover from their first thriller vs PSG but they've got the second leg of that crucial series on deck. Looking ahead is natural. The Cherries are tough on the road, having lost only 4 league matches on the road all season. They will shock their distracted hosts on Saturday.

At 2:30pm ET, my Bundesliga Game Of The Month is on Heidenheim. Friday's match between VfL Bochum and Heidenheim, while featuring two of the Bundesliga's less prominent sides, promises to be a compelling contest with significant implications. VfL Bochum faces the prospect of becoming the first team relegated this season with a loss. Trailing Heidenheim by four points, only a win offers Bochum a realistic chance of survival. However, Heidenheim enters the fixture with momentum, buoyed by a recent 1-0 clean-sheet victory against Stuttgart. Playing at Voith-Arena, where they enjoy strong home support, further bolsters Heidenheim's confidence. Bochum, conversely, has struggled significantly in away matches, making a positive result for them unlikely. Bochum will have to "go for it" and that will make them vulnerable to counter-attacks. Healthy on the injury-front, Heideheim will take advantage. 

My Thursday Afternoon EPL Annihilator is on Brentford. The reason for this Thursday contest is because Forest played in the FA Cup on Sunday, losing 2-0. That means that Brentford is far more rested, having last played back on April 19th. That extra rest will work in the Bees favor for this match. Brentford lost the reverse fixture but has shown an ability to win on the road. The Bees can't afford a loss if they want to keep their hopes of European football alive. They may not ultimately realize that dream but they will battle their hosts tooth and nail on Thursday afternoon.

My EUROPA LEAGUE GAME OF THE MONTH is on Lyon +0.5 goal at 3:00 EST. These teams are only a week on from their 2-2 first-leg draw in France, and everything points to another tight battle until the bitter end here at Old Trafford as well on Thursday in my opinion. In fact, I'd say that the home side is ripe for the picking. Goaltender Andre Onanan looked terrible with Rayan Cherki scoring late to equalize for the French side. Man U then suffered a 4-1 away loss at Newcastle United in Premier League action in another error-filled disaster. Man U only has 38 points after 32 games in the EPL, and it'll officially be its lowest points total in the Premier League era. Manchester United desperately needs a win here for Champions League qualification for next year. Somehow, Man U has maintained a decent Europa League record, though, with six wins and five draws (the only team without a loss.) Lyon followed up their draw with a win over Auxerre in Ligue 1 last weekend.  Cherki, Georges Mikautadze and Alexandre Lacazette all contributed in the 3-1 victory. Lyon enters on top form, having won seven of its last nine matches across all leagues, scoring 24 goals over that span. Lyon is also unbeaten in its last 12 Europa League away games, going with nine wins and three draws. While the outright is possible, my official call is to grab the underdog on the +0.5 goal option.

My CHAMPIONS LEAGUE GAME OF THE MONTH is on PSG on the spread option at 3:00 EST. Aston Villa fans would love to see their team complete a comeback against Paris Saint-Germain in the second leg of their quarter-final, but I don't predict that happening. The Ligue 1 Champion owns a 3-1 advantage from the opening contest and while they've suffered some second-leg catastrophes, the difference between a one-goal and a two-goal disadvantage is a night and day difference in the Champions League. Aston Villa has struggled in this spot in the past, going 0-2 on occasions where it lost the first leg of a European knockout match by two or more goals. Clearly, PSG can't take anything for granted, as the Lions have still won each of their four games on home soil. Regardless, look for PSG to once again dominate this matchup from start to finish, as I expect a similar final score here, as what we saw in the first leg. Because of that, I'll suggest laying the -0.5 goal.

My 10* LA LIGA GAME OF THE MONTH is on FC Barcelona at 12:00 EST. Leganes is on the cusp of relegation and FC Barcelona can smell the blood in the water on Saturday afternoon. A victory on the road would move FC Barcelona a full seven points clear of second-place Real Madrid. Borja Jimenez's side though is currently relegated to the 18th spot. The home side is off a 1-1 draw with Osasuna, which ended a three-game slide. El Lega actually somehow managed the 1-0 win in the reverse fixture in the middle of December, so Hansi Flick's side will be out to not only win here but to avenge that monumental upset. Barcelona is the reigning Segunda Division Champion and it has the best away record in the division. Barcelona enters on top form after a 4-0 win over Borussia Dortmund, led by two goals from Robert Lewandowski. I'm laying the 1.5 goals and expecting a blowout for FC Barcelona!

At 3:00pm Et, my Champions League Game Of The Week is on PSV Eindhoven. Juventus won the first leg but that was at Turin and it was very close. At home, Eindhoven is on an impressive 12-game unbeaten streak in European matches, including victories from each of the last 3 - wins coming against Girona, Shakhtar Donetsk and Liverpool. This is the first time that PSV has hosted Juventus and there will be a great buzz int he stadium. PSV has scored in every match at Philips Stadion for the past 2 years. The Dutch squad is going to score again today, likely more than once, and will continue their strong play at home. If there's a winner, it'll be Psv Eindhoven.

At 3:00pm Et, my Champions League Game Of The Month is on Borussia Dortmund. This is the first leg of 2 head-to-head matches. Sporting is arguably the worst, or at least the coldest, team remaining in the Champions League. None of the 24 teams which have advanced to the knockout stage is on a longer winless run. Sporting still hasn't adjusted to life without former manager Ruben Amorim, who is now with Manchester United. Things may not yet be going according to plan for United but Sporting badly misses Amorim. The German squad can really score. Dortmund scored 22 goals in the UCL league phase. That was the second most behind Barcelona's 28. With Sporting at less than 100% health, Dortmund has an excellent chance at victory. At the very least, BVB will come away with the draw.

At 3:00pm Et, my Champions League Game Of the Month is on Borussia Dortmund. There's a great match at the Westfalenstadion on Wednesday. Borussia Dortmund welcomes Barcelona. Both have 12 points through 5 UCL matches. Each is sure to progress to the next round. Barcelona is tough but Dortmund is also very difficult to defeat at home. As a matter of fact, Dortmund has 8 wins and 1 draw in 9 matches at the Westfalenstadion this season. Barcelona isn't unbeatable and has shown it can be vulnerable recently. Last match was a 2-2 draw versus Betis. They beat Mallorac handily before that but the previous match resulted in a 2-1 loss to Las Palmas. Dortmund is off back-to-back 1-1 draws in the Bundesliga. Playing on German soil will make a huge difference and Dortmund will earn at least another draw in today's match.

At 12:30pm Et, my EPL Game Of The Week is on Manchester United. The Red Devils lost to Arsenal last game. That was their first defeat of the "Rubin Amorim" era though. They'd been unbeaten in their previous 7 matches. Facing Nottingham Forest at Old Trafford provides a great opportunity to get right back to winning. These teams last met in February. United earned a 1-0 victory in FA Cup action, at the City Ground. The Red Devils have 6 wins and 1 draw their last 7 home matches, outscoring teams 20-6. The Red Devils also have 6 wins in their last 7 home top flight matches against Forest. Play on Manchester United. Forest will lost its second match in Manchester (also just lost to Man. City) in the span of 4 days. Play on Manchester United.

At 3:15pm Et, my EPL game of the week is on West Ham. Both these clubs have seen better days. Each is off a bad loss and each is struggling overall on the season. The Hammers are in better shape than their hosts though and they'll get a boost from the return of Mohammed Kudus from a five-game suspension. The Foxes have made a managerial change but they're defensive issues can't be fixed overnight. They've been outscored 27-16 in 13 league matches. Things will get worse before they get better. Play on West Ham.

At 3:00pm ET, my Champions League Game Of the Week is on Aston Villa. Aston Villa has a strong record at home in this season's UEFA Champions League, having won both matches here so far. They kept a clean sheet in both those games. Villa's manager Unai Emery has a track record of success in European competitions. He has previously beaten Juventus in the Champions League while managing Sevilla and Villarreal. Juventus has won just one of its last seven away matches in Champions League play. The Italian squad typically struggles against teams from England. Juventus will be without several important players due to injuries, including star striker Dusan Vlahovic. Those injuries will be costly. Though struggling domestically, Villa will rise to the occasion and continue its strong play at home in the Champions League. Play on Aston Villa.

At 5:30pm ET, my MLS Playoff Game Of The Year is on the New York Red Bulls. New York City FC and the New York Red Bulls have faced each other 29 times since 2015. This will be the first time they face each other in the playoffs. The Red Bulls lead the series, 15-10-4, across all competitions: 11-9-4 in MLS, 3-0 in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup and 1-0 in the Leagues Cup. If getting a win with the draw, as they are here, the Red Bulls would be 19-10 in those matches. New York City FC is tough here but having a spot in the Eastern Finals on the line is going to bring out the best in the Red Bulls. Though they lost both matches in the regular season against NY, the Red Bulls just swept the reigning MLS Cup champions to get here. They are coming in full of confidence. Both are off shootout wins in their last match and it won't be at all surprising to me if this one is tied after 90 minutes.

At 8:00pm ET, my Golden Goal is on Atlanta United. Up against the great Lionel Messi, nobody is giving Atlanta a chance. United managed an upset last match to get here though. They can do it again! The perception that they have no chance is giving us great line value. United has no pressure and is embracing the underdog role. Miami, dealing with the pressure of very high expectations, has some injury concerns. An extra +1.5 goals is a lot in this type of match. After all, each of the first 2 matches had identical 2-1 final scores. As a matter of fact, Miami has only won 1 of its last 8 matches by more than a goal. Let's go Atlanta!

At 2:30pm ET, my Bundesliga Game Of The Month is on Union Berlin. This is an important match for both teams as each needs points as they seek one of Bundesliga's European qualifying spots. Playing at home while give Union Berlin the edge it needs. Berlin has won four of its last five league games at Stadion An der Alten Forsterei. Freiburg managed a 0-0 draw last game but its 2 shots on goal is a cause for concern. Freiburg lost 3-1 the last time it was on the road. Importantly, Union Berlin is a much healthier squad right now. Freiburg will be without defenders Jordy Makengo, Kenneth Schmidt and Manuel Gulde. Midfielder Daniel-Kofi Kyereh is out as is attacker Merlin Rohl. Union Berlin has 2 wins and 1 draw the last 3 h2h meetings. Play on Union Berlin.

At 3:00pm ET, my Champions League Game Of The Week is on Juventus. Lille has pulled off upsets over Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid. Juventus was upset by Stuttgart. That's going to point a lot of people to the French squad for today's match at Stade Pierre Mauroy. Juventus is still the stronger team. Before the Stuttgart setback, the Italians had scored 6 goals in winning their first 2 UCL matches. Lille has injuries to Remy Cabella, Tiago Santos, Ismaily, Hakon Arnar Haraldsson, and Ethan Mbappe. Lille may have found success but their 18 shots in the Champions League this season is the second fewest of any team. Their good fortune will run out against high-flying Juventus.

At 3:45pm ET, my Serie A Game Of The Week is on AC Milan. This month, I won twice with Napoli. I know they're a good team. I won with the Neapolitans when they defeated Como and then again with them when the beat Empoli. AC Milan, despite a slow start to the current campaign, is a much stronger opponent than Como or Empoli though. AC Milan badly needs this win and playing the match at historic San Siro Stadium will provide them the edge which they need. The Rossoneri are tough to beat here. They are undefeated their last 5 h2h matches, across all competitions, with Napoli. Off consecutive victories, one in UCL and the other in Serie A, they rise to the occasion with another victory on Tuesday.

At 7:30pm Et, my Round 1 Playoff Game Of The Year is on Orlando. Orlando finished a point ahead in the regular season and thats important as they host Game 1 of this Best of 3. Orlando won 2-0 when the teams played here in September. Charlotte has enjoyed a good season but doesn't play as well on the road. Home field will be paramount but playoff experience will also play a pivotal role. Orlando is in the playoffs for the fifth consecutive season while Charlotte is in for the first time in club history. Play on Orlando.

At 12:30pm ET, my Serie A Game Of The Week is on Cagliari. I backed Caligari at the end of September (an upset win over Parma) stating: "Cagliari is currently last in the Serie A standings but this is a match they are very much capable of winning. Cagliari also got off to a slow start last season but came around." Since that time, in their top form of the season, Cagliari has climbed from 20th up to 14th. Over their past 4 matches, they have a victory over Cremonese, a victory over Parma, a draw with Juventus and a victory over Torino. Udinese is off a loss and has dropped 2 of its last 3. The last 3 h2h matches have included a 0-0 draw and a 1-1 draw, both in Serie A. Also, Cagliari won 2-1 when the teams faced each other in Coppa Italia. Playing their best football, the Sardinian side will earn at least another draw on Friday.

At 3:00 pm ET, my Champions League Game Of the Month is is on Borussia Dortmund. This is a rematch of 2023-24 Champions League final, a true clash of the titans. Real Madrid won last year's final by a 2-0 score. But if you watched the match, you'll remember that the Germans were the much better team in the first half of that match. They just couldn't convert their opportunities. Read Madrid's goals game in the 73rd and 84th minute. Real Madrid is still very very good. But not unbeatable. They lost to Lille on matchday 2. Dortmund wants revenge and will have plenty of confidence from what was a strong performance (for long stages) of that big showdown at Wembley. Dortmund has been dominant in this year's Champion's League with 10 goals for and 1 against, putting them atop the standings. Those wins didn't come against a team as good as Real Madrid, of course. But the Germans are playing superb football and they learned their lesson last year. They are coming here to win and will give their hosts a battle every step of the way.

At 2:45pm ET, my Golden Boot selection is on the Czech Republic. Both are equal in the standings at the moment but Czech Republic is the stronger squad. The Czechs rank #41 in the Fifa rankings. Albania ranks #67. Playing this match in Prague will provide the Czechs with an added edge. Albania doesn't travel well with only 2 wins in 14 away matches since the end of 2021. The Czechs have more firepower and have no trouble scoring. They know that there is a great deal at stake, as winning this group offers a potential route to the World Cup. Their last match, a 3-2 victory over Ukraine, has them going in the right direction. Inspired by the home fans, the Czechs will follow it up with another important victory on Thursday.

At 10:00am ET, my selection is on South Korea. Jordan has gotten off to a great start in its quest to qualify for its first ever World Cup. Remember that 48 teams qualify this year. Previously, there had been only 32. So, teams like Jordan now have a shot. Today, however, the Middle Eastern nation is outclassed by their Asian visitors. Jordan has been playing teams like Palestine and Kuwait. South Korea is on a different level from that. This is an important match and South Korea will not be denied. This is a team which has made 10 consecutive World Cups, before the field was ever expanded. Having been upset by Jordan in the Asian Cup, they will have their revenge today. 

At 10:30pm ET, my MLS Game Of The Month is on San Jose. Real Salt Lake has has already clinched a playoff spot. Bigger games are ahead. The same cannot be said for San Jose. The Earthquakes are destined to finish last in the West. This is their last home game and they are determined to go out with a victory. San Jose coach Ian Russell said this: "We want to finish the season strong; we know it's not been a great year. We're not hiding from that, and we want to give the fans something to be happy about in this last home game. I can tell you that they will work hard and try to get three points." The Earthquakes beat this team 2-0 back in August, at Salt Lake. They will work hard and score another upset on Saturday night.

At 9:00am ET, my Serie A Early Riser is on Lecce. Udinese got off to a quick start to the Serie A season but has come back down to earth. Part of the early success was a result of weaker opposition. Over the last 2 matches, Udinese has conceded 6 goals. Prior to a loss to powerful AC Milan, Lecce was undefeated in its previous 3 top flight matches, 2 draws and a victory. Lecce really needs points and manager Luca Gotti badly wants to beat his old team. (Udinese fired him as their manager near the end of 2021.) When playing at Udinese, in Serie A play, Lecce has 2 draws and a win in its last 3 visits. Motivated Lecce will give their hosts another battle and will earn at least another draw.

At 12:30pm ET, my Serie A Game Of the Month is on Napoli. Napoli is back on top of the Serie A table and will keep rolling against Como Napoli when the teams meet on Friday. Napoli is 3-0 at home in Serie A action, with 7 goals scored and only 1 conceded. Overall, Napoli has 6 clean sheets in eight matches this season, including 4 straight. So, Como is going to have a very difficult time scoring. Como has actually been playing quite well and recently earned its first top flight victory in some 2 decades. A match at Stadio Maradona will be a different story altogether though. With dangerous attacking players like Romelu Lukaku and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Napoli will not be held back. They will deliver a beating and provide a reality check for their upstart guests.

At 3:00pm, my Europa League Game Of The Month is on Athletic Bilbao. There will be added excitement at San Mames as Athletic Bilbao host their first European match in over six years. Athletic earned a 1-1 draw at Stadio Olympico in its first European match. This is a less formidable opponent and now they play at home, where they are very difficult to defeat. Az Alkmaar was beaten 2-1 at home to Utrecht on the weekend and that loss will kill their momentum for this match. Az Alkmaar has lost five straight road games in Europe and has lost its last 3 in Spain. That result against Roma shows how series Bilbao is going to be in this tournament. They will make the most of this very winnable match and come away with full points.

At 3:00pm ET, my Champions League GOW is on Sporting Lisbon. Both these teams are dominating in their domestic leagues. Psv Eindhoven is on top in the Dutch League and Sporting Lisbon is #1 in Portugal. Sporting has an impressive +23 goal differential through 7 league matches. The next best in Portugal is +13. Its a similar story for Psv Eindhoven at home. The Dutch squad really struggled in losing its opening Champions League match, 3-1 to Juventus. The Italian giants completely outclassed Psv Eindhoven. Sporting won its opening Champions League match and is absolutely full of confidence. Psv Eindhoven will play better than it did against Juventus but Sporting, which feels unstoppable right now, will not be denied. In an exciting match, the visitors will finish on top.

At 2:45pm ET, my Serie A GOM is on Cagliari. Cagliari is currently last in the Serie A standings but this is a match they are very much capable of winning. Cagliari also got off to a slow start last season but came around. They have had success historically versus Parma. They have only lost 8 of the past 29 h2h meetings. The early results haven't been there but Cagliari is generating plenty of chances. As a matter of fact, entering the weekend, Cagliari had actually attempted the most shots (85) than any team in Serie A, after five matchdays. Also, Parma had conceded more attempts (93) than any other team. Off a 1-0 victory over Cremonese in Coppa Italia, Cagliari comes in with some momentum. They will fire plenty of shots on Parma in this one and will come away with a minimum of a draw.

At 11:30am ET, my EPL GOM is on Manchester United. The Red Devils haven't lost in 4 matches (in all leagues) but they also haven't performed up to expectations. We're able to play them at a reasonable price, as a result. Their effort will be top drawer against a Tottenham squad which typically under-performs on the road. Tottenham has only won two of its last 12 Premier League road games. Manchester United isn't the feared team it once was but the level of quality is still very high. The Red Devils remain very difficult to score against and are going to be extremely determined. United lost its last home match but that was against Liverpool. It won its first match here. They've had a massive statistical advantage in each of their last two matches (1 w, 1 d) and their strong play gets rewarded Saturday. Play on Man U.

At 8:00am ET, my La Liga GOM is on Getafe. At first glance, this might seem like a strange one. Getafe is well down the La Liga standings. Alaves is in the top half of the table. Getafe is a small favorite though as those standings don't tell the complete picture. Getafe will have home-field advantage. Getafe has also played much better than its record. There have already been instances where they outplayed their opponent but couldn't get the victory. Getafe has not lost at home (3 draws) this season while Alaves is just 1-3 on the road. Alaves can score but also has trouble keeping the ball out of the net. Alaves has never won at the Coliseum in Getafe (in La Liga) during this century. Getafe won here 1-0 during the 2023-24 campaign. Though a draw is a possibility, my strong belief is that Getafe will play its best match and break through with its first victory.

At 12:45pm ET, my Europa League GOM is on Malmo. Like the Champions League, the Europa League has a new format. These teams faced each other in Champions League play a few years ago. Malmo won (both matches) then and will win again on Thursday. Malmo sits on top of the Swedish League with 53 points. Off a 4-0 victory, they have a dominating +38 goal differential. No other team in the league is even close to them. They will have an advantage over their Scottish guests who are still only 5 games into their season. Rangers were recently embarrassed 3-0 by rival Celtic. They are missing some key players including Rıdvan Yılmaz and Nicolas Raskin. It'll be a good match but in the end the Swedish hosts will not be denied.

At 10:30 ET, my Golden Goal selection is on Portland. There's a fierce rivalry between these two Pacific Northwest clubs. The past few years, one has been good and the other hasn't. This year, both are respectable, though both trail Vancouver for the Cascadia Cup. Each will be fighting for home field advantage in the playoffs, and that will make for a great match. At home, the Timbers will have the edge. One important consideration which will hurt the Sounders is that they were involved in a very tight and tense US Open Cup semi-final match on Wednesday, which they lost in heartbreaking fashion against LA on a late penalty. That makes for a short turn-around and a difficult loss to quickly recover from. Play on Portland.

At 1:00pm ET, my Golden Boot selection is on Valencia. I'm happy to have an extra half a goal in a match that Valencia isn't likely to lose. Getting the draw is critically important. In 41 previous head-to-head matches, Valencia has won 18 and lost 11. Twelve have ended in draws. Valencia would have a 30-11 record at +0.5 goal. Both league matches last season finished in draws. Motivated by its last loss, Valencia will show its potential and earn at least another draw this afternoon. Play on Valencia

At 12:30pm ET, my EPL GOW is on WEST HAM. Opening day has not been kind to the Hammers over the years. This is a new era though and things will be different for Saturday's match against Aston Villa, at London Stadium. After four years under David Moyes, West Ham ushers in a new era under Julen Lopetegui, formerly of clubs including Real Madrid, Sevilla and Wolverhampton Wanderers. Lopetegui has enjoyed a very encouraging summer transfer window that has seen West Ham spend more than £120m on new players. Aston Villa lost a pair of key players in Douglas Luiz and Moussa Diaby. AV has won just one of its last 12 Premier League matches with the Hammers and has also failed to win any of its previous nine road league meetings. Look for the Hammers to kick off the new era by handing Villa a 4th straight loss in their opening Premier League match the past 4 years. Play on West Ham

At 3:00pm ET, my Golden Boot is on Luton Town. Burnley and Luton Town spent last year in the Premier League but now they are both back in the Championship. Each is hopeful of a return to the Top Flight next season. It will mark the first time since 2009 that two clubs which were both relegated start their season against each other. Burnley has had success against Luton Town in the past and will hope to continue that. That's not going to be easy. The Clarets have a new manager in Scott Parker. Though Parker is a proven winner at this level and will likely ultimately do well with Burnley, success is not going to be immediate. Luton Town started out strong ast season under highly regarded manager Rob Edwards. Though the Hatters are dealing with some injury concerns on defense, I look for Edwards to have his club ready to go and for them to kick off their Championship campaign with victory. Play on Luton Town.

At 8:30pm ET, my League's Cup GOY is on Houston Dynamo. This match will be played at Houston's Shell Energy Stadium and that will make a big diffrerence. After losing in the round-of-16 last time out, Houston is determined to enjoy a deeper run into the competition this time year. Toluca has managed just one win its is last five matches on the road. The Mexican squad can score but has real trouble keeping the ball out of its own net. Houston needed a win last match to stay alive and rose to the occasion by routing Real Salt Lake 3-0. A match against either the Colorado Rapids or Juarez in the next round is waiting. Play on Houston.

At 2:00pm ET, my Golden Boot is on Lugano. Partizan will host FC Lugano in the first leg of their Europa League third qualifying round contest this afternoon. Playing at Partizan Stadium won't be enough for Partizan to overcome its lack of talent. Partizan plays in a relatively weak Serbian SuperLiga. They have trouble competing against teams from superior leagues. The Swiss Super League qualifies. Lugano is off a 3-1 victory in its last match and is full of confidence. Lugano has won all three of its Swiss Super League matches so far this season and in strong form and has scored seven goals in the process. They will overwhelm Partizan in the first leg and head back to Lugano firmly in the driver's seat. Play on Lugano.

At 1:00pm ET, my Golden Goal selection is on Canada. Perhaps the biggest story of these Olympics has been Canada getting caught cheating at soccer. In case you didn't hear, Canada was using a drone to spy on the opponents' practice. Their coach was sent home and the team was penalized 6 points. That made qualifying for the KO round extremely difficult but not quite impossible. The only way through for Canada would be by winning all 3 matches. With all the scandal and controversy, it would have been easy for Canada.to go through the motions, especially after falling behind against France. This team is all heart though and has shown resolve and determination. They have already shown the world that they don't need to cheat and that it wasn't the players doing it. They beat New Zealand, France and Columbia to overcome -6 points to advance to the next round. Now the players have confidence and momentum and since they were already expected to get knocked out, they can play without much pressure. The Canadians believe they have destiny on their side. Getting a half goal to boot is a bonus. Play on Canada.

At 9:00pm ET, my Soccer GOW is on Real Salt Lake. Home field advantage will be key in this match. RSL will be looking to improve upon its 8-2-1 record on Utah soil this year. RSL will still be without Chicho Arango as this is the final match of his 4-game suspension. Atlas is a club they can beat without him though. RSL lost its last match and this is a team which is remarkable at bouncing back from defeat. Pablo Mastroeni has coached 126 matches across all competitions for RSL since August, 2021, posting a 52W-43L-31T mark. In that entire 126-game span, RSL has only dropped back-to-back games 9 times. Mastroeni's resilient squad bounces back once again. Play on Real Salt Lake.

At 3:00pm ET, my Golden Goal selection is on Canada. Perhaps the biggest story of these Olympics has been Canada getting caught cheating at soccer. In case you didn't hear, Canada was using a drone to spy on the opponents' practice. Their coach was sent home and the team was penalized 6 points. That made qualifying for the KO round extremely difficult but not quite impossible. The only way through for Canada would be by winning all 3 matches. With all the scandal and controversy, it would have been easy for Canada.to go through the motions, especially after falling behind against France. This team is all heart though and has shown resolve and determination. They want to show the world that they don't need to cheat and that it wasn't the players doing it. They will beat Columbia and overcome the -6 points to advance to the next round. Play on Canada

AT 3:00pm ET, my Golden Boot selection is on Paraguay. There's a great deal at stake in this match as both teams are hungry to advance. Paraguay sits in the better position. The South Americans already defeated Israel by a 4-2 margin. That showed a lot of resilience as they were thrashed 5-0 byJapan in their opening match. Mali and Israel drew and Mali also lost to Japan. That puts Paraguay 2 points ahead of both Israel and Mali. That puts the pressure on Mali to need a victory. If close late in the match, they will be forced to gamble and it will leave them susceptible to the counter-attack. Mali has still only scored 1 goal here and Paraguay is coming in full of swagger off its 4-goal outburst. Play on Paraguay

At 1:00pm ET, my Olympic Women's Soccer GOM is on Spain. It's a wonderful time to be a Spanish football fan. Both the men and the women are on top of the world. Spain had a difficult 1st round matchup against Japan. They still prevailed. Nigeria isn't on the same level. The Nigerians fought hard in a 1-0 loss against Brazil. That was a good effort but still wasn't enough. The problem for Nigeria is that Spain is even better than Brazil. Quite a lot better, as a matter of fact. Spain ranks #1 in the world at the moment. Brazil is 9. Nigeria ranks only #36. The class difference will be clear as the #1 team asserts its dominance with a decisive victory. Play on Spain.

AT 3:00pm ET, my selection is on France (women). For the men, Columbia just fared better than France in their respective tournaments. Columbia went all the way to the Copa America Finals and nearly defeated Argentina. France was bounced by Spain in the semi-final of the Euros. The French women will restore some pride for their nation today. France has the advantage of playing this match on home soil. The French also have the vastly superior quality on the pitch. In my estimation, they will win this match by at least 2 goals. Play on France.

At 7:30 ET, my MLS Eastern Conf. GOM is on Cincinnati. The visiting Red Bulls won 2-1 when these teams played at Cincinnati. Going with the visiting team will be the way to go again on Saturday evening. Cincinnati has the best road record (9-1-1) in the entire MLS. New York is a modest 6-5 at home. Cincinnati should win, if anybody does. A draw is also a real possibility, as the Red Bulls are off 4 straight draws. As a matter of fact, 6 of their last 7 matches have been draws. The last 5 h2h meetings have been 2 wins for Cincinnati and 3 draws. Play on Cincinnati.

At 10:30pm ET, my MLS GOW is on Seattle. The Sounders own St. Louis. As a matter of fact, Seattle is the only opponent which St. Louis has faced more than once that they've never earned at least a point against. The Sounders won 2-1 and 2-0 at St. Louis and they won 3-0 in the match at CenturyLink Field. Wednesday's game will bring another victory for the Sounders as St. Louis is bad right now. St. Louis has only 1 win its last 10 matches and has been outscored 8-2 in losing its last 2. Seattle has found its form. The Sounders have won 4 straight and have recorded consecutive clean sheets. They are undefeated in their last 6 matches. This match will be one-sided. Play on Seattle.

At 8:00pm ET, my Copa America GOY is on Columbia. Argentina has Messi. Argentina has a big name goal-keeper. Argentina are world champions. Of course, they are going to be favored. Yet, if you've watched the tournament with an unbiased eye, Columbia has every right to feel confident. Undefeated in the tournament, the Columbians outplayed Brazil to earn an important draw in that game. They defeated a strong Uruguay squad. They crushed Panama, Paraguay, Costa Rica and Bolivia by a combined score of 13-1. Argentina didn't play teams as difficult as Brazil or Uruguay. They had 2 matches against Canada and they also faced Peru, Chile and Ecuador. Chile gave them trouble and Ecuador took them to penalties. Even Canada had moments where it carried the play. I'll gladly take the half goal with the team which has faced stiffer competition and which is playing better football. Play on Columbia.

At 3:00pm ET, my Euro Cup GOY is on England. I am 100% perfect with my selections involving these teams in the Euro Cup, including wins both for (versus France) and against (versus Austria) the Netherlands. So, I feel that I've got a good read on each team. England's talent will be too much for the young Dutch team. When I played against Netherlands in the Austria match I said this: "I've been a fan of Dutch football since the 1970s. During the 1970s, the Dutch were a team which embodied "Total Football" reached the World Cup Final in 1974 and 1978. They are considered one of the best teams to never win the WC. This year's team has everyone excited and remembering those glory days. Netherlands is good but its important not to get caught up in the hype. They beat a weak Poland team which played without its best player. Then they earned a draw against France which also played without its best player." The Netherlands are coming in over-valued and the opposite is true of the English. The pressure is off of England as they were already moments away from going home. They will play their best football and punch their ticket to the finals. Play on England

At 10:30 ET, my MLS Non-Conf GOY is on Seattle. The Sounders are playing their best right now. A visit from an inferior and extremely depleted New England squad will result in a big win. Off back to back wins and undefeated in their last 4 matches, Sounders head coach Brian Schmetzer said of his team: "This team doesn't quit. We've got quality on this team." New England coach Caleb Porter admitted his squad is thin right now and that this is going to be a difficult match: "It does take pressure off winning against Atlanta on Wednesday; we look at it as bonus points. We took a few more injuries, so we're looking at all options to fill our bench. Seattle are in good form, and it's obviously a long trip across the country. It's not going to be easy, since they're usually very good at home ... we just don't have much depth right now." The Sounders are healthier, fresher and playing at home in front of their passionate fans. The injuries and travel will catch up to New England. Play on Seattle

At 9:00 ET, my Copa America Super Smash is on Argentina. Will Messi play? I'm sure that he could but I'm not going to rely on it. I'm not worried about it. Even without one of the game's greatest players of all-time, Argentina has numerous matchup advantages over Ecuador. Argentina made it here easily and didn't concede a single goal in 3 matches. Ecuador was fortunate to survive and get a draw against Mexico. Argentina is 3-0, winning by a combined margin of 9-1 in its last three appearances in the quarter-finals of this tournament. Argentina has never lost to Ecuador at this tournament either. They won the 2021 quarter-final meeting against them by a score of 3-0. Argentina hasn't trailed in a Copa America match since the 2019 semi-finals. They will win this match by multiple goals. Play on Argentina

At 8:30 ET, my MLS Western Conf GOY is on Vancouver. The WhiteCaps are off a comeback 4-3 victory against St. Louis on Saturday. This is another important match against a team which is 1 point ahead of them in the standings. The will carry the momentum from the St. Louis win into this big game at Allianz Field in Minnesota. The Loons are off a loss at Portland, a match which they led at halftime. They are really struggling and have dropped 4 straight. Only 1 of their last 8 matches has resulted in victory. Vancouver won 3-2 the last h2h match. Four of 13 all-time meetings, including the last at Minnesota, have resulted in draws. So, getting the extra 0.5 goal here could come into play. Playing better football right now, at the very least, the Caps come away with the draw! Play on Vancouver.

At 3:00pm ET, my Golden boot is on Slovenia. A lot of people might be anticipating a blowout along the lines of Spain versus Georgia. Slovenia isn't Georgia though. Portugal actually lost to Georgia last match and the Portuegese are going to have their hands full one again. Undefeated in the group stage, Slovenia earned draws against Denmark and England. Having beaten Portugal 2-0 in March, Slovenia is coming in full of confidence. As a matter of fact, Slovenia has lost just once in 15 games over the past year. That loss was by 1 goal. Play on Slovenia.

At 8:00pm ET, my Copa America GOM is on Mexico. Everyone is really down on Mexico. That's provided value with the #15 ranked team in the world. These teams are tied in their group but Ecuador has the tie-breaker edge, based on goal-differential. Mexico needs a win. Ecuador is #30 in the world. The game being played in Glendale Arizona, the stadium is going to be filled with Mexican supporters.

Mexico's Johan Vásquez said: "Sometimes you also have to know how to play with that pressure. A teammate, a couple of years ago, told me it's a privilege to have this type of pressure that not many have, and it made an impression on me.. For us ... in short, it's do-or-die and knowing how to play with that pressure."

Mexico coach Jaime "Jimmy" Lozano added: "The pressure, this is fortunate pressure. Fortunate because we are in the best place that a Mexican soccer player, that a Mexican coach, could be." Lazono's team will rise to the occasion and surprise a lot of people with a win. Play on Mexico.

At 10:30 ET, my MLS GOW is on Vancouver. Both 2023 meetings were won by the home team. The Whitecaps won 3-0 at Vancouver, after losing 3-1 at St. Louis. Homefield is again going to be a factor. The 'Caps are off back-to-back road losses but they won 2-1 their last home game. St. Louis has only scored 1 goal total its last 4 matches. City is winless (0-5-3) in 8 matches away from St. Louis. Play on Vancouver.

At 6:00pm ET, my Golden Boot selection is on Canada. This is the 2nd match for both teams. Canada lost to Argentina in its opener. Peru earned a draw against Chile. Though Peru picked up a point. if you watched the matches, Canada was more impressive. There were stretches where Canada carried the play against the world champions. Peru only had 35% possession and was fortunate to earn a draw. Canada kept Argentina scoreless for a half and the Canadians battled France to a 0-0 draw in their previous match. They are going to be difficult to score against and will take it to Peru in this match. Play on Canada

At 3:00 pm ET, my Cakewalk selection is on Denmark for the first half. The Allianz Arena in Munich is the venue for this critical Group C match, as Denmark and Serbia fight for the right to qualify for the last 16. With everything on the line, Denmark's superior quality will come to the forefront. Danish FA (DBU) director of football Peter Moeller said this this game will define the current team and management. "If we go out, it will be two major tournaments in a row where we don't progress from the group stage, but conversely we have the chance to progress without having lost a game, which we haven't done at the Euros for 20 years." Moeller said. He continued: "This is a very important game, both now and for the future. Therefore it's perhaps much better to focus on this championship to begin with, and to prepare ourselves for this game," he said. We are back, we are hard to play against and hard to beat. If we can maintain the attitude we had against England, then we are in a good place." Denmark's day of destiny gets off to a strong start with the Danes enjoying early success and a first half victory. Play on Denmark (1st Half)

At 12:00 ET, my Early Riser selection is on Austria. I've been a fan of Dutch football since the 1970s. During the 1970s, the Dutch were a team which embodied "Total Football" reached the World Cup Final in 1974 and 1978. They are considered one of the best teams to never win the WC. This year's team has everyone excited and remembering those glory days. Netherlands is good but its important not to get caught up in the hype. They beat a weak Poland team which played without its best player. Then they earned a draw against France which also played without its best player. They are already ensured of advancing to the next round and that could lead to some complacency. Austria is a sneaky good team and they need this one more than Holland. Another draw is in the cards. Play on Austria.

At 3:00pm ET, my Golden Boot selection is on Croatia. Croatia is disappointed with its performance here. In need of victory, we will see a better showing from the Croatians this afternoon. Croatia have already had more shots and more attempts on target at Euro 2024 than it did in 3 group stage games at the last Euro Cup. Italy attempted its fewest shots in a European Championship game to date in its loss against Spain. The Italians will progress with a draw. Italy hasn't beaten Croatia since 1942. Play on Croatia.

At 3:00pm ET, my Golden Boot selection is on the Netherlands. France has the big names and is a very strong team. Netherlands doesn't have the same household names but is also very strong. We saw 2 of 3 games end in a draw yesterday and this could be another one. Both teams are in good position to advance from Group D. Victory is better but a draw wouldn't hurt either of them. Getting +0.5 is great value. Mbappé may not play after breaking his nose in the first match. Even with him playing, the French have had trouble scoring recently. They only got 1 against Austria and they drew 0-0 versus Canada before that. A late March match against Germany resulted in a 2-0 defeat. Netherlands scored 2 in its first match and had beaten Iceland 4-0 in its previous match and Canada 4-0 before that. Play on Netherlands.

Only 1 point separate these clubs in the standings. Fiorentina has the superior goal differential and is in far better shape at this time. Playing at Artemio Franchi in Florence will provide an advantage.

Napoli is riding a five-game winless streak in top-flight action. Its last Serie A match was a 2-0 loss to Bologna. Napoli will be without its star striker, Victor Osimhem for this match. Fiorentina has won 3 of its last 4 Serie A matches, going 2-0 its last 2 at home. They won those 2 home matches by a combined score of 7-2. They beat Napoli 3-1 in the last h2h match and this will result in another victory.

The Whitecaps claimed a 2-2 draw in their last visit here. With that result, Vancouver has posted a 3W-1L-3D record in their last seven matches in Colorado. That's 6-1 for our purposes, as we are playing at +0.5 a goal.

Both clubs are off a loss last game. The Whitecaps have been more consistent overall though. They are 3-2-2 their last 7. Vancouver has lost only one of the last 5 head-to-head meetings overall. The last 2 were both draws. With both teams looking to return to form, this one has the look of another draw. Take the extra +0.5 goals with the Whitecaps.

There is only pride on the line in this one. Wolverhampton is at home and is ahead in the standings. Crystal Palace is playing much better football right now though. Palace just pounded Manchester United 4-0 last match and has 4 wins and a draw its last 5.

Wolverhampton is off a 5-1 loss and has only one victory in its last 8 matches. Palace has won 5 of 6 h2h matches since 2021. They will continue their strong play with another victory.

Girona has never finished higher than 10th before. This is just its 3rd season in Spain's top league. So, the fact that Girona is in 3rd place is quite the accomplishment. They are already guaranteed of at least a spot in the Europa Cup but they're destined to finish in the top 4 and get a spot in the Champions League. Girona will be looking to guarantee that Champions League spot this weekend but will have to wait.

Barcelona is still the class of Catalonia and they will remind their Catalan rivals of that on Saturday. Though mathematically still alive for top spot, Barcelona knows thats not happening. Real Madrid will finish 1st. There is still plenty of motivation for the still reigning La Liga champs to avenge a 4-2 loss in the reverse fixture. Barcelona is off a 4-2 victory over Valencia, Robert Lewandowski recording a hat-trick. Girona will fight hard but Lewandowski and company will be too much!

Both clubs are in the top 5 in Serie A standings. Bologna sits in 4th and Roma is in 5th. Bologna won the reverse fixture 2-0 at home, in December. This match will be played at Stadio Olimpico which will give Roma the edge. Roma won the last h2h meeting here by a 1-0 score.

Bologna is very tough at home but only has 4 Serie A victories on the road. Roma has 11 of 16 home matches in Serie A this term. Roma is also unbeaten in eight of its last nine home matches against Bologna. Bologna hasn't beaten Roma in both matches in a season since way back in 1967. Roma gets it done on Monday!

Luton Town is facing relegation and is off a 5-1 loss. The Hatters are one of the weakest teams in the league and have only one victory in their last 10 matches. Brentford is off a 2-0 victory over Sheffield and is undefeated in its last 4 league matches.

Six of Brentford's last seven meetings with Luton have seen the Bees earn a victory, including a 3-1 home win in December. The last meeting here at Kenilworth Road resulted in a 3-0 victory for Brentford. That was in English Championship League play, on Halloween in 2020. The Hatters are dealing with major injury concerns on their back-line. Their chances of staying in the top league will take another hit on Saturday. Brentford wins!

Here's what I said prior to the first leg: "Dortmund has suffered three successive quarter-final Champions League eliminations. The German squad looked bad against Stuttgart and will have trouble scoring today against a rested Atletico Madrid squad which doesn't concede often at home. Go with Atletico Madrid." Atletico Madrid won 1-0.

Now the second leg will be played at Dortmund's Signal Iduna Park. With the venue shifting from Spain to Germany, we are now able to get an extra half goal with the visiting Spanish squad. In a match which has a great chance at resulting in a draw, that extra half goal may easily prove to be the difference. Look for Atletico Madrid to earn at least a draw and to advance to the semi-finals of the Champions League once again.

Real Sociedad has been struggling of late but the Spanish side is going to come out with a lot of energy. They lost the first leg, at the Parc des Princes, by a 2-0 score. That means they need to reverse that score here. That's probably wishful thinking but it does ensure that they will be bringing it to their guests from the opening whistle.

The first leg was scoreless at the half but PSG was arguably lucky not to be trailing. Getting some key players back, Sociedad comes out strong again. Only this time, playing the Reale Arena in front of their home fans, they take a lead into halftime!

This will mark Simone Inzaghi's 300th match as a Serie A manager. His team, top of the table Inter Milan, will help him celebrate by taking down mid-table Genoa. Inter is rolling and has a healthy lead on top of the standings. Relentless, playing at San Siro and riding a wave of positive momentum, the home team will not be denied.

Genoa plays much better at home but struggled on the road. They have always had trouble here in Milan. Their last 4 visits to San Siro have all resulted in blowout losses. They fell by scores of 4-0, 3-0, 4-0 and 5-0. Scoring goals in bunches, more than any other team in any of the top leageus, Inter has won every match its played in 2024. Back-to-back 4-0 victories and the last was against Atalanta, a better team than Genoa. Their next match, a visit to Bologna, may be more challenging. But for now, Inter wins another relatively easy one.

As good as Napoli was last season, you'd expect them to at least contend for another UCL spot this season. Well, that has not been the story so far. Having said that, Napoli is coming off a very important win against Sassuolo, where they netted six goals in a 6-1 victory. Napoli has won all of the its last four meetings in Naples against Juventus.

Juventus have a strong record, but haven't been particularly good as of late. They've lost two of their last four contests and struggled against a poor Frosinone side in their last game. Since coming back from injury, Victor Osimhen has scored five goals and assisted one in three games (including his UCL performance against Barcelona.) He should help provide a boost to this Napoli team that was shut out in the reverse fixture. Juventus haven't 'swept' them since 2018-19. Napoli wins this game on Sunday!

A visit from struggling Brentford is exactly what West Ham needed. The Hammers have dropped 3 straight Premier League matches and need to restore order. Brentford has previously enjoyed success against West Ham but the Bees have dropped 4 of their last 5 and are currently not playing good football. The Bees continue to play without Rico Henry, Aaron Hickey, Ethan Pinnock, Kevin Schade, Bryan Mbeumo and Josh Dasilva.

The Bees have 10 points from their 12 league road matches this season, while West Ham has 19 points in 12 league home matches. This is the Hammers' first game at London Stadium since losing 6-0 against Arsenal, which equalled their biggest ever home loss. They will be extremely determined to win and today will be the day which sees West Ham finally squash the pesky Bees.

Real Madrid is very talented but playing in Germany will provide host RB Leipzig a considerable advantage. Leipzig is healthy. Looking to make up for disappointment with their last trip to the round of 16, Leipzig will also be hungry. Real Madrid will again play without Jude Bellingham amongst others. The important midfielder will be missed. These teams last met here in October 2022. The German side earned a 3-2 victory. Leipzig is flying under the radar and will surprise once again.

This match has 3 possible outcomes and by getting an extra half goal with Manchester United, we've got 2 of them covered. United does absolutely have a chance to win this match but the value of also winning in the event of a draw is of great importance.

United has found its scoring form of late. The Red Devils have tallied 11 goals in their last 3 matches, 9 their last 3 in the Premier League. They are well- rested and playing with as much confidence as we've seen in some time. Villa comes off a mid-week loss to Chelsea.

A look at the last 10 top flight h2h meetings reveals that the Red Devils are 6-2-2, six wins, 2 losses and 2 draws. Again, getting a win with a draw is big. United will keep scoring and come away with at least a point.

Give me the extra 0.5 goal with Villarreal. Valencia is a little ahead in the standings but these clubs are very close. Both won their last match. Even with its victory, Valencia has only won 6 of 18 league matches. Expecting them to win is asking a lot. Villareal only has 2 defeats in its last 6 matches. Valencia is winless its last 3 against Villarreal. Villareal won both matches at home and it got a 1-1 draw here at Estadio Mestalla. At least another draw appears likely. Go with the visitors! ***LA LIGA GOM***

Brighton is ahead in the standings but not by that much. Off an improbable 2-2 comeback draw at Manchester City, it's Crystal Palace which is in better form and which has the momentum. Brighton was fortunate to only lose its last match by a 2-0 score. The Seagulls are dealing with injuries and fatigue. Thursday's match is being played at Selhurst Park, which favors Palace. Five of the last 8 matches between these clubs have ended in draws. Play Palace at +0.5 goals. ***GOLDEN BOOT***

Burnley’s start to the season has been unkind.  They have surrendered the most goals in the EPL so far this season and have only played 3 games (almost everyone else has played 5).  They are also last in 1st half and 2nd half goals surrendered.  They have had some scheduling bad luck, but still, they are averaging more than 3 goals against per game. 

Notts Forest are unbeaten in their last 4 at home (Brighton, Southampton, Arsenal, Sheffield U.).  They are 8th in goals for in the 1st half and the 2nd half.  2022 signing Awonyi has scored or assisted in each of his last 8 games (9 goals).  They are so direct in their attacking that only West Ham moves the ball upfield at a faster rate. 

All four of the major prediction services predict a Forest win.  Their return to the EPL has been difficult and this one is not going to be any easier as Forest is still flying after their win over Chelsea before the break.  Lay the fraction of a point and play Forest on this one. 

Arsenal has had a successful, although uninspiring start to this EPL campaign.  They were fortunate to win late vs. Man U, struggled to fend off Palace by one goal, tied Fulham at home and beat Notts Forest by only one.  Along the way they have fought their way to the 2nd best goals against record in the EPL.  When you put that stat next to Everton’s league worst goals for record, it is hard to look past that. 

Everton is looking like a threat to be a relegation club after losing to unimpressive Fulham and Wolves, drawing Sheffield and getting clobbered by Villa.  In their last 6 at home, they have lost 5, scoring 2 and giving up 13.  Even though Arsenal has struggled at Everton historically, this looks like the season they overcome that trend.  Although Everton has created many chances in their games so far (their actual goals is less than their expected goals by more than any other club), they are coming up against a defensive powerhouse that has just started to see Rice and Zinchenko round into form.  And at the other end of the park Saka and Oedegaard have been dominant, and Jesus has 8 goals in 9 games vs. Everton.  Arsenal’s goal creating actions/90 is behind only Brighton and Man City (while Everton’s is tied for last).  Things are going to get worse for Everton before they get better.  Lay the goals and play Arsenal on this one.

Brighton is part of the new wave and have only lost one game so far (to another up-and-coming club, West Ham).  They have done it with attacking football.  ManU is always expected to do well, especially at home.  So far they have lost two and only beat minnows, Fulham and Wolves by one goal each. 

Usually ManU has a stout defense at home but will be missing Shaw on the back line and Varane is questionable.  But ManU is 6th in the EPL in saves so lots of shots are getting through.  ManU is still without Mount and now will also be missing Antony as well for their attack which was already middle of the pack in shots on target, shot creation and attacking penalty area touches.  Sancho has been out of favor as well but may have worked his way back for this game.

Brighton is in sharp contrast to this as they lead the EPL in goals for, shots on target, shot creation and attacking penalty area touches.  Brighton is one of the most creative attacking sides in the EPL and they will have a chance to exploit a hurting and vulnerable ManU defence.

Add to this that Brighton has won 3 and tied one of their last 4 head-to-head matches and you have a clincher for choosing Brighton to take the points offered and win the game. 

This is a very different Wolves team than the one that took down Liverpool in Feb/23. Gone are Nunes, Jimenez, Traore, Coady, Neves, Moutinho and Costa.  Cunha is the lone goal scorer among the newcomers.  This season Liverpool is 3-0-1 with 9 goals for and 3 against while Wolves are 1-3-0 with 4 goals for and 8 against.  Wolves are leaky at the back and Liverpool is one of the best attacking clubs in the world. 

Liverpool may be missing 2 or 3 of their first team backline so they could give up a goal but will be too much for Wolves to handle when they attack.  Liverpool dominated the strong attacking Villa with a limited back line before the break so they shouldn’t be troubled with the Wolves’ attack this week. Lay the goals and take Liverpool.

Villa lost to Newcastle 5-1 to start their season.  Liverpool just beat Newcastle with 10 men.  That alone is pretty convincing stuff.  Add to it that the Reds are 8-1-1 in their last 10 vs. Villa, are unbeaten in their last 13 at home and unbeaten in their last 14 in the EPL and you have the makings of a tough outing at Anfield for Villa. Two of four of the top predictors pick Liverpool in this one while the other two call for a high scoring draw. 

The problem is, Villa have played Liverpool tough at Anfield.  Only ManU and Chelsea have more wins at Anfield.  Watkins has 5 goals vs. Liverpool which is tied for his highest tally against an EPL club.  Villa has averaged 3 goals/game in their last 6.  Liverpool has endured extended periods of serious pressure in all of their EPL matches this season.  Villa has the firepower to take advantage of that especially with van Dijk and Konate out and Alexander-Arnold’s vulnerabilities revealed by being moved to midfield for England due to defensive deficiencies.  Liverpool is vulnerable.  Take the goals on offer for Villa and you win if the draw happens and are covered if Liverpool sneaks out a one goal miracle again.