Europe UEFA Competitions 2025/26 - Champions League, Europa & Conference League

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Aston Villa vs Lille Preview (Thursday, 19.03.2026) Champions League:

Possible starting lineups:

Aston Villa:
Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Torres, Maatsen; Luiz, Onana; McGinn, Rogers, Sancho; Watkins

Lille:
Ozer; Santos, Mbemba, Mandi, Perraud; Bentaleb, Andre; Mukasu, Haraldsson, Perrin; Giroud

Aston Villa will welcome Lille to Villa Park in the second leg of their Europe League last-16 tie. The English side won 1:0 in France and they are favorites ahead of the second leg. Ollie Watkins' second-half header made the difference in the first leg. Lille also have some goal opportunities, the best through veteran striker Olivier Giroud, but failed to score. Overall, the French side had 3 shots on target, but Aston Villa scored from their only shot on target. The winners of the tie will face Bologna or Roma in the quarterfinals of the competition.

Aston Villa are the main favorites in UEFA Europe League. The bookmakers are offering odds around 3.25 for Aston Villa to win the competition. Indeed, the Midlands club were excellent in the group stage, winning seven of the possible eight matches. Winning the Europa League may represent an alternative way to the Champions League. This is important as they are awful in the Premier League, losing the third consecutive match last weekend. Emery has four injury worries ahead of this match. Youri Tielemans and Boubacar Kamara remain sidelined with injuries, while Emiliano Buendia and Matty Cash are rated as doubtful.

Lille lost the home fixture seven days ago and now face a difficult task of overturning the deficit away from home. What is positive, that's the fact it is something they have already achieved this season. Bruno Genesio’s men came from one goal down against Crvena Zvezda Belgrade to win 2:1 on aggregate, after extra time. On Sunday they beat Rennes, Nevertheless, Aston Villa are class above the Serbian champions or Rennes. Genesio has five injured players out of this match. Hamza Igamane, Ethan Mbappe Lottin, Marc-Aurele Caillard, Osame Sahraoui and Ousmane Toure are all ruled out.

Aston Villa vs Lille Prediction:

I expect both teams to score in Birmingham. So far Aston Villa have played nine matches in Europe League and scored in all nine. It will be normal to find the back of the net again. Lille, meanwhile, lost at home and now must win as guests. It is not impossible, Lille already have a victory at Villa Park some 24 years ago, when they claimed a 2:0 away win over Aston Villa in the second leg of an Intertoto Cup semi-final tie. Both teams have good strikers, Ollie Watkins at one and Olivier Giroud on other side. Aston Villa have one-goal advantage, but they won't calculate in front of their own fans. Usually they are supported by Prince William when play European fixtures, so the players will have big motivation. Lille have no space for calculations, they need a victory to stay in the match. I expect an open game with goals on both sides.

Aston Villa vs Lille Pick: Both teams to score - Yes @ 1.91 with Bet365

 

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Denmark vs N.Macedonia Preview (Wednesday, 26.04.2026) World Cup 2026 Qualifications:

Possible starting lineups:

Denmark:
Hermansen; Hogsberg, Nelsson, Andersen, Maehle; Norgaard, Hjulmand; Isaksen, Eriksen, Lindstrom; Hojlund

N.Macedonia:
Dimitrievski; Zajkov, Musliu, Velkovski, Alioski; Alimi, Bardhi, Elmas; Churlinov, Trajkovski, Miovski

Denmark will welcome the Macedonian national team in the semi-final of World Cup 2026 qualifications. One match only, and that means the Danes are huge favorites at the Parken Stadium. Denmark were dominant in the group and were inches away from the first place and direct qualification for the World Cup in USA, Canada and Mexico. But they obviously underestimated the last two matches. First they played a 2:2 draw with Belarus in Copenhagen. Just to mention, Denmark won 6:0 the reverse fixture and nobody could explain how they dropped two points at home. In the last round they visited Scotland where lost 4:2 and finished the campaign on the second place. Nevertheless, they play at home and they are clear favorites. At Parken, Denmark have lost just once in their last 20 matches. Coach Riemer has several important players unavailable due to injury or suspension. Joachim Andersen is banned, while Kasper Schmeichel, Andreas Christensen, Jannik Vestergaard and Patrick Dorgu are all out injured. Regardless of the fact many important players are unavailable, Denmark are still considered as big favorites in this match. The winners would face either Czech Republic or the Republic of Ireland in the final.

N.Macedonia are part of the playoffs thanks to UEFA Nations League campaign. In the qualifications they were targeted the second place in the group, but finished as third, behind Belgium and Wales. In both competitions they were coached by Blagoja Milevski. He had a contract until 2025, but it was quite normal to extent the deal for three more months to complete the campaign. Every normal Football Federation will do the same. But the Macedonian Football Federation decided to end the cooperation with Milevski and announced a new coach. The Football Federation believed that Goce Sedloski will contribute to the stability, continuity and progress of the national team with his experience, authority and deep knowledge of Macedonian football. However, I don't agree. According to me, that was a big mistake by the President Masar Omeragic. Just to mention, Sedloski is also Vardar coach and he will continue to work for both Vardar and national team. At the end I will write about the most recent match between two national teams. Believe or Not, Denmark strong side, The most recent meeting between these sides took place in 2013 when Denmark side came to Skopje with their biggest stars Kasper Schmeichel, Daniel Agger and Christian Eriksen. To be worse, Denmark suffered a heavy 3:0 defeat at National Arena Toshe Proeski.

Denmark vs N.Macedonia Prediction:

Danish coach Riemer faces a significant defensive crisis, with Joachim Andersen suspended, while Kasper Schmeichel, Andreas Christensen, Jannik Vestergaard and Patrick Dorgu all injured. But let's discuss about that. Hermansen is also a good and experienced keeper who play for West Ham in the Premier League. Even the second option Frederik Riis Ronnow is solid goalkeeper that play for Bundesliga club Union Berlin. According to me, that's not a handicap for Denmark. Four defenders are out, but they will not play against Halaand or Harry Kane, they will face Bojan Miovski. The Rangers striker is far from his best, scoring just 4 goals this season in the Scottish Premiership, plus one in Europe League. He also netted 3 for the national team. Denmark are superior in the midfield with quality that provide stars like Christian Eriksen, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Morten Hjulmand. So, the hosts will control the ball and permanently attack from the very first minute. Could Macedonian keeper Stole Dimitrievski kept the net untouched? Well, he did against Belgium in the qualifications, but it was a game between cat and mouse. Belgium missed several good opportunities and several big chances. I expect many difficulties for the guests. Rasmus Hojlund had a good season in Napoli, scoring 10 goals in Serie A and three more in the Champions League. With 5 more for Denmark, I believe his confidence is very high. He is physical and no way Musliu or Zajkov to keep him quiet. Macedonian players will try to stay competitive as much as possible, but once they conceded, I predict a total collapse.

Denmark vs N.Macedonia Pick: Denmark -1.5 AH @ 1.85 with Everygame

 

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Inter vs Liverpool Preview (Tuesday) Champions League:

Possible starting lineups:

Inter:
Sommer; Akanji, Bisseck, Bastoni; Augusto, Zielinski, Barella, Calhanoglu, Dimarco; Thuram, Martinez

Liverpool:
Alisson; Bradley, Gomez, Van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Jones; Szoboszlai, Wirtz, Chiesa; Ekitike

Inter have 12 points after the first five rounds. They started with a 2:0 win against Ajax in Amsterdam and then secured three more. The Nerazzurri outplayed Slavia Prague (3:0) and Royale Union (4:0), while Kairat Almaty were narrowly beaten 2:1. The perfect series came to its end in the fifth round when Inter lost 2:1 to Atletico Madrid. Julian Alvarez had given the home side a lead after 9 minutes. It was his 10th goal in 14 Champions League appearances since signing from Manchester City. The Italians drew level through Piotr Zielinski's goal in the 54th minute. It looked like the points will be shared, but Jose Maria Gimenez scored a last-gasp winner. The defeat leaves Inter in fourth place - level on 12 points with Paris St-Germain, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid. Coach Cristian Chivu could be satisfied with the actual record, though there is no space for any relaxation. The Romanian tactician has some injury issues as Matteo Darmian, Tomas Palacios and backup goalkeeper Raffaele Di Gennaro are out injured, while Denzel Dumfries is rated as doubtful.

Liverpool have 9 points, but they are in very specific situation. The Reds are in big crisis, maybe the biggest one in the last 50 years. During the weekend Liverpool visited Leeds United and collect one point, playing a 3:3 draw. In fact Slot and his men dropped two points as they had a 2:0 lead thanks to Hugo Ekitike's brace early in the second half. Nevertheless, everything went wrong way after Ibrahima Konate made a stupid penalty that was converted by Dominic Calvert-Lewin in the 73rd minute. Just two minutes later Anton Stach equalized the result. Dominik Szoboszlai restored the Reds' lead, but Ao Tanaka rescued point for Leeds in the stoppage time. It means Liverpool are now unbeaten in the last three Premier League matches, but collect just 5 from the possible 9 points. To be worse, Mohamed Salah was benched and he addressed his frustrations to Arne Slot. The Egypt winger said that he feels as though he has been "thrown under the bus" by Liverpool and that his relationship with head coach Slot has broken down. It remains to be seen if his relationship with the Dutchman and the club can be repaired.

Inter vs Liverpool Prediction:

Inter have 12 points and victory here will probably guarantee Top-8 finish. Liverpool, meanwhile. have 9 points and they will probably go through playoff's. However, Liverpool need a positive result in this match more than anything. But big question is how. How the team that conceded three goals from Leeds United or Nottingham could escape the defeat at Meazza? The results in Europe are slightly better, but the Reds conceded four goals from PSV at Anfield in the last round. The defense looks like "Swiss cheese". It will be a miracle to keep a clean sheet at Meazza. At the same time Slott has fantastic players up front. With or without Salah, Liverpool are able to score against every European team.

Inter vs Liverpool Pick: Both teams to score -Yes @ 1.57 with Bet365

european leaguesare becoming more unpredictable, so deep analysis is must now.

 

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Sporting vs Arsenal Preview (Tuesday, 07.04.2026) Champions League:

Possible starting lineups:

Sporting:
Silva; Vagiannidis, Diomande, Inacio, Mangas; Braganca, Morita; Catamo, Trincao, Goncalves; Suarez

Arsenal:
Raya; Timber, Mosquera, Saliba, Calafiori; Zubimendi, Rice, Odegaard; Martinelli, Gyokeres, Saka

Arsenal are big favorites, however their current form is far from solid. On contrary, Sporting are in excellent form as they won the last three matches across all competitions, scoring 13 goals in the process. The series started against Bodo/Glimt in the previous round of the Champions League. The Norwegians came to Lisbon with three goals advantage and big confidence after they obtained two victories against last season's Vice Champions Inter Milan. Sporting players gave their maximum and won 5:0, becoming just the fifth side to overturn a three-goal deficit in the Champions League knockout phase, after Deportivo La Coruna, Barcelona, Roma and Liverpool. The Lions have a perfect home record in the competition, beating Kairat Almaty, Marseille, Club Brugge and Paris Saint Germain, plus the mentioned victory against Bodo/Glimt. But coach Rui Borges has issues ahead of this match. Captain Morten Hjulmand is suspended for this clash and that's a big handicap. In addition, five players are struggling with injury. Fotis Ioannidis, Geovany Quenda and Nuno Santos are definitely sidelined, while Luis Guilherme and Ivan Fresneda are rated as doubtful.

Arsenal were almost perfect until the last month. They were leaders in the Premier League and they were superior in the Champions League, finishing first on the overall table of the group stage. In addition, the Gunners had secured Carabao Cup final and FA Cup quarter-finals. The fans were dreaming about quadruple, but had to wake up. The Gunners first lost the final of Carabao Cup at Wembley. A big mistake made by reserve keeper Kepa allowed Manchester City to lift the trophy. The defeat heavily impacted the players confidence, so Arsenal suffered another failure three days ago. They were eliminated from FA Cup after losing 2:1 to Southampton. The club from the Championship Division were better than Premier League leaders. The fans are disappointed and most of them fear this could be another season without a trophy. Manager Mikel Arteta is under big pressure, as well as the players. To be worse, Arteta has some injury issues. Centre-back Gabriel Magalhaes is the last victim and he is a major doubt for this encounter. Several regulars missed Saturday’s game, however the medical department is optimistic that Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, Leandro Trossard and Jurrien Timber will be ready in time for this match. Meanwhile, Eberechi Eze, Piero Hincapie and Mikel Merino are confirmed absentees for the trip to Lisbon.

Sporting vs Arsenal Prediction:

I think Sporting could remain unbeaten here. The home advantage is definitely a reason. All the tickets are sold and fully packed Estadio Jose Alvalade in Lisbon will be something like 12th player for Sporting. Next reason is connect with the actual form. While Sporting are in series of three victories in which they scored 13 goals, Arsenal suffered two painful defeats, one in Carabao Cup final and the other in FA Cup. The players confidence is lost and that's a big problem for Arteta. Set-pieces are no more efficient like previously, the opponents are learning how to defend better. And finally, few words about Viktor Gyokeres. As You probably know, he signed from Sporting in the summer of 2025. Gyokeres have scored 97 goals in 102 appearances for Sporting. There will be lot of emotions among the fans, both positive and negative. Some of the fans understand the situation when bigger club buy good players and it is quite normal. But some fans will not be happy to see him in Arsenal shirt, trying to score against their beloved club. Gyokeres has scored five goals in his last three appearances for Arsenal and Sweden. He is in excellent form, but I am sure he will be under big pressure during the match. Gabriel's injury is another problem for Arteta. Sporting are unbeaten in 20 home matches and I think the series will continue. The guests could be happy with draw, maybe even with a narrow defeat. Everything will be decided 8 days later in London.

Sporting vs Arsenal Pick: Sporting +0.5 AH @ 2.23 with Betsson

 

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Paris Saint-Germain vs Liverpool Preview (Wednesday, 08.04.2026) Champions League:

Possible starting lineups:

Paris Saint-Germain:
Safonov; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Mendes; Zaire-Emery, Vitinha, Neves; Doue, Dembele, Kvaratskhelia

Liverpool:
Mamardashvili; Frimpong, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Szoboszlai, Wirtz; Ekitike

Paris Saint-Germain will welcome Liverpool to Parc des Princes in the Champions League quarterfinals first leg. The French champions are favorites, which is normal considering they are the reigning competition holders. The owner Nasser Al-Khelaifi spent enormous money in new players that also included Leo Messi, Neymar and Killian M'bappe, but without success. And then came new coach, the former Barcelona player and tactician Luis Enrique. The expectations weren't high, but Enrique did a miracle. He composed a solid team without superstars, but full of players ready to do everything for his teammates. It is not a surprise they secured an aggregate 8:2 victory against Chelsea in the previous round. They are also dominant in domestic Ligue 1, leading the table with 4-point cushion and a match in hand. Enrique has the majority of his players available, but Bradley Barcola, Fabian Ruiz and Quentin Ndjantou are sidelined due to injury. On the positive note, Senny Mayulu has recovered from a calf injury.

Liverpool are in crisis, the biggest one in 21st century. Nobody could explain how the team that won the Premier League last season, now collapsed. Manager Arne Slot is under heavy pressure and many pundits named him as "Dead man walking". Liverpool have never sacked a manager that previously won the Premier League. No doubt he will finish the season, but that's his maximum. Of course, everything could be different if Liverpool win the Champions League. However, "it's easier to say ..." The players confidence is low and this is a big problem. Salah has already missed two penalties, he is just a shadow of last season's Salah. The Egyptian will leave the Reds at the end of the season as free agent, so his motivation in the next two months is questionable. Slot has additional issues as five players are out injured. Alexander Isak is close to full fitness, though this match comes too soon for him. Goalkeeper Alisson Becker will miss the rest of the month, while Conor Bradley, Giovanni Leoni and Wataru Endo are long-term injury victims.

Paris Saint-Germain vs Liverpool Prediction:

Paris Saint-Germain dispatched Liverpool over two legs in the last season's UEFA Champions League Round of 16, coming back from a 1:0 deficit at the Parc des Princes. PSG are strong favorites now following a dominant 8:2 aggregate win over Chelsea. Liverpool are awful in the last period, while Arne Slot is unable to change something. The defeat to Brighton showed how big the crisis is. On Saturday they lost 4:0 to Manchester City and the fans are frustrated. Furthermore, Liverpool fans start series of protests against ticket price rises. Liverpool players are heavily connected with the fans, they are different team without the Anfield support. At the end I will mention two more reasons for my tip. First, PSG played on Friday and have one day more for preparation. Second, Luis Enrique rotate the players , so Vitinha, Joao Neves and Nuno Mendes were not in the starting eleven. Slot has no luxury to rest any player in this stage of the season. Liverpool won in Paris last year thanks to Alisson, but were completely outplayed.

Paris Saint-Germain vs Liverpool Pick: Paris Saint-Germain to win @ 1.73 with Everygame

 

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Porto vs Nottingham Forest Preview (Thursday, 09.04.2026) Europe League:

Possible starting lineups:

Porto:
D. Costa; A. Costa, Bednarek, Kiwior, Sanusi; Froholdt, Varela, Fofana; Gomes, Moffi, Sainz

Nottingham Forest:
Sels; Williams, Milenkovic, Murillo, Netz; Sangare, Dominguez; Ndoye, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Jesus

Porto will welcome Nottingham Forest to Dragao on Thursday for the first leg of their Europa League quarterfinal. This is a derby between two former Champions League winners, so we should expect a good football. Francesco Farioli's side progressed to this round after beating Stuttgart twice. Porto showed their class by winning 2:1 in Germany and then completed the job with a 2:0 win at home. The Dragons are enjoying a good season and the fans are dreaming about "tripleta". Indeed, they are still in fight for three different trophies. Porto are leaders in Primeira with a five-point lead over second place, and they are in the semifinals of the national cup. And of course, Porto are favorites No 2 in Europe League, after Aston Villa. The current form is solid, four victories and one draw on the last five matches across all tournaments. I believe the players confidence is high and they will try to secure a home win ahead of the trip to England. Farioli has four injured players - Samu Aghehowa and Luuk de Jong are definitely out, while Rodrigo Mora and Nahuen Perez are rated as doubtful.

Nottingham Forest are club with big traditions, the former Premier League champions and two time UEFA Champions League winners. Nevertheless, the last period wasn't too successful for the Tricky Trees, until the last season. Lead by Nuno Espirito Santo, they were genuine candidates for Top-5 spot until the last round. At the end they secured only Europe League place. Owner Marinakis wasn't fully satisfied and decided to sack Nuno. That was a wrong decision with terrible consequences. Ange Postecoglou, Sean Dyche and now Vitor Pereira came in succession, but the results are awful. Nottingham Forest are deeply involved into the relegation battle and the upcoming match with Aston Villa three days later is extremely important. Nottingham are not a big team and their roster could not be compared with Arsenal or Manchester City. Playing twice a week is between the main reasons for the poor results. To be worse, key midfielder Elliot Anderson is sidelined due to suspension, while Omari Hutchinson, Jair Cunha, Willy Bolly, Nicolo Savona, John Victor, Chris Wood and Ola Aina are struggling with injuries.

Porto vs Nottingham Forest Prediction:

Porto against Nottingham Forest, a match between two former Champions League winners. I think Porto will win the first match. Of course, the overall winners will be decided next week at City Ground. There are three reasons for my tip. First is the home advantage. Porto have won all their five UEFA Europa League home matches this season. The second reason is connect with missing players. Nottingham have seven injured players (Omari Hutchinson, Jair Cunha, Willy Bolly, Nicolo Savona, John Victor, Chris Wood and Ola Aina are struggling with injuries), but their biggest handicap is the absence of suspended Elliot Anderson. The midfielder, who earned Thomas Tuchel's call for the national team, is the most important player in Nottingham squad. He is simply irreplaceable. The third reason is connect with players confidence. While Nottingham are deeply involved into the relegation battle in the Premier League, Porto are leaders in Primeira and main favorites for the title. It is clear the confidence is on their side and I expect to win here.

Porto vs Nottingham Forest Pick: Porto to win @ 2.08 with Everygame

 

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Atletico Madrid vs Barcelona Preview (Tuesday, 13.04.2026) Champions League:

Possible starting lineups:

Atletico Madrid:
Musso; Molina, Lenglet, Le Normand, Ruggeri; Simeone, Llorente, Koke, Lookman; Griezmann, Alvarez

Barcelona:
J. Garcia; Kounde, Araujo, E. Garcia, Cancelo; Pedri, De Jong; Yamal, Lopez, Rashford; Torres

Atletico Madrid will welcome La Liga rivals Barcelona to Metropolitano for the Champions League quarter-final second leg. The Rojiblancos won 2:0 at Nou Camp six days ago and they are very close to secure semifinals. The Blaugrana were dominated the game during the first half, but a foul on Giuliano Simeone by Pau Cubarsi just before half-time proved pivotal. Cubarsi was sent-off after VAR reaction and things went wrong way for Barca. Julian Alvarez then scored the first goal and changed the momentum. Barcelona tried to respond and dominated the second half, had some good opportunities, but failed to score. According to "an unwritten rule", Alexander Sorloth found the back of the net in the70th minute for the final 2:0.

Atletico Madrid will try to finish the job at home. A draw is preferable result for Diego Simeone's men, even a narrow defeat is good enough for them. However, the current form isn't consistent. Atletico have four defeats in the last five matches across all competitions. One of them was "acceptable", a 3:2 loss to Tottenham in London, but the other three were painful. Nevertheless, the fans will forget everything if Atletico lift the trophy in the Champions League. "All-time" coach Diego Simeone will be missing several players. Marc Pubill is suspended due to accumulated yellow cards, while David Hancko, Jose Gimenez, Johnny Cardoso, Pablo Barrios and first choice goalkeeper Jan Oblak are struggling with injuries.

Barcelona are probably the new La Liga champions. They are leaders on the table with a nine-point advantage to the second-placed Real Madrid. On top of that, Barca will host Real Madrid at Camp Nou in next period. I think even the coach Arbeloa is well aware the title is lost. Considering the fact Barcelona are eliminated from Copa del Rey, this match could be evaluated as the visitors' biggest game of the season so far. At the end I will mention the team news. Raphinha and Andreas Christensen are definitely sidelined due to hamstring and knee injury respectively, while Cubarsi is out suspended. Finally, Gerard Martin and Marc Bernal are both rated as doubtful.

Atletico Madrid vs Barcelona Prediction:

I expect an efficient match here. Barcelona lost 2:0 at home and now must attack from the first minute. There is no space for calculations, full offensive is the only option for Flick. But that's exactly what Diego Simeone want. Atletico are well known for transition and fast counter-attacks. Some results this season are simply unbelievable. Atletico won 5:2 against Real Madrid in September and won 4:0 against Barcelona in the cup in February. The results in the Champions League are efficient too. Atletico faced Tottenham in the previous round. After the high 5:2 win at Metropolitano, they lost 3:2 in London. The matches against Club Brugge in the playoffs have produced 11 goals - Atletico won 4:1 at home and drew 3:3 in Belgium. Most of the results in the group stage were also high scoring: Atleti lost 3:2 at Anfield, won 5:1 against Eintracht Frankfurt, lost 4:0 to Arsenal in London, won 3:1 against Union Royale etc. I expect at least four goals at Metropolitano. Both coaches have excellent scorers that guarantees goals - Sorloth, Lookman, Griezmann, Alvarez at one side, Lamine Yamal, Rashford, Lewandowski on other side.

Atletico Madrid vs Barcelona Pick: Over 3.5 goals @ 1.88 with Everygame

 

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Liverpool vs Paris Saint-Germain Preview (Tuesday, 13.04.2026) Champions League:

Possible starting lineups:

Liverpool:
Mamardashvili; Szoboszlai, Konate, Van Dijk, Kerkez; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Wirtz, Ngumoha; Ekitike

Paris Saint-Germain:
Safonov; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Mendes; Zaire-Emery, Vitinha, Neves; Doue, Dembele, Kvaratskhelia

Paris Saint-Germain won 2:0 at Parc des Princes six days ago and they are close to eliminate Liverpool for the second consecutive time in the Champions League. It was an "one way match", a game between cat and mouse. PSG scored just two goals, but should scored five or six. Desire Doue's deflected finish gave Paris St-Germain the lead after 11 minutes, while Khvicha Kvaratskhelia added second with brilliant individual goal in the 65th minute. Liverpool failed to register a single shot on target and they were lucky to lose just 2:0. The players probably believe everything is possible at Anfield and they will give the maximum. However, PSG look too strong at the moment.

Liverpool have an awful season. The reigning champions are far from the first place and they have no chance to defend the title. They suffered elimination from both domestic cups, so UEFA Champions League is their only remaining chance for silverware. Manager Arne Slot is under enormous pressure, as well as the players. The Reds are inconsistent and the players confidence is low. To be worse, four players are struggling with injury. The absence of first goalkeeper Alisson Becker is the biggest handicap. The Brazilian international will be out for at least three more weeks. Conor Bradley, Giovanni Leoni and Wataru Endo are long-term injury victims.

Paris St-Germain are the reigning European champions. After years of disappointment, the fans could finally be happy with their club achievement. Defending the trophy is not a simple task, though it is not impossible. PSG are specialists for English clubs. Last season they have eliminated Liverpool, Aston Villa and Arsenal, while this season victims are Chelsea. PSG won 5:2 in Paris and 3:0 at Stamford Bridge. Coach Luis Enrique composed fantastic team and they are different dimension. Enrique has almost all players available, only Fabian Ruiz remains on the sidelines with a knee injury. Bradley Barcola has recovered from the ankle injury that he sustained against Chelsea.

Liverpool vs Paris Saint-Germain Prediction:

Liverpool fans are dreaming about Champions League success, though they are inches away from elimination. Last season PSG were better and progressed on penalties, while this season I see no chance for Liverpool. Some pundits mentioned the "Anfield nights" and the famous match with Barcelona in 2019. The Anfield factor made the difference in Liverpool's 4:0 comeback triumph over Barcelona in the semi-finals seven years ago, and Slot's men could extract some sort of motivation. But the reality is different - the Reds 2026 are nowhere near the Reds 2019. Liverpool ended their three-game losing run on Saturday, deservedly beating Fulham 2:0. Of course, it will be much harder on Tuesday. Liverpool players had a tough 90 minutes on Saturday, while PSG players were blessed with a football-free weekend. According to me, draw is possible here. Both coaches will be satisfied, Luis Enrique for obvious reason, while Slot because his team will avoid another defeat, fourth in the last five matches across all competitions.

Liverpool vs PSG Pick: Draw @ 4.34 with 1xBet

 

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Arsenal vs Sporting Preview (Wednesday, 15.04.2026) Champions League:

Possible starting lineups:

Arsenal:
Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Hincapie; Norgaard, Rice; Madueke, Eze, Trossard; Gyokeres

Sporting:
Silva; Fresneda, Diomande, Inacio, Araujo; Braganca, Hjulmand; Catamo, Trincao, Goncalves; Suarez

Arsenal will welcome Sporting to Emirates Stadium in London in the Champions League quarterfinals' second leg. The Gunners were more successful in the first leg and they won 1:0 in Lisbon. Kei Haverts was the scorer in the stoppage time. The German came as substitute and impressed despite the limited time of playing. Thanks to him, Arsenal have a narrow advantage before going second leg at Emirates Stadium. Sporting also created some good opportunities, Maxi Araujo hit crossbar in first half, but failed to score. The winners of this fixture will face Atletico Madrid or Barcelona in the semifinals.

Arsenal are close to secure progress in the Champions League after the victory in the first leg. The Gunners play at home and they have an one-goal advantage. That means the draw is good enough for them. Manager Mikel Arteta is feeling some pressure as the fans are desperate for trophy. Arsenal suffered a painful defeat for the weekend when they lost 2:1 to Bournemouth. That was their third defeat in the last four matches across all competitions. The players confidence isn't high as previous and that's a big problem. Finally, five players are struggling with injuries. Mikel Merino is definitely sidelined, while Martin Odegaard, Riccardo Calafiori, Bukayo Saka and Jurrien Timber are rated as doubtful.

Sporting are in solid form and they have four victories on the last five matches across all competitions. Aside from the mentioned defeat against Arsenal, they were victorious against Bodo/Glimt, Alverca, Santa Clara and Estrela. I believe the atmosphere in the squad is positive, but the question is what will happen in the next six days. Coach Borges will go with the strongest eleven against Arsenal, but he could have one eye on the Primeira derby with Benfica on Sunday. Borges has the majority of his players available, only Fotis Ioannidis and Luis Guilherme are sidelined due to ligament and ankle injury respectively. On the positive note, Morten Hjulmand has served his suspension and he is ready to start.

Arsenal vs Sporting Prediction:

Arsenal won in Lisbon and they will probably be careful, a draw here is acceptable. But they can't play "catenaccio", it's simply impossible. Arsenal fans left Emirates frustrated on Saturday after the defeat to Bournemouth. The Gunners were chasing four trophies, but defeats to Manchester City and Southampton means they are now fighting for only two trophies. To be worse, the defeat to Bournemouth means the title are out of their hands. The fans are frustrated and they want an adequate response against Sporting. The players are obligate to give 100%. Sporting, meanwhile, have nothing to lose, they are in "must win" situation. Their best striker Luis Suarez is eligible to play despite his yellow card received on the first leg. The info about his suspension turned out to be an administrative mistake. With Suarez in the team, I believe Sporting could upset Raya. I expect attacking football from both sides, as well as goals.

Arsenal vs Sporting Pick: Both teams to Score - Yes @ 1.92 with 1xBet

 

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Nottingham Forest vs Porto Preview (Thursday, 16.04.2026) Europe League:

Possible starting lineups:

Nottingham Forest:
Ortega; Aina, Murillo, Milenkovic, Williams; Sangare, Anderson; Hutchinson, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Jesus

Porto:
D. Costa; A. Costa, Silva, Bednarek, Sanusi; Fofana, Rosario, Veiga; Gomes, Moffi, Sainz

Nottingham Forest will welcome Porto to City Ground in UEFA Europe League quarterfinals' second leg. The first match played in Portugal seven days ago ended with an 1:1 draw. Porto started furiously and William Gomes scored the opener after 11 minutes. But just three minutes later happened a bizarre situation. Martim Fernandes tried to return the ball to his goalkeeper, but accidentally passed it into his own net from 45 yards with goalkeeper Diogo Gomes stranded. The freak own goal shifted the momentum and Porto players failed to recover until the end. It is not a surprise that Martim Fernandes was replaced in the second half.

Nottingham Forest remained unbeaten at Dragao and they could reach their first European semifinal since 1984. The fans are hungry for success and this is an ideal opportunity. But manager Vitor Pereira, who won two titles at Dragao as coach, is careful. As You probably know, Nottingham are deeply involved into the relegation battle, sitting just three points above the drop zone in the Premier League. That is why Pereira could not be fully focused on Porto. Sunday's top-flight game with Burnley is equally important, if not more. Pereira remain without Jair Cunha, Nicolo Savona, Willy Boly and John Victor due to injuries. On the positive note, Elliot Anderson is back from suspension.

Porto were favorites in the first match at Dragao, mostly thanks to the home advantage. However, they travel to England without a positive score. Francesco Farioli's side are without a single defeat in the last eight matches across all competitions. The atmosphere in the squad is very good, while the players confidence is high. In the previous round they managed to eliminate the Bundesliga side Stuttgart. Porto are also successful in domestic Primeira. They are leaders, with a five-point cushion over Sporting Lisbon. Farioli has four injured players - Luuk de Jong, Martim Fernandes, Samu Aghehowa and Nehuen Perez are all sidelined.

Nottingham Forest vs Porto Prediction:

I expect attacking football from both sides, as well as goals. Nottingham Forest have scored in all but two of their last nine across all competitions. Porto, meanwhile, have scored in 33 of 34 since their last visit to England. Both teams will try to secure progress, but at the same time both teams will try to avoid extra time. Playing 120 minutes is the worst possible scenario. Both Pereira and Farioli will take a risk and I believe there will be goals on both sided.

Nottingham Forest vs Porto Pick: Both teams to score - Yes @ 1.95 with Bet365