You know, when we headed into the new three-week international break, I knew it was going to be different, but I didn’t expect this much drama. Obviously, the biggest news came off the pitch, with Manchester City found guilty by an Independent Commission of 114 of the 115 charges relating to serious financial breaches, as well as the majority of charges relating to their failure to cooperate with the Premier League’s investigation. In a nutshell, the Cityzens were found to have used sham commercial deals to disguise funding and artificially inflate revenues and reduce costs by more than £900 million. While City have strongly denied the allegations and have now formally lodged an appeal against the verdict, the potential sanctions, which could include huge fines, points deductions and other sporting penalties, could be historic.
But that aside, let’s quickly review the international break, look forward to an October filled with action, and share some of our football predictions, especially with the return of the Champions League.
Arsenal and the Havertz Replacement Question
Let's start with what's confirmed. Kai Havertz will not face Leeds. The 27-year-old withdrew from Germany's squad with a hamstring injury suffered against the Netherlands and returned to London for scans. According to reports, Havertz won’t be back till mid-October.
That leaves Arteta a genuine call between Viktor Gyökeres and Mikel Merino. Gyökeres is the more natural number nine - direct runs in behind, real penalty-area threat, the kind of movement that punishes a high line. The problem has been service and form: he has started only twice in the league all season and his touch in the final third has looked rusty. However, there’s an argument to be made that no player has enjoyed the international break more than the Swedish striker. Gyökeres scored in each of his four games during the break, setting a new record for consecutive games scored in UEFA Nations League… seven. This is a huge confidence booster heading back to North London.
Merino offers something different: aerial presence, link play that keeps the ball moving through midfield, and the kind of late box arrival that doesn't need a defined "striker" role to work. Several respected voices in the English press have already backed Merino as the false-nine option for Leeds, pointing to his chance-creation and duels numbers from last season, both ahead of Gyökeres per 90 minutes. Also, Merino was in fine form over the break with three goals and an assist in Spain’s four games, including an impressive brace off the bench to seal a comeback victory over Croatia.
Our call: start Merino, bring Gyökeres on once Leeds tire. It isn't a verdict on Gyökeres's talent, it's rotation that protects a player short on rhythm while using Merino's all-round game. With a Champions League home game against Lille on Tuesday, this might be the safer bet.
Winners And Losers From The International Break
Three performers return with real momentum, two have questions to answer and one was left with egg on his face. We're judging this against minutes, role and opposition. Also,
Winner: Michael Olise (France)
Just before the international break, Raphinha was widely regarded as the best player in the world. However, over the last three weeks, Michael Olise has certainly given him a run for his money, with many now believing the 24-year-old Frenchman is the best player in the world right now. Olise contributed to goals in all four games for France, scoring four goals and providing two assists as he helped Zinedine Zidane start his first four games in charge with three wins and a draw. That freekick against Italy… Christ!
The last time we saw Olise in action for Bayern, he scored a hat-trick and grabbed an assist as the Bavarians smashed Union Berlin 7-0. Bayern return this weekend with a trip to Augsburg before facing Vikings FK in the UCL, and our bet of the day is for him to score in both games.
Winner: Viktor Gyökeres (Sweden)
As stated earlier, the Arsenal forward shook off his terrible club form to lead Sweden to three wins and a draw in four games, courtesy four goals in four Nations League games. He’s going to get significant minutes against Leeds and you can double your betting stake by betting on him as an anytime scorer.
Winner: The Rebirth of Greek Football
Built around exciting young talents like Borussia Dortmund’s Konstantinos Karetsas (18), Brighton duo Charalampos Kostoulas (19) and Stefanos Tzimas (20), Hull City’s Christos Mouzakitis (19), Wolfsburg’s Konstantinos Koulierakis (22) and, of course, Arsenal’s Christos Tzolis (24), Greece went unbeaten across four games this break. They beat Serbia and Germany away from home before holding a Dutch side that needed an 89th-minute equalizer, followed by a goalless draw with a German team desperate for a result after losing to them the week before. This is probably the most exciting time for Greek international football since 2004, when they beat Portugal to become European champions. Speaking of Portugal…
Loser: Cristiano Ronaldo - Portugal
In a week when Lionel Messi was being celebrated and idolized for an extraordinary international career, his greatest rival, Cristiano Ronaldo, found himself at the centre of an entirely different kind of story. Ronaldo left the Portugal camp after what he perceived as disrespect from newly appointed Head Coach Jorge Jesus, having been left as an unused substitute against Norway. While Messi was being celebrated as a national hero, Ronaldo was walking away from his national team camp unhappy with how he was being treated. For now, the situation remains unresolved, but surely this would be a sad and rather unfortunate way for one of the greatest international careers of all time to come to an end.
Loser: Nigeria National Football Team
So, the Super Eagles barely scraped past Madagascar in Uyo, in a game where we had to come from a goal down to win 2-1. Then we followed that up with a humiliating 3-0 loss to Guinea-Bissau despite starting seven Premier League players. Now, and I genuinely cannot believe I’m typing these words, our qualification for the 2027 AFCON is in jeopardy. Yes, we’ve gone from being a nation that missed back-to-back World Cup editions to one that is now on the verge of missing the AFCON.
Can Camavinga Carry His France Form Back to Madrid?
Eduardo Camavinga arrived in this France camp having barely featured for Real Madrid under José Mourinho, so his role here is worth reading carefully. Recalled by new coach Zinedine Zidane, he started the win over Belgium and followed it with 88 minutes in the return fixture, completing the large majority of his passes and contributing four interceptions and eight recoveries.
The useful change wasn't output, it was usage: Zidane has played him in a midfield built to carry the ball forward rather than simply screen it, with runners ahead of him rather than beside him. That's close to the deeper, more progressive role Mourinho has occasionally tried at Madrid, which suggests a genuine template rather than a one-off. One good window doesn't undo a season of limited minutes, but Mourinho now has a clearer answer on what gets the best from him.
Champions League Returns With A Bang!
On October 13, the greatest club competition on the planet returns with 18 Champions League fixtures. Atletico Madrid lost to Liverpool on Matchday 1 and will be itching to get back in the win column when they host Manchester United. The Red Devils have struggled for most of this season, conceding goals at a comical rate. This will be a real test of their European ambitions, as a win could breathe some much-needed life into their season.
Elsewhere, Jose Mourinho returns to his old stomping ground as Real Madrid visit high-flying AS Roma. I Giallorossi are unbeaten in all competitions this season and sit top of the Serie A standings, although they could only manage a draw with Fenerbahce on Matchday 1. This has all the makings of a tightly contested game.
This matchday will also see Villarreal face Napoli while Aston Villa host the talented Fenerbahce, but the game of the week is undoubtedly Manchester City vs. PSG. The two-time reigning champions travel to England with their eyes on another statement win, but they face a Man City side dealing with the biggest scandal in recent memory. With the pressure mounting off the pitch and PSG coming to town, can City keep their focus where it matters and deliver on the biggest stage?
NPFL and the Race Taking Shape at Home
The NPFL has had its fair share of drama over the past few weeks. We’ve had a few Lagos derbies, some entertaining social media banter between clubs, but the most interesting story has come out of Aba.
A couple of weeks ago, Enyimba, the country’s most decorated football club, were sitting at the bottom of the standings while a power struggle was brewing in the boardroom. That internal battle reached its climax on the 21st of September when Club Sporting Director Daniel Eke allegedly arrived at the training ground accompanied by police/RRS officers. Certain club officials were reportedly removed from the facility, while players, coaches, and other personnel were subsequently taken to the police station. I wonder if Netflix will ever do a documentary on that. The crazy thing is, it seems to have worked, at least for the players. Since that incident, Enyimba have won two and drawn one of their three games, moving up to 15th in the table. Maybe Manchester United should consider having poli… never mind.
Elsewhere, reigning champions Rangers International lead the NPFL with 16 points after seven rounds, one place and one point ahead of Rivers United, who have the division's best goal difference at +11 and best defense (2 goals conceded) remain unbeaten. Barau sit fourth on 12 points after an eye-catching start to the campaign.
The fixture that matters most on Matchday 8: Barau hosts Rangers International on 11th October, a genuine top-of-the-table collision between the league leaders and a Top Four hopeful. You don’t want to miss that.
NBA Tipoff
The NBA regular season opens on 20th October, with the in-season NBA Cup group stage starting 30th October.
Eastern Conference: Defending champions New York return largely intact and remain the team to beat until someone proves otherwise. Philadelphia's offseason was the loudest in the league - LeBron James and Jaylen Brown arriving to join Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey - which makes them our finalist pick if health cooperates; that's a significant if, given Embiid's recent injury history. Miami's addition of Giannis Antetokounmpo gives them a ceiling nobody else in the conference has, but a thin supporting cast makes them our dark horse rather than the favourite. Then, of course, we have the Boston Celtics who are a well-oiled machine, the Raptors with Kawhi Leonard, last season’s #1 seed the Pistons and the perennial underachievers, the Cavaliers.
Western Conference: Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs will be looking to make up for their choke job in last season’s Finals, where they blew multiple 20-point leads to the Knicks. They remain slight favourites to come out of the West, but they’ll obviously face major competition from reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder. The Denver Nuggets, led by Nikola Jokic, will also be in the mix, especially if they can stay healthy. This offseason, they added veteran forward DeMar DeRozan, who is expected to come off the bench. A proven scorer off the bench has always been a great recipe for success in my opinion, and if DeRozan can give the Nuggets something they lacked last season, they could be a very dangerous team. The Timberwolves’ addition of LaMelo Ball has also created arguably the most exciting backcourt in the league, giving them another offensive weapon alongside Anthony Edwards.
WNBA Semis and Finals
October will see the WNBA crown a (new) champion. Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever’s historic offense weren’t enough to topple the reigning champions, Las Vegas Aces, but there’s still plenty to look forward to. Newly crowned Defensive Player of the Year Angel Reese is looking to make her first Finals appearance as she leads the Atlanta Dream against the 2024 champions, New York Liberty. A’ja Wilson and the Aces, meanwhile, face a tricky semi-final against the Golden State Valkyries, who may not have the star power of the other three semi-finalists but boast a historic defense capable of suffocating opposing stars. The Valkyries also have an interesting X-factor in Head Coach Natalie Nakase. The 46-year-old California native spent three years as an assistant coach with the Aces, helping them win back-to-back titles in 2022 and 2023. If there’s one person who knows the secrets behind the Aces’ dynasty and how to break it, it’s Nakase.
Other Notable Sporting Events in October
There’s a lot more to look forward to in October, and we’ve got all of it covered for our online sports betting community. The Rugby League World Cup gets underway on October 15, with co-hosts Australia looking to retain the title on home soil.
Then there’s the Formula 1 United States Grand Prix (October 23-25) and the Formula 1 Mexican Grand Prix (October 30 - November 1) for our motorsport fans. We’ve also got the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup kicking off on October 17, where the Flamingos of Nigeria will be unfairly burdened with wiping some of the shame off our faces. And finally, if you’re into baseball, you surely can’t wait for October 23, when the World Series gets underway. On BetKing, we have the best odds for these events and more.
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