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Three Outsiders Who Could Surprise In The 2020/21 Champions League

The Champions League was wrapped up in extraordinary circumstances in Lisbon in 2020.

The 2020/21 Champions League will be unusual again, with away fans unable to travel around the continent. It comes in the most congested of seasons, challenging the depth of Europe’s best squads more than ever.

Midweek matches are the rule rather than the exception for the top sides this season.

Fatigue is a very real factor in Champions League betting, squad rotation will be every bit as important as matchday tactics, and the ever-present risk of injury is heightened.

The early knockings of the Premier League season have seen upsets galore. The supposed favourites have been toppled often, and not only losing, they have been embarrassed at times.

Could we see similar in Europe’s premier competition? Could an underdog make a deep run? These three teams could all be in the mix in our 20/21 Champions League predictions.

Marseille

Drawn with Manchester City, Porto and Olympiacos, Marseille landed in a pretty favourable group. It could have been much more challenging given their position in pot four.

Les Olympiens finished second in a truncated 2019/20 Ligue 1 season, 12 points off the pace set by PSG but six clear of their nearest rivals, Rennes.

They were comfortably the second-best team in the country, earning them their first Champions League group stage appearance since 2013/14.

Already an exciting squad with young talent and experience in equal measure, Marseille added Luis Henrique, Pape Gueye, Alvaro Gonzalez and Yuto Nagatomo on permanent deals this offseason.

Michael Cuisance also arrived on loan from Bayern Munich after his move to Leeds fell through.

Their chances of getting out of the group depend largely on the performances of wing duo Dimitri Payet and Florian Thauvin. Thauvin has started this season in fine form after sitting out almost all of 2019/20 through injury.

Payet remains one of the best creative forces in Europe – he averaged four key passes per game last season, by far the best mark in Ligue 1.

Looking to bet on football? Marseille are currently 11/1 to win their group and 13/10 to progress.

Sevilla

Sevilla claimed a sixth Europa League crown earlier this year, earning a spot in pot one for the Champions League draw.

They are matched up with Chelsea, Rennes and Krasnodar. It’s certainly a winnable group for the six-time UEFA Cup/Europa League winners.

The team from south Andalusia made the quarters in their last Champions League appearance three seasons ago. That was their deepest European Cup run since 1957/58.

Where they have made the Europa League their own, becoming the competition’s most successful team, Sevilla have not been able to take the step up towards Champions League contention.
On the back of a strong 2019/20, they are well-positioned to go deep in 2020/21. It was a busy window, with Ever Banega and Simon Kjaer departing.

Suso’s loan move was made permanent, Karim Rekik arrived from Hertha Berlin, Oussama Idrissi provides another attacking option. Ivan Rakitic brings experience, and Marcos Acuna should fill the Sergio Reguilon void at left-back.

Chelsea are a bit of a question mark this year. Expectations are high, but Frank Lampard’s side are still vulnerable on the break – Sevilla have a solid defence and can snatch a goal.

Getting out of the group is an expectation for Julen Lopetegui’s side, and it’s not unreasonable to claim they could win it.

Having seen off Manchester United in the last 16 last season, Sevilla should be confident in the knockout rounds. They can frustrate more talented opponents and have sufficient firepower to steal results against the run of play.

Borussia Monchengladbach

Retaining the core of the squad that briefly made them Bundesliga title challengers last season secured a successful transfer window for Borussia Monchengladbach.

Marco Rose kept hold of Marcus Thuram, Alassane Plea, Denis Zakaria and Florian Neuhaus, and he’ll need all of them fully fit and in top form for their Champions League campaign.

Gladbach got what looks like this year’s group of death. Real Madrid, Shakhtar Donetsk and Inter are their opponents, leaving Gladbach out at 9/4 to progress.

No one should write off this Gladbach side, despite the quality of the opposition. Antonio Conte’s record in Europe is unspectacular, and the former Chelsea manager could prioritise a Scudetto pursuit in a packed schedule.

Shakhtar Donetsk are tricky, but they didn’t make it out of their group last season and were humiliated by Inter in the semi-finals of the Europa League.

The pace Gladbach have in attack makes them a dangerous opponent. They were third in the Bundesliga in expected goals last season, just behind Leipzig and far ahead of Dortmund.

With solid midfield options, they are well-equipped to absorb pressure and unleash on the break. Don’t write Gladbach off. If they make it out the group, their counter-attacking football is perfect for the knockout rounds.

*Credit for the main photo belongs to Lefteris Pitarakis / AP Photo*

FIRST PUBLISHED: 7th October 2020

October 7, 2020

Champions League

By Sam Cox

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Sam is a sports tipster, specialising in the Premier League and Champions League.

He covers most sports, including cricket and Formula One. Sam particularly enjoys those on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean – notably MLB and NBA.

Watching, writing and talking about sports betting takes up most of his time, whether that is for a day out at T20 Finals Day or a long night of basketball.

Having been writing for several years, Sam has been working with 888Sport since 2016, contributing multiple articles per week to the blog.

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Leeds United Transfer News: Midfielder Chase Goes Down To Last Few Hours

Leeds United are still hoping to land another midfielder before the Premier League transfer window slams shut at 11pm on Monday October 5th.

While Raphinha was the focus of much of Leeds United transfer news over the last couple days, Phil Hay has reported of Leeds’ desire to bring in a midfielder too.

Rodrigo De Paul had been the focal point of Leeds rumours for weeks, but Leeds are going to look elsewhere if they want to land an advanced midfielder to link play between the deep-lying central midfielders and their striker.

The Telegraph reported of interest in Atalanta midfielder Ruslan Malinovskyi, but Phil Hay has refuted such claims.

Hay, tweeting from his personal account, said, “Malinovskyi is someone they've had on the radar for the past couple of weeks. But like De Paul, it's never got to an advanced stage. Not expecting them to do Campana."

Levante midfielder Jose Campana, mentioned by Hay, clearly isn’t following Raphinha to Elland Road on Monday. Leeds have swung big in their search for another central player, but are yet to have any success.

There’s still time to strike a deal if Marcelo Bielsa identifies a player they should make a late push for.

Not Much Business Expected

Leeds Live journalist Beren Cross took part in a question and answer session on Monday. He indicated Leeds are probably done for the window once the signing of Raphinha is wrapped up.

Cross said, “We’re told it will just be one through the door at Elland Road today barring any late progress with other targets.”

That seems to rule out a midfield signing, which leaves the Whites a bit thin in that department should Kalvin Phillips or Mateusz Klich suffer an injury.

However, Cross did suggest Leeds could recruit a midfield player from the Championship over the next few days.

“There are another 11 days to do business with EFL clubs, so would not role out an eight or a 10 coming in from the Championship if they’re good enough."

This opens up the possibility of a swoop for Norwich midfielder Todd Cantwell, who has been linked with a move to Elland Road over the last week or so. Said Benrahma could be an option too, though the Brentford star will not come cheaply.

Liverpool Left-Back Targeted

Leeds, per the Mirror, are looking to bring Liverpool left-back Yasser Larouci in on loan.

It is reported that Jurgen Klopp wants the youngster to go out and get some gametime as he is behind Andrew Robertson and Kostas Tsimikas in the Liverpool pecking order.

Several other teams are keen on Larouci, but Leeds could have an advantage as Liverpool would like him to remain in England. Others have thrived on loan at Elland Road, which could tempt Liverpool to send Larouci to work with Bielsa.

Credit for the main photo belongs to Oli Scarff / Pool via AP*

October 5, 2020

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The Most Exciting Premier League Signings Of The Summer

Premier League spending was enormous this offseason. Where teams in other leagues cut costs, and were forced to sell key players to raise funds, there was little sign of restraint in the Premier League.

Teams broke transfer records, investing heavily in their playing staff.

The league has the biggest television deal in the world and teams have an array of lucrative sponsorship contracts. The loss of matchday revenue didn’t reign in the ambition of most teams in the transfer market.

With matches already played and the window only just closing, it’s a good time to re-evaluate Premier League Odds options. There has already been major movement.

Here are five of the most exciting Premier League signings, who could all become regular features in online betting for their new teams…

Kai Havertz

Chelsea were ready to pounce when Bayer Leverkusen missed out on the top four. Kai Havertz was likely on the move regardless, but the German’s departure was confirmed when Leverkusen finished fifth.

Havertz, as reported frequently since Chelsea’s interest became public, is a player the Blues have been keen on for years.

When he became available, Chelsea quickly became the only legitimate candidate for his signature.

Bayern Munich had just picked up Leroy Sane, Barcelona are in turmoil and Real Madrid weren’t looking to spend big this offseason. Other Premier League clubs didn’t seem interested.

It’s surprising that Chelsea took Havertz with such little competition. At 21 years old, the sky really is the limit. He can play in central midfield, on the wing, as a number 10 or as a lone striker.

He’s big, he’s mobile, he’s got great close control and he can pick a pass.

We mustn’t forget his goalscoring either – Havertz scored 12 in the Bundesliga last season, more than Alexandre Lacazette and Roberto Firmino managed in the Premier League.

Chelsea’s outright winner odds depend on how their new signings bed in. No Chelsea player is more important than Havertz.

Gareth Bale

Sure, he’s not at his peak. Sure, there are injury worries. It’s still Gareth Bale.

After years of rumours, and likely thousands of rounds of golf, Bale is back in the Premier League, back at the club that sold him for a then-world record fee.

There are plenty of reasons to be sceptical. Maybe this was a PR stunt, maybe he barely gets on the pitch.

Then there’s the positive outlook: How good can Harry Kane and Heung-Min Son be with Gareth Bale alongside them? What if Bale, away from the toxicity of the Bernabeu, can unearth some of those performances that made him a superstar?

It’s always going to be exciting when a player of Bale’s stature comes to the Premier League, even if he doesn’t drastically influence the top four odds outlook.

James Rodriguez

Everton have been a football betting sensation to start this season. James Rodriguez has been the orchestrator of much of the Toffees’ early joy.

Rodriguez’s arrival was met with the usual tidal wave of nonsense, the ‘can’t handle the physicality’ waffle from the typical sources.

The Colombian took no time proving those people emphatically wrong, carving Premier League defences open and performing wizardry from Everton’s right flank.

Carlo Ancelotti has allowed Rodriguez to roam, giving him the freedom to find space anywhere on the pitch and pick out passes for Richarlison and Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

The former Real Madrid man has been a scorer as well as a creator early on too, finding the net thrice in the first four matches.

It was a big summer for Everton. Abdoulaye Doucoure and Allan revolutionised the midfield, but there’s no question who the most exciting acquisition was.

Eberechi Eze

Eberechi Eze arrived at Crystal Palace from QPR and has played 190 minutes across the first four matches of the season.

The 22-year-old was one of the most sought-after young players in the country after dazzling for QPR in the Championship last season – his tally of 14 goals and eight assists earned him a place in the 2019/20 Championship Team of the Season.

Eze has already shown flashes of his ball carrying ability in a Palace shirt. Capable of beating players in midfield or operating on the flank, he averaged three completed dribbles per match last season, and drew 2.3 fouls per contest.

Putting that sort of close control and burst of pace alongside one of Europe’s best dribblers in Wilfried Zaha is a tantalising prospect for Palace fans and neutrals alike.

Roy Hodgson has a well-drilled Palace defence with industry aplenty in midfield. Only Norwich scored fewer than the Eagles last season, however.

An attacking addition or two was a must – in Eze and Michy Batshuayi, Palace have brought in goals and creativity. Eze could force his way into England reckoning this season – he’s going to be a lot of fun to watch alongside Zaha.

Hakim Ziyech

Given their business this offseason, it was inevitable Chelsea got a second name on this list.

Hakim Ziyech is yet to make his competitive Blues debut at the time of writing, but the former Ajax man will be a real difference-maker for Frank Lampard’s side, giving them yet another attacking option.

Older than most of Chelsea’s other signings, the 27-year-old will hope to hit the ground running when he returns from injury.

He will likely be Lampard’s first choice on the right flank, cutting onto that magical left foot as he did so frequently for Ajax over the last few seasons.

Much like Bruno Fernandes, Ziyech is a risk-taker. Shots will come from range and he’ll attempt spectacular passes – fortunately for Chelsea fans, he has the skill to pull them off.

He averaged 4.2 shots per game in the Eredivisie last season and 3.7 key passes, only Kevin De Bruyne averaged more than 2.5 in the Premier League in 2019/20.

Ziyech is an entertainer, a player who produces moments of genius. Chelsea’s right-side could be lethal if he establishes a partnership with Reece James.

Credit for the main photo belongs to Jan Kruger / Pool via AP*

FIRST PUBLISHED: 5th October 2020

October 5, 2020

Premier League

By Sam Cox

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Leeds United Transfer News: Raphinha Edging Closer To Elland Road Switch

Leeds are making a last-minute swoop for Raphinha, and he’s flying in to the country on Monday to finalise a deal.

This is according to The Athletic’s Phil Hay, who alleges ‘all eyes’ are on a potential move for Raphinha and he expects Leeds to move to quickly to complete the deal on deadline day.

Hay claims the forward landed in England last night. Leeds have reportedly reached an agreement with Rennes, as SportItalia journalist Gianluigi Longari reported. The fee is thought to be just over £15 million with another £5 million in add ons.

For The Athletic, Hay reported a slightly higher up front fee of £17 million for Raphinha with add ons on top of that.

Tweeting from his personal account before 8am on Monday October 5th, Hay said, “Deadline day - all eyes on Raphinha deal. Should move quickly this morning. He landed in England late last night. Agreement in place with Rennes.”

At 23 years old, Raphinha adds to an already young Leeds squad.

He will be competing for minutes on the wing with Helder Costa, Jack Harrison and Ian Poveda – Marcelo Bielsa has an array of quality attacking options, and it will be interesting to see how long it takes Raphinha to establish himself as a first team regular.

Gray Deal Stalls

A relatively new name in the Leeds rumour mill, Leicester’s Demarai Gray, looks set to be staying at the King Power Stadium after a deal proved too difficult to complete.

The Telegraph reported a few days ago of Leeds’ interest in Gray, who could have been open to a move having fallen out of favour at Leicester.

Gray was valued at £20 million, per The Daily Mail, making him an affordable target for the Whites, but The Telegraph claimed there were complications in a potential agreement.

Raphinha is the alternative on the wing, and his deal is set to go through on Monday. Leeds could, of course, go back for Gray in the January window if they are motivated to do so.

Some of the Elland Road faithful will be understandably disappointed to miss out on such an exciting talent, despite how his status has waned at Leicester.

Leeds have ended their interest in Gray. With just one season left on his contract, though, this might not be the last we hear about him moving this season. Perhaps he ends up elsewhere on deadline day.

As is often the case, Leeds are arguably getting better value by buying from outside the Premier League in Raphinha.

Leicester were clearly in no mood to negotiate, and they are not desperate to sell despite the contract situation, having sold Ben Chilwell for over £50 million earlier this offseason.

Credit for the main photo belongs to Oli Scarff / Pool via AP*

October 5, 2020

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Leeds United Transfer News: Barry Douglas Heading To Watford

Leeds United transfer news readers will know that Barry Douglas is likely to leave the club before deadline day and Watford are now front runners to sign the Scotsman.

Douglas made just 15 appearances for Leeds last season, failing to hold down a regular spot in Marcelo Bielsa’s Championship-winning squad.

The 31-year-old has failed to make the matchday squad for all four of Leeds’ Premier League fixtures this season and a move away from Elland Road could be on the cards.

The Athletic have confirmed that Watford are considering a move for the Scotsman as they look to bolster their squad with Championship experience.

Douglas was part of the Championship-winning Wolverhampton Wanderers squad in 2017/18 so he knows what it takes to win in the second tier of English football.

As of Saturday evening, an official bid has yet to be confirmed by either club but Douglas is likely to push for a summer exit as he enters the final year of his contract with the club.

There is no urgent need to enter negotiations though, with an extended deadline until later in October for domestic deals between Football League and Premier League teams.

Douglas isn’t the only Leeds player linked with a departure in the near future as Bielsa looks to focus his squad around a small group of core stars.

Bielsa is likely to sanction a departure for Douglas, with the Scotsman falling out of favour in recent months. Watch this space for Leeds United player rumours updates…

Rennes Star Raphinha Latest Name Linked

According to Goal France, Leeds have made an official move for Rennes winger Raphinha as the summer transfer window comes to a close.

The report states that Leeds are on the ‘offensive’ in their pursuit of the Brazilian and Marcelo Bielsa has spent a considerable amount of time trying to tempt the Ligue 1 side into a sale.

Leeds have made an initial offer for the 23-year-old but the transfer fee is unknown at this stage – though the Whites are unlikely to break the bank for Raphinha’s signature.

The winger had nine goals and five assists in 35 appearances in all competitions last season but it might be a tough challenge to force a deal through before the window slams shut.

Per Goal France, there is no agreement yet on the financial side of the contract with Rennes insinuating that the first offer failed to meet their valuation of the player.

Furthermore, a deal is reportedly complex due to work permit issues and a number of other problems that could arise. Rennes have been open with Leeds regarding a potential issue with the switch.

Leeds fans will be following the transfer news closely ahead of deadline day – Raphinha would be some coup as the Whites look to secure their Premier League status.

Credit for the main photo belongs to Oli Scarff / Pool via AP*

October 3, 2020

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By Alex McMahon

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Alex is a sports betting tipster, specialising in Premier League football, the Champions League and horse racing.

He loves placing a weekly accumulator on the football at the weekend and dreams of landing the big winner that will take him back to Las Vegas.

As well as writing sports betting tips for 888sport since 2015, Alex has produced content for several international media companies, such as Goal.com and The SPORTBible.

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Leeds United Transfer News: Leeds To Prise ‘New Van Dijk’ From Arsenal?

With just days remaining in the summer window, Leeds United transfer news sources report that the Whites are set to sign Arsenal youngster William Saliba.

According to reports in France, Leeds are considering a late move for the £20 million centre-back though Le10Sport claim fellow Premier League newbies Fulham are also interested in the Frenchman.

Marcelo Bielsa has a number of defensive options at his disposal but Saliba is some prospect and the 19-year-old could leave the Emirates Stadium on a loan deal this summer.

Arsenal Mikel Arteta showed immense faith in Saliba when he handed him the number four shirt earlier this summer – a decision that suggests he could play a key role for the Gunners in the near future.

However, Saliba is still only 19 years old and he could gain Premier League experience out on loan at Elland Road before returning to his parent club.

Saliba was once compared to Liverpool star Virgil van Dijk by one of his former coaches and he would be some coup if Leeds could sign him for the rest of the campaign.

While he may have to fight to secure a spot in the Leeds starting line-up, there is intense competition for places at Arsenal and Saliba could earn himself more game time elsewhere.

With Monday’s deadline edging closer, Leeds will need to act quickly to force a deal through – especially with Fulham also lining up a move for the talented Frenchman.

Fresh Approach Could Accelerate Cantwell Switch

Football Insider claim that Leeds have made a new advance for Norwich City midfielder Todd Cantwell ahead of Monday’s transfer deadline day.

Cantwell was one of the few bright sparks for Norwich last season, scoring six goals and two assists in 37 Premier League appearances for the Canaries.

Leeds are one of three top flight clubs linked with the Norwich man, with reports suggesting that Canaries star has already agreed personal terms over a move to west Yorkshire.

Leeds missed out on Bayern Munich’s Michael Cuisance this week and Marcelo Bielsa will be hoping to avoid a similar situation in their pursuit of Cantwell.

The Canaries value the midfielder at around £18 million and reports state that Leeds believe that is a fair request for the England under-21 international.

This transfer benefits all parties. Norwich receive a hefty transfer fee, Leeds get a reliable player and Cantwell returns to the Premier League.

Leeds have spent £80 million already this summer and Cantwell’s move will take their total spending to almost £100 million. With that kind of money, comes great expectation.

The Norwich man looks like an ideal fit for Bielsa’s style and he could thrive at Elland Road. Leeds fans will be hoping that the club get this one over the line by Monday night.

Credit for the main photo belongs to Oli Scarff / Pool via AP*

October 3, 2020

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By Alex McMahon

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Alex is a sports betting tipster, specialising in Premier League football, the Champions League and horse racing.

He loves placing a weekly accumulator on the football at the weekend and dreams of landing the big winner that will take him back to Las Vegas.

As well as writing sports betting tips for 888sport since 2015, Alex has produced content for several international media companies, such as Goal.com and The SPORTBible.

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Leeds United Transfer News: Leeds To Swoop For Shaqiri?

After the disappointing Leeds United transfer news regarding Michael Cuisance’s move, Whites fans will be relieved to hear that Xherdan Shaqiri is a possible target.

When one door closes, another opens and reports suggest that Leeds are interested in the wantaway Liverpool winger.

Shaqiri was left out of Liverpool’s squad for Thursday’s Carabao Cup clash with Arsenal and the Switzerland midfielder may be deemed surplus to requirements at Anfield.

Undoubtedly, the 28-year-old has slipped down the pecking order at Liverpool, with injuries and tough competition limiting him to just 42 appearances at the club since 2018.

Football outlet Goal claim that two unnamed clubs are in talks over Shaqiri, with Liverpool looking for a fee of around £20 million to seal the deal.

Leeds are lacking Premier League experience throughout the squad and Shaqiri would tick that particular box, as well as bringing creative quality to Elland Road.

With the Cuisance transfer falling through, Leeds could swoop for Shaqiri before Monday’s transfer deadline – providing they are willing to match Liverpool’s valuation.

Leeds have just four players with previous Premier League experience and Shaqiri could be as influential off the pitch as he is on it.

The Whites may have missed out on their main midfield target but Shaqiri can help Leeds to build for a long and successful future in England’s top division.

Leeds Consider Raid For Cagliari Star

Nahitan Nandez has been linked with a move to Leeds United for some time now but new reports suggest that the Whites could finally get their man in the coming days.

According to Sport Witness, reports in Italy state that there are ‘contacts in progress’ for a switch before the end of the summer transfer window.

Cagliari’s sporting director Pierluigi Carta has claimed that the club will not be able to reject a significant bid for any player, revealing: “I don’t want to be a hypocrite, if important offers arrive, you can’t refuse them. But the transfer market thrives on balance.”

Marcelo Bielsa is reportedly very fond of Nandez and the Leeds manager is likely to push for the Elland Road hierarchy to sanction a huge bid for the Cagliari midfielder.

According to Centrotentuno, the Serie A side have already rejected an offer from Leeds but Whites owner Andrea Radrizzani is friends with the higher ups at Cagliari and he could be influential in a potential deal.

Obviously, friendship can mean little when it comes to transfer business but Radrizzani may be able to tempt Cagliari to consider a slightly lesser fee.

Leeds fans will be following developments closely over the weekend as deadline day edges closer. It wouldn’t be a huge surprise to see the Whites try one last time to acquire Nandez before the October window slams shut.

Credit for the main photo belongs to Oli Scarff / Pool via AP*

October 2, 2020

News

By Alex McMahon

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Alex is a sports betting tipster, specialising in Premier League football, the Champions League and horse racing.

He loves placing a weekly accumulator on the football at the weekend and dreams of landing the big winner that will take him back to Las Vegas.

As well as writing sports betting tips for 888sport since 2015, Alex has produced content for several international media companies, such as Goal.com and The SPORTBible.

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Leeds United Transfer News: Cuisance Deal Off After Failed Medical

The shock piece of Leeds United transfer news this summer is in – Michael Cuisance’s move to Elland Road is off after the Bayern Munich star failed a medical.

The Whites had already started to agree personal terms with the midfielder but Leeds opted against signing Cuisance after an issue relating to one of his feet.

The Athletic journalist Phil Hay reported that the club pulled out on advice of Rob Price, the head of medicine at Elland Road.

Writing in The Athletic, Hay revealed, “The plan was to unveil Cuisance on Thursday. He took a flight from Munich on Wednesday and began undergoing a medical.

“Leeds were ready to meet his wage demands and finalise a long-term contract. They started putting together promotional material for his unveiling but the move came to a shuddering halt when scans turned up an issue with one of his feet.”

This news sent shockwaves across the Leeds fan base, with supporters expecting the Bayern Munich man to be playing for Leeds before the end of the month.

Marcelo Bielsa refused to comment on the deal in his press conference on Thursday, though it is highly likely the Leeds manager knew about the issue at that point.

There are no winners here. Leeds miss out on a potential superstar while Cuisance misses out on his dream move to the Premier League.

Leeds Urged To Reconsider Benrahma Bid

Said Benrahma was strongly linked with Leeds this summer and the Brentford star did his chances of a move no harm whatsoever with a superb performance against Fulham in the Carabao Cup.

Benrahma notched a brace in Brentford’s 3-0 victory over the Cottagers and supporters took to social media to hint at a potential move for the striker before the end of the transfer window.

Leeds are familiar with Benrahma after competing against Brentford in the Championship last season but The Athletic journalist Phil Hay states that the club have cooled interest in the striker.

With doubts over whether Benrahma fits Marcelo Bielsa’s philosophy and style, Leeds may look elsewhere if the Whites plan to make another signing before deadline day.

Fortunately, Premier League clubs can sign Football League players until October 16th so the Whites have an extra period of time to push for Benrahma’s signature.

Speaking to Football Insider, Kevin Phillips claimed that Leeds should make a late move to sign the Bees forward – stating that Benrahma looks a class above the Championship.

However, Brentford have slapped a £30 million valuation on the 25-year-old and that might be out of Leeds’ price range, particularly if the Whites are looking to sign Rodrigo De Paul.

Benrahma scored 17 goals and recorded 10 assists for Brentford last season, helping the club reach the playoff final. A move to the Premier League looks likely at some point in the near future.

Credit for the main photo belongs to Oli Scarff / Pool via AP*

October 2, 2020

News

By Alex McMahon

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Alex is a sports betting tipster, specialising in Premier League football, the Champions League and horse racing.

He loves placing a weekly accumulator on the football at the weekend and dreams of landing the big winner that will take him back to Las Vegas.

As well as writing sports betting tips for 888sport since 2015, Alex has produced content for several international media companies, such as Goal.com and The SPORTBible.

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How Can The League Cup Be Improved?

The League Cup is often criticised. Where the FA Cup has prestige and romance, the League Cup is all too often viewed as an inconvenience, a tournament that clutters early season schedules with little reward.

Winning the Carabao (or whatever sponsor’s name it holds) Cup is downplayed. It is a cliché to not care when you’re knocked out, but there’s some truth in that.

Clubs, focused on the millions at stake for promotion, in the Premier League or in Europe, often show no more than a token interest in English football’s least-valued competition.

The ‘big six’ have won 14 of the last 16 League Cups. Birmingham’s shock win in 2011 and Swansea’s thrashing of Bradford in the 2013 final are the only exceptions to the supremacy of England’s richest football clubs.

Remove Premier League Big Boys

The European teams already get a benefit of joining the competition late, a favourable bye aiding their chances of lifting the trophy.

There are legitimate reasons for this – helping the teams competing in the Champions League and Europa League is something done around Europe. Partly because of their power, partly to improve coefficients.

The teams with greater resources than everyone else, receiving yet more finances from their European jaunts, already have sufficient advantage.

Manchester City can already take players from the majority of Premier League clubs at their will. Chelsea can splash the cash on Timo Werner, Kai Havertz and Ben Chilwell. When their world-record goalkeeper underperforms, they simply buy another.

It would be naïve to pretend those clubs will have their bye taken away. Given the additional fixtures they play in Europe, taking a match off their schedule is justifiable to a degree.

There are other means to attempt to level the playing field, however. The most drastic option would be to remove them from the League Cup altogether.

That would give a brutal hit to the prestige of the competition, and it would only further its image as a second-rate trophy, but it opens up possibilities.

Bottom half Premier League teams and the best Championship sides will still be underdogs when they face Everton or Wolves.

They are still fighting against a financial disparity, but their chances of overcoming either of those sides are much greater than they are of beating even a weakened Manchester City or Liverpool.

If that is too crude a measure, some form of handicap could be imposed on the European teams.

We’re not talking about starting two goals behind or anything like that, but they could have a quota of under-21 players they have to start, or maybe they can only use players who have played below a certain percentage of Premier League minutes this season.

It’s still imperfect, of course. The ‘big six’ often throw a group of youngsters into League Cup action anyway, and even players who are rarely used in the league, such as Olivier Giroud, are more than capable of beating most top flight sides.

One Leg Semi-Finals

This takes us onto a more subtle tweak. Semi-finals being played at Wembley is often a hot topic in FA Cup betting.

In the League Cup, the round has previously been played over two legs in January. With the 2020/21 season starting late, they have moved to a one-leg semi-final, a change that should stick long-term.

The timing of the matches can cause some manic schedules. Throwing a two-legged tie in just after the unhealthily intense festive period is silly.

More importantly, though, having two matches will favour the stronger team. They have the chance to redeem from a poor performance, or to throw their best players into the tie in the second match if it’s heading in the wrong direction.

Aston Villa defied this logic to beat Leicester in the semi-finals in 2019/20, but for the most part, it makes upsets less likely.

Hull, Everton and Sheffield United have all fallen at the semi-finals to superior opposition since 2014/15 despite winning or drawing one of the legs. Perhaps one of them sneaks into the final if it’s a one-legged tie.

It’s rare the ‘big six’ fall before the semi-finals without facing one another.

Removing one of the semi-final matches seems an obvious, and frankly overdue, move, but it probably doesn’t do enough to bring unpredictability to the League Cup without other changes to the earlier rounds.

Does It Serve A Purpose?

There are alterations that can make the League Cup better. Perhaps, though, it’s just a competition that has run its course, a cup unable to grasp any relevance amid the hundreds of millions on offer for promotion and European places.

Having more silverware for teams to win seems like a good thing, but that only works if there’s a degree of randomness.

The League Cup, in its current guise at least, doesn’t have that. It’s a competition for the top teams, and even they are barely interested in it a lot of the time.

Too often the League Cup betting favourites are left fighting it out in the last four. There are concerns with top team dominance in the FA Cup too, but it’s just as prevalent in the League Cup.

How can the League Cup be improved? #CarabaoCup
— 888sport (@888sport) September 15, 2020

The strength in depth of the country’s wealthiest sides is important, of course, as is the timing of the competition.

Teams are still finding their feet when the League Cup begins. In some cases, players are still working up to match fitness, and the majority of teams are yet to understand what the season holds for them.

The lure of resting and rotating for the uninspiring midweek ties is too great. The competition needs changes. One-leg semi-finals is a step in the right direction.

Ultimately, though, how many fans would miss the League Cup? It’s not a tournament that excites supporters, and that sentiment appears similar among many involved with clubs.

Maybe the League Cup is just living on borrowed time. It could be gone, or it could be unrecognisable in five years’ time.

Credit for the main photo belongs to Matt Dunham / Pool via AP*

FIRST PUBLISHED: 1st October 2020

October 1, 2020

Football

By Sam Cox

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Leeds United Transfer News: Casilla Set To Stay At Elland Road

Despite reports to the contrary, it appears Kiko Casilla will be remaining a Leeds player beyond the upcoming transfer deadline.

Leeds United transfer news had suggested Casilla could be in line for a return to Spain, but The Athletic’s Phil Hay expects him to stay at the club.

The Telegraph had claimed he may leave the Whites, and the Twitter rumour mill went into overdrive, suggesting a return to La Liga.

Hay, one of the most reliable sources for Leeds news, wrote for The Athletic about Casilla’s future in light of Illan Melsier becoming number one.

“Sources at Leeds say Casilla will stay at Elland Road beyond the end of the transfer window.”

Casilla’s future, in the short-term at least, is in Yorkshire. Hay made it clear Leeds are not trying to force him out, despite what many fans want.

“Despite his racism ban and the negative reaction of their own support towards him, there is nothing in the offing for him before Monday’s transfer deadline and no inclination on Leeds’ part to push him out.”

Leeds have been at the forefront of Premier League transfer rumours all offseason. Goalkeepers have been mentioned relatively frequently, including Southampton’s Angus Gunn.

With no incomings likely, though, the Whites look set to stick with Casilla as their backup option.

Bielsa Not Drawn On Cuisance

Marcelo Bielsa was asked about an array of topics during his press conference. From his relationship with Pep Guardiola to the handball rule, the questions eventually switched to Michael Cuisance.

It has been widely reported, including by 888Sport, that Cuisance is on his way to Leeds. It’s thought he had a medical on Wednesday and has made his desire to leave Bayern Munich clear.

Bielsa was asked what he likes about Cuisance and why he wants to bring him to Elland Road. Learning from previous mistakes, he wasn’t sucked in and refused to comment.

“I would prefer to talk about him when he is officially our player. I don’t want to repeat the episode with Dan James.”

Sessegnon On The Market

Left out of Tottenham’s squad for the Carabao Cup in midweek, Ryan Sessegnon looks destined to leave north London before the window shuts.

According to The Scottish Daily Mail, the youngster will be ‘farmed out in the coming days’. Per the report, Leeds made a formal approach for Sessegnon, but Celtic are the favourites to land him on a season-long loan.

A move to Elland Road doesn’t make much sense for Leeds or Spurs. Sessegnon needs game time, and Leeds cannot guarantee that with Stuart Dallas and Jack Harrison the first choice options on the left.

On a sizeable wage, too, Sessegnon would be an expensive depth option even for big-spending Leeds.

Credit for the main photo belongs to Oli Scarff / Pool via AP*

October 1, 2020

News

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