by Chike Nwoye
We’ve got some mouthwatering Champions League fixtures coming up next week, but first, the weekend gives us plenty to get stuck into. The FA Cup takes centre stage, while Paris Saint-Germain and AS Monaco meet again in Paris for the fourth time this season. There’s also big UFC action as Max Holloway and Charles Oliveira go head-to-head. And then, the headline act - the Milan Derby. Here are our picks on how to get the most value out of your betting stake.
Our Picks:
| League | Fixture | Tips | Bet |
| Serie A | Milan vs. Inter | Inter 1UP | Bet Now |
| LaLiga | Celta Vigo vs. Real Madrid | Double Chance: Celta Vigo Win or Draw | Bet Now |
| LaLiga | Atletico Madrid vs. Real Sociedad | Atletico Madrid 1UP | Bet Now |
| FA Cup | Mansfield vs. Arsenal | Arsenal to Score in Both Halves | Bet Now |
| FA Cup | Wrexham vs. Chelsea | Both Teams To Score | Bet Now |
| FA Cup | Newcastle United vs. Manchester City | Man City to Qualify | Bet Now |
| LaLiga | Athletic Bilbao vs. Barcelona | Barcelona Over 1.5 Goals | Bet Now |
| Ligue 1 | Paris Saint-Germain vs. Monaco | Red Card Given | Bet Now |
| UFC | UFC 326: Max Holloway vs. Charles Oliveira | Max Holloway Win | Bet Now |
The Derby della Madonnina is back on Sunday as Milan and Inter clash at San Siro, and this one carries real Scudetto weight. It’s second against first with 10 points between them.
Inter comes in superb league form with their Serie A results proving that. They’ve won 22 of 27 league games, are on an eight-match league winning streak, and have won 14 of their last 15. A 2-0 win over Genoa last time out summed up their season: controlled, clinical, ruthless.
The Nerazzurri have also scored 64 and conceded just 21, with six clean sheets in their last eight. Even more impressive is their +43-goal difference and the look of a side that rarely needs to get out of second gear domestically. Except when they face Bodo/Glimt. (Too early, Inter fans? Apologies)
There is one big caveat ahead of this match: Inter skipper, Lautaro Martinez (14 league goals) misses out with a calf injury. That shifts more responsibility onto Marcus Thuram and the supporting cast but Inter have had goals from everywhere lately - Dimarco and Calhanoglu both on the scoresheet against Genoa - so they’re not a one-man attack. Still, this feels like a game for Thuram to make an impact. The French forward was benched for the midweek Coppa Italia game at Como and should start this Sunday. This campaign, he has 12 goals across all competitions, with 7 coming in the league. He delivers in big games and will be leaned on again this weekend.
Milan sit second but trail by 10 points, making this a must-win game. They’ve won three of their last five but dropped points against Parma and Como, and their only two league defeats this season have come at home. That said, the Rossoneri have been good in big games: unbeaten in six derbies (four wins, two draws) and unbeaten in 13 against top-ten sides. They’ve also beaten Inter earlier this season - the Nerazzurri’s last league loss. In that game, Inter had 17 shots (to Milan’s 8) and 64% of the ball. Still, Milan were able to weather the storm and steal a 1-0 win, thanks to Christian Pulisic.
But derbies don’t always follow patterns. Historically, this fixture averages around 2.5 goals per game, and both sides have pace and quality in wide areas. Milan’s best route could be transition football through Leao and Pulisic (fitness pending), while Inter will stick to structured buildup and territorial control.
Inter are clearly the better team and deserve favourite status. Still, Milan’s recent derby edge and big-game resilience suggest this won’t be straightforward.
Back-to-back league defeats have flipped the script for Real Madrid. They’ve gone from sitting two points clear at the top to now trailing Barcelona by four. Next up is a must-win clash with a Celta Vigo side chasing European football and full of confidence. Celta come into this on a four-game winning streak in all competitions, and they won’t be short on belief, having beaten Madrid 2–0 at the Santiago Bernabéu in December, a fiery game that saw Los Blancos finish with three red cards. That result snapped Madrid’s run of 11 straight wins against them and you can imagine they’d want to build on that.
There may not be a better time for Celta to strike again, with Madrid dealing with major injury blows to Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappé and Rodrygo (ruled out for the season with an ACL tear). With momentum on their side, our bet of the day is for the hosts to get at least a point here.
In what is a dress rehearsal for the Copa del Rey final following both teams’ wins in their respective semi-finals, Atletico Madrid and Real Sociedad lock horns on Saturday. Their last meeting this season was tense, and it finished 1–1, which felt about right. Form-wise, there’s not much separating them either, with both sides picking up just two wins from their last five league games.
The difference might come down to home and away form. Atleti boast the second-best home record in the league, winning 11 and drawing one of their 13 games. Real Sociedad, meanwhile, have just three away wins all season. With that in mind, I’m leaning towards Atleti getting a positive result here, and 1UP feels like the sensible way to play it.
Mansfield Town’s fairytale looks set to hit the brakes on Saturday when they run into Arsenal. Their League One form has fallen off a cliff - nine games without a win has dragged them down to 16th and flirting a little too close to the relegation zone. Arsenal are likely to rotate heavily, but even with changes, you’d still expect them to handle business comfortably. The value for our online betting community lies in the goals, specifically Arsenal to score in both halves.
Wrexham have been riding a crazy wave these past few years, sealing three straight promotions and now sitting in a playoff spot that could put them one step away from a fourth, this time to the Premier League. It genuinely feels like something straight out of Hollywood, doesn’t it? It really does.
In their first FA Cup fifth-round appearance in 29 years, they’re up against a Chelsea side that hasn’t exactly been steady this season and can be caught slipping on the wrong day. They responded to the loss at Arsenal with a commanding win over Aston Villa which featured a Joao Pedro hat-trick. So, you’d expect them to ride that momentum and get the job done. Still, the smarter angle here might be goals, because this has all the signs of a game with a few in it.
These two must be tired of seeing each other by now as this will be their fifth meeting of the season across three domestic competitions. Newcastle drew first blood back in late November with a 2–1 win, but since then it’s been all Manchester City. Pep Guardiola’s side have taken the next three, including wins in the EFL Cup semis.
Zoom out a bit and the trend is even clearer: City have won 17 of the last 23 meetings between the sides. You know what, scrap the idea that they’re tired of facing the Magpies - City probably love this matchup.
With injuries affecting both squads, City’s depth gives them the edge. I’m leaning towards City getting it done again and punching their ticket to the quarter-finals. It could go to extra-time, though. So, let’s keep that in mind.
Barcelona came painfully close to pulling off another Remontada on Tuesday against Atletico Madrid in the Copa del Rey. Trailing 4–0 from the first leg, they had a 3–0 lead with 18 minutes left but just couldn’t find that fourth goal to force extra time. Still, it was a loud reminder of how dangerous this side can be when everything clicks.
Now, with a four-point cushion at the top of the league, they turn their focus to Athletic Bilbao knowing another win pushes them closer to being LaLiga winners for the second year in a row.
The head-to-head between Bilbao and Barcelona this season has been brutally one-sided; two meetings, two wins, and a combined 9–0 scoreline in favour of the Catalans. There’s a noticeable gap in quality between the sides, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the visitors deliver another statement performance.
In what will be their fourth meeting of the season - and third in just 17 days - French heavyweights AS Monaco and Paris Saint-Germain square off in what feels like a proper Friday night blockbuster. Monaco have every reason to believe they can get something here based on how the previous clashes have played out. They got a 2-1 win in November and were then edged out 5–4 on aggregate in the Champions League, losing 3–2 in the first leg before a 2–2 draw in the return fixture.
One crazy pattern, though, is that Monaco have had a player sent off in all three meetings. Across 270 minutes, they’ve played 84 of those with 10 men. Worrying, yes, but also impressive that they’ve stayed competitive.
From a betting angle, a red card market definitely stands out. It’s risky, but the history and intensity back it up. Over the weekend, our call for the “Arsenal vs. Chelsea” match to produce a red card paid off. I say we go again. Also, with Monaco scoring in all three previous games, backing them to find the net again is another angle worth a look. On BetKing, we have the best odds for these
Former champions collide again as Max Holloway defends the BMF belt against Charles Oliveira at UFC 326, 11 years after their first fight ended via Oliveira injury. It’s a classic striker vs. grappler: Holloway’s relentless volume, cardio and durability against Oliveira’s record-setting submission game and finishing instincts. Holloway thrives over five rounds and has beaten elite names, while Oliveira’s chaos and scrambling can end fights instantly. Expect pressure from Oliveira and high output from Holloway. With both known finishers and the BMF title on the line, the fight is lively to go over 2.5 rounds with Max retaining his title.
1UP is the exciting new market that gets you paid as soon as your team takes a lead. Quick, early, no long story. Full-time predictions don’t really matter here - only goals. To read more about 1UP, click here.