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The Premier League season is in full swing, and several intriguing storylines have already been created. Any question marks over if Arsenal could back up their title-winning campaign from last season, have been all but put to bed, by the dominance which the Gunners have exerted early doors. Mikel Arteta’s men have beaten Manchester City, Coventry, Aston Villa, Chelsea and Napoli by an aggregate score of 10-1. 


The Champions travel to Sunderland tomorrow, a side who have only won one of their last 29 Premier League meetings against them (a 1-0 win back in 2009). More recently, Arsenal have put 16 past the Black Cats in the last five meetings between the pair and they have won four of those.

Lazio will look to make it four wins from four matches when they take on AC Milan at the Stadio Olimpico on Saturday evening.The White and Sky Blues are one of only three teams that have won their opening three games, but only two points separate the two sides, with AC Milan collecting seven points so far.Lazio are now under the stewardship of former AC Milan midfielder Gennaro Gattuso, and he has made his team difficult to beat as he continues to pride his team on their ability to fight and defend for 90 minutes.AC Milan are also now under new management, with Ruben Amorim replacing Massimiliano Allegri.

The Champions League is back - who will get their hands on the famous trophy in Madrid on 5 June next year? Paris St-Germain are the betting favourites are aiming to win the title for the third year running as the league phase begins on Tuesday.


The game of the week will see Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid hosting his former club Inter Milan. Inter Milan lost five of their final six Champions League matches last season, including a 2-1 defeat at Atletico Madrid and home and away losses to Bodo Glimt. They return to European action after a 3-2 win over Napoli on Saturday, but Cristian Chivu’s side had to come back from 2-0 down in that win.Real Madrid are fresh from their first defeat of the season, with Kylian Mbappe missing a penalty in a 1-0 loss at Real Betis on Friday night- so expect them to be desperate to bounceback in Tuesday's opener.

The Champions League is back - who will get their hands on the famous trophy in Madrid on 5 June next year? Paris St-Germain are the betting favourites are aiming to win the title for the third year running as the league phase begins on Tuesday. Five English teams will try to stop them, with Arsenal the favourites to better their runners-up slot from last year. Billi takes a deep dive into the Futures market, including the top 6 and positions 9-24- before closing out with a Lock. 

United bounced back from a shock defeat to Hull by beating Ipswich last time out, however, Sunday’s trip to Everton will be the first time this season when they are not facing a promoted team.

Everton have enjoyed a positive start to the Premier League season but have seen their squad weakened ahead of the visit of Manchester United on Sunday.The Merseyside club sanctioned exits for Beto and Iliman Ndiaye but were unable to land replacements as a proposed swoop for Folarin Balogun fell through, although Jack Grealish and Ainsley Maitland-Niles have arrived at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Matchday 3 begins with the game of the week, as Inter Milan host Napoli. Inter have been crowned Serie A champions and won the Coppa Italia in the six months since their last meeting with Napoli, and they again look the team to beat in Italy. Cristian Chivu has kept the core of his side intact while still adding quality in the form of John Stones and Curtis Jones, and the Nerazzurri can lay down a first real marker to their title rivals this weekend. Wins over Monza and Cagliari were expected, so last season’s runners-up Napoli are set to provide Inter’s first test of the campaign. 

The Premier League season is in full swing, and several intriguing storylines have already been created. On matchday two, there was more misery for Tottenham Hotspur, a new-look Manchester City cranking into gear and Hull City getting a huge win over a relegation rival. 
The biggest match of the weekend takes place at the Emirates on Sunday afternoon when defending champions Arsenal host Chelsea. Many have tipped Chelsea to be the team to challenge The Gunners for this season’s Premier League title, and with a star-studded attack featuring Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Joao Pedro, they certainly have the firepower.

Manchester United are aiming to bounce back from last weekend’s shock 2-0 loss at Hull when they take on another newly-promoted side in Ipswich at Old Trafford on Sunday.It was a dismal afternoon for United at the MKM Stadium and Michael Carrick will demand a response from his side against an Ipswich team they have a strong record against.The Red Devils are unbeaten in the last eight meetings between the two sides, a run that was kickstarted by a memorable 9-0 victory at Old Trafford in March 1995.

The game of the weekend is sees two teams that finished in the top four in Serie A last season meet at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, as Napoli host Como.Napoli finished second behind Inter Milan last year, but manager Antonio Conte decided to step down in May, with Massimiliano Allegri now at the helm.The hosts had no issues winning their first game of the season under Allegri against Genoa, but a clash with Como is a much tougher assignment, as Napoli found out last season.

The opening weekend has already given us plenty to think about, but there's little time to dwell on those results as the Premier League moves into its second round of fixtures. From Manchester City's trip to Selhurst Park and Spurs facing Newcastle to Arsenal heading to Villa Park, there are some intriguing games ahead.

Billi breaks down the betting lines - giving you picks for 8 of the 10 matches - before closing out with his Lock, and letting you know where you can find TWO additional BONUS LOCKS for this Matchday 2 slate.

Don’t forget, to get all of your official plays, go to LockBetting dot com.A service that has delivered one hundred and fifty eight consecutive months of transparent and tracked profit, with all the spreadsheets posted publicly at LockBetting on Instagram.

Despite a summer which saw idolised manager Simone Inzaghi depart, Inter cruised to the title last season, finishing 11 points clear of second-place Napoli to retake the Scudetto from the Partenopei.

The Nerazzurri are expected to be the best team in Italy again and are priced up as the +100 favourites to retain their trophy. They begin their season this evening at home to newly promoted Monza, and should have no issues in getting their title defence off to the perfect start. 

Manchester United should be aiming for a Premier League title challenge after a hugely encouraging third-place finish in 2025-26. Michael Carrick galvanised a confidence-stricken squad after replacing Ruben Amorim in January, delivering 12 wins from 17 games and 39 points, more than any other side in the same time period.

The INEOS-led ownership group subsequently handed Carrick a permanent two-year contract that includes the option for an extra year, which was fully deserved. However, they have not yet given the beloved former United midfielder the full backing he needs in the transfer market.
As a result, it feels very unlikely that the Premier League trophy will finally heading back to Old Trafford next May. Carrick is still the picture of composure on the surface, but he will be acutely aware that the Red Devils could be in for yet another frustrating season.

The EPL is Back! The new Premier League season kicks off tomorrow, and Billi gives you all the actionable betting information you need for the opening weekend. Arsenal open their defence at home to Coventry City, who won promotion by landing the Championship title last season. The Sky Blues have invested heavily over the summer and look to have put together a squad that has a decent chance of avoiding an immediate return to the second tier – but they are starting the new season with, what is on paper, the toughest possible test.

The game of the weekend will arguably take place on Sunday afternoon, as Newcastle host Liverpool. Both Liverpool and Newcastle are coming to terms with changes in the dugout, but it seems that Andoni Iraola’s move to Anfield has gone a lot smoother than Matthias Jaissle's 11th hour appointment. Newcastle have had a tumultuous summer with the departure of stars Sandro Tonali, Anthony Gordon and Bruno Guimaraes. However, Manager Eddie Howe, the man who took the north-east outfit back into the Champions League, may prove to be their biggest loss. The cloth has been cut and it has left them in a difficult position, so the visit of Liverpool, a team who they have failed to beat in their last 19 league meetings, is far from an ideal start to the new campaign.

The Premier League returns on friday, and will be heightened by a different level of intrigue. There will an unprecedented nine clubs with new managers this season, and nine teams competing in Europe. With all this churn and change and the challenges European football brings, this season could spring a surprise or two. So, who’s best avoided and where’s the value in the Top Half, Bottom Half, Top 4 and Top 6 markets? Which 3 clubs clubs could be playing in the Championship next season?

Billi tries to answer all in this second of two EPL season previews. As promised, this episode closes out with TWO Futures Locks. It also features an exciting announcement to mark the 300th episode and the EPL Show. 

The Premier League returns on August 21st, heightened by a different level of intrigue. For the first time in nearly a decade, Manchester will not have Pep Guardiola, and they will not begin the season as favourites, champions or even as the team everyone else is chasing. Arsenal enter the campaign as the defending champions, for the first time in 22 years, and as 6/4 favourites to retain the crown.

The 2026 World Cup was the first to feature 48 teams across three countries, and the Premier League is already feeling the consequences. A total of 182 players from the EPL represented their nations in North America - and for those who went deep into the tournament, the turnaround to the new season is brutal. With the World Cup final having taken place just 33 days before the opening weekend, the 2026/27 campaign begins in a state of genuine, wide-open uncertainty for English football. In this episode - your first of two Futures betting shows -  Billi cross-examines the main contenders in the "Outright Winner" market. 

Manchester City begin the Enzo Maresca era in earnest when they face Premier League champions Arsenal at the Principality Stadium on Sunday, with both teams coming into this curtain-raiser after relatively low-key pre-seasons.The Gunners have only won one of their four pre-season friendlies and Maresca is yet to field some of his stars after an extended period of rest after the World Cup.Citizens struggle in Community ShieldLast season’s Community Shield, won on penalties by Crystal Palace, ended a run of four successive seasons of Manchester City participation, but the season opener has not always been kind to the Citizens.They have finished as runners-up in nine of their 16 attempts and have not won the title in normal time since 2018, winning two of their five entries since then on penalties.

The Premier League's summer 2026 transfer window officially opened on Monday 15 June and will close on Tuesday 1 September at 23:00 BST. With just 9 games to go until the big kick-off, Billi cross-examines the league's most significant hits and misses so far.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup concluded with Spain capturing their second world championship by defeating Argentina in a dominant final at MetLife Stadium. The expanded 48-team tournament featured historic comebacks, superstar milestones, and tactical mastery. Most importantly for you guys, The Soccer Betting Podcast, when it mattered the most, cemented itself as the No.1 football betting podcast on the planet, verified by independent and publicised tracking that charted us at No.1 for the tournament- going 88.9% for the group stages and 71.4% for the knockouts. 


As always, there is no time to stop and soak in the glory, because life doesn't stop and neither can we, and in the midst of the World Cup, many of EPL teams certainly didn't stop and have super busy in the transfer market. Tottenham have been one of the standouts as far as "doing business" goes, but has their window actually been any good? Meanwhile, Chelsea have broken the British transfer fee once again by spending £117m on Morgan Rogers, but is the England man truly worth anywhere near that price tag? 

After over a month of action, the World Cup comes to a close on Sunday night as Spain and Argentina meet in the final at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.Spain came into the competition as the favourites but some uninspiring displays in the group stages saw them drop behind France in the betting. La Roja were the underdogs ahead of their semi-final with Les Bleus but they ultimately claimed a fairly comfortable 2-0 win, as they made France’s fearsome attack look incredibly ordinary.Argentina are bidding to become just the third team to win back-to-back World Cups after their triumph in Qatar four years ago. Italy were the first team to achieve that feat in 1934 and 1938, followed by Brazil in 1958 and 1962. The South Americans have now reached three of the last four finals but they are the clear underdogs for the 2026 showpiece.Like Spain, Argentina were the underdogs for their semi-final clash with England and for large periods of that game they were very much second best. The Three Lions took the lead early in the second half but Thomas Tuchel’s decision to adopt a more defensive approach backfired spectacularly as Argentina scored two late goals to complete a comeback.

Billi examines how Thomas Tuchel put England out of the 2026 World Cup, before moving onto looking at Saturday's third place playoff. The inquest is already well underway after England’s last-four collapse against Argentina. Boss Thomas Tuchel’s decision to switch to a back five after taking the lead spectacularly backfired as they slipped to a 2-1 defeat and this game is probably an unwelcome distraction for both the manager and the players.

France already know that they will embark on a new era after this tournament, as Didier Deschamps confirmed he would be stepping down after the World Cup before the competition began. Deschamps has been in charge since 2012 and won the World Cup in 2018, as well as one Nations League title, although he will perhaps feel he should have done more considering the players he’s had at his disposal over the last 14 years.

Spain, Argentina, France and England have held FIFA's top four international spots for almost exactly two years. Now, they will face each other for the right to hoist the World Cup trophy: France versus Spain on Tuesday in Arlington, Texas, followed by Argentina against England on Wednesday in Atlanta — then the winners' faceoff at Sunday's final in East Rutherford, N.J.

Billi looks back at the Round of 16 before moving onto to the four Quarterfinals, taking place on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. England and Norway meet in the quarter finals of the World Cup on Saturday night in a battle between two sides who have just secured historic results.

The Three Lions had struggled in the early stages of the competition, but they produced one of their greatest ever performances at the Estadio Azteca in the early hours of Monday morning to knock out co-hosts Mexico. El Tri had lost just two of their previous 89 competitive matches at the imposing stadium but England found a way to get the job done. Norway’s last 16 victory was perhaps more impressive. The Scandinavian nation, with a population of around 5.6million, downed record champions Brazil 2-1 at the MetLife Stadium to reach the last eight of a World Cup for the first time, thanks to a pair of late goals from Manchester City’s Erling Haaland.

The winner of the clash are likely to face world champions Argentina, who are expected to get past Switzerland, especially with FIFA seemingly in their corner. The Argies needed an incredible comeback to see off Egypt, but were heavily aided by some very favourable and controversial officiating. 

Despite his red card against Bosnia, FIFA have cleared Folarin Balogun to feature in the USA’s clash with Belgium on Monday night. It's one of the most disgraceful decisions in the history of football. 


From the Trump lead FIFA corruption, to the horrible and embarrassing fan chants, to the obnoxious and entitled takes on social media about how to "improve a game" Americans watch every 4 years, the WORLD NEEDS BELGIUM TO WIN TONIGHT. 

Billi breaks down the first 4 World Cup Round of 16 matches, taking place on Saturday and Sunday, headlined by Mexico v England. Two late goals from captain Harry Kane spared England’s blushes against DR Congo but they will need to raise their levels significantly if they are to overcome co-hosts Mexico at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City in the last 16 on Sunday night. 


If England are at their best they should be able to beat Mexico but largely they have underwhelmed at the World Cup. They impressed in their opener against Croatia but then struggled to impose themselves against Ghana and Panama, before coming close to what would have been a humiliating defeat to DR Congo.In contrast, Mexico have probably improved with each game so they are the form team coming into this clash. El Tri also have the benefit of home advantage and this game will be played at altitude as the Azteca sits 7,200ft above sea level – the Mexican squad are used to playing in these conditions and England don’t have the time to adapt.

Billi breaks down his second set of selected games from the Round of 32. USA impressed during the group stages and the co-hosts will feel they have a chance to go far at the World Cup but they need to end a winless streak when they face Bosnia in the round of 32 on Wednesday night. A 3-2 defeat to Turkiye in the final batch of group games means the USA are winless in 12 games against European teams, with 10 defeats. They now haven’t managed a competitive win over a UEFA team since 2009 – when they upset Spain in the Confederations Cup. That run will be a concern for head coach Mauricio Pochettino, but not something clueless plastic US soccer fans are aware of, as they continue to blindly look past their opponents. 

The Round of 32 is set and Billi breaks down 4 selected games from Monday and Tuesday's slate. France reached the final of the World Cup four years ago and they look good value to reach the same stage of the competition if their first three games are anything to go by.They topped Group I after winning all three matches, as they proved too much for Norway, Senegal and Iraq. Their reward is a clash with Graham Potter’s Sweden, who finished third in Group F on four points. Sweden hammered Tunisia 5-1 before then losing 5-1 to the Netherlands and they should come unstuck against France. Didier Deschamps’ team have scored three goals or more in four consecutive matches and they should put Sweden to the sword in East Rutherford.

Colombia and Portugal meet at the Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday night in a game that will decide who claims top spot in World Cup Group K.The South Americans have the advantage after two wins, while Ronaldo and Portugal have four points on the board and have to win to move ahead of their opponents and avoid Spain in the Round of 16. 

The key games show looks at five of the early key games from the third phase of the group stage, including matches involving Canada, Brazil and the clash between France and Norway, which is a straight shootout for top spot in Group I, as two of the world’s best strikers go head-to-head in Foxborough on Friday. Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe already have four goals apiece in their race for the World Cup Golden Ball, with their sensational displays contributing to two wins apiece for their nations.

The key games show looks at five of the early key games from the second phase of the group stage, including matches involving Argentina, France and England. The USA put in a blistering display to beat Paraguay 4-1 in front of a home Los Angeles crowd and the Star and Stripes will be hoping for more of the same against Australia.

The opening round saw Argentina legend Lionel Messi made history as he became the oldest player ever to score a World Cup hat-trick as La Celeste thrashed Algeria in their opener, and he is expected to make the difference again as their title defence continues against Austria.The 38-year-old has scored 120 goals for his country and has found the net nine times in his last seven appearances for Inter Miami and Argentina. His hat-trick against Algeria took him level with Miroslav Klose as the all-time leading goalscorer in the World Cup, and he looks good value to take another record for himself in pursuit of his first-ever World Cup Golden Boot award.

The key games show looks at five of the early key games from the second phase of the group stage, including matches involving the USA, Brazil and Germany. The USA put in a blistering display to beat Paraguay 4-1 in front of a home Los Angeles crowd and the Star and Stripes will be hoping for more of the same against Australia.

In contrast to the US, Brazilian fans wouldn't have been happy with what they saw in their opener. Aside from a stunning goal by Vinicius Junior, there was little sign of Brazilian swagger in their 1-1 draw with Morocco. The African side were the stronger team in the first half, before largely controlling the second. That draw has raised the stakes as the five-time winners arrive in Philadelphia to take on Haiti. The battle for top spot could now come down to goal difference, so Carlo Ancelotti will hope his side can dial up their intensity and put up an impressive performance against the group minnows.

The key games show looks at five of the eight remaining game week 1 matches, including England's opening match against Croatia- who they lost to in the semi-finals of the 2018 tournament. However, it's not a great omen for the Croatians that their squad is largely the same from their run to the final in 2018. That side wasn’t exactly young, and their group stage exit at Euro 2024 suggests this group has had their day. England beat Croatia in their opening game of Euro 2020 before making the final, and they’ll hope that a victory in Dallas can kick off a similar run this summer.

World Cup 2026 kicks-off tonight at the Estadio Azteca, with Co-hosts Mexico taking on South Africa. The Mexicans head into their first hosting of the World Cup since 1986 unbeaten in eight matches, and it is worth noting that El Tri have recorded a joint-best quarter-final showing in both their previous World Cups on home soil. This is hardly surprising given the high altitude of many Mexican stadiums, which may explain why almost half of Javier Aguirre’s squad are based domestically. Their recent unbeaten run includes draws against European heavyweights Belgium and Portugal, and they have conceded just two goals in this sequence.

The key games show also includes five other Matchday 1 matches, including the USA's opener against Paraguay. The road to the USA’s opening game at the 2026 World Cup has been a rocky one, and it's fair to suggest that the tournament co-hosts don’t seem entirely ready for their clash with Paraguay in Los Angeles. Mauricio Pochettino’s side have lost three of their four games in 2026, and they’ve kept just one clean sheet across their previous 14 internationals. Meanwhile, Paraguay return to the World Cup for the first time since 2010, and certainly can't be dismissed after finished level on points with Brazil, Uruguay, and Colombia in qualifying. 

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is right around the corner and the biggest tournament in world football is also one of the world’s biggest betting events. Millions of people place bets on the tournament, with many casual fans taking the opportunity to have a wager on the event. Unfortunately, many of these fans will be looking for good information, and will end up finding some used car salesman type - who only took an interest in football because of the tournament - masquerading as a "Soccer" expert, leading them down a path where their bankroll is blown before the the knockout stages.

Luckily you've found this podcast. Over the past week, Billi has delivered 6 extensive group preview episodes over on the Soccer Betting Podcast, and now closes out his Fututes content with this very episode- primarily focusing on the outright market. Billi has watched this sport since religiously since 1989, and has covered football betting since the 2014 World Cup, when he began on the Sport's Gambling Podcast as their lead Soccer expert. Since 2013, he's delivered 156 months of consecutive tracked and transparent betting profit across all sports, and has navigated his way through 11 major international tournaments (World Cup, Euros and Copa Americas) since then, delivering 10 winning tournaments- with his only losing tournament being Euro 2016.

American restaurants are known for generous portion sizes and this summer’s World Cup will be an all-you-can eat feast of football. The tournament, co-hosted by the USA, Canada and Mexico, has been expanded from 32 teams to 48 and the 16 venues are scattered across the North American continent. From Vancouver in the north to Mexico City in the south, from California to Massachusetts, this is a World Cup on a grand scale. In the outright market, there isn't much separating the top sides in this tournament, and it won't be surprising to see any of the top 7 names making it to East Rutherford, New Jersey, where the World Cup final takes place on July 19. Matches at last summer’s Club World Cup in the USA were played in sweltering conditions with thunderstorms forcing several lengthy breaks in play. Therefore, its massively important to factor in who is and who isn't equipped to handle the circumstances, heat and conditions. 

Billi concludes his 2026 World Cup Group breakdowns by deep dive into Groups K and L. World Cup Group K includes Portugal, DR Congo, Uzbekistan and Colombia, with matches to take place in US states Texas, Florida, Georgia and in Mexico City and Zapopan. Cristiano Ronaldo is set to play at his sixth and surely his final ever World Cup this summer, and will desperate to replicate what Lionel Messi did 3 and a half years ago.

World Cup Group L is England's group. They are alongside Croatia, Ghana and Panama. Thomas Tuchel's Three Lions begin against Croatia on June 17 in Arlington, before they then face Antoine Semenyo's Ghana in Boston. The conclude their group stage ghase against Panama in New Jersey.

Billi continues his 2026 World Cup coverage by breaking down Groups I and J. World Cup Group I includes 2022 runners-up France, Senegal, Iraq and Erling Haaland's Norway, and will feature an Mbappe v Haaland match (if both players start). Group I will see it's matches played in US cities New Jersey, Philadelphia and Massachusetts, plus Canada's Toronto.

World Cup Group J includes reigning World Champions Argentina, Algeria, Austria and Jordan, with Lionel Messi playing in sixth World Cup with Argentina and with Jordan taking part in their first tournament. Group J will see it's matches take place in Texas, Kansas and California.

Billi continues his 2026 World Cup coverage by breaking down Groups G and H. World Cup Group G includes Belgium, Egypt, Iran and New Zealand, with matches taking place in US cities Seattle and Los Angeles and in Canada's Vancouver. Meanwhile, World Cup Group H includes pre-tournament favourites Spain, Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia and Uruguay, with matches set to take place in Zapopan, Mexico and USA cities Atalanta, Miami and Houston.

Billi continues his 2026 World Cup coverage by breaking down Groups E and F. World Cup Group E includes Germany, Curacao, Ivory Coast and Ecuador, with matches taking place in the USA's Houston, New Jersey, Philadelphia and Kansas City plus Toronto in Canada. The four-time winners, Germany, will be looking for their first World Cup victory since 2014, while Curacao will be taking part in their first ever World Cup. 

Group F includes Netherlands, Japan, Sweden and Tunisia, with matches set to take place in Arlington, Houston and Kansas City in the US, plus Guadalupe in Mexico. The three-time runners-up, the Netherlands are the favourites for the group, and wil be desperately looking for their maiden World Cup win.

Billi continues his 2026 World Cup coverage by breaking down Groups C and D. World Cup Group C includes Scotland, Brazil, Morocco and Haiti, with matches will take place in the USA in Foxborough, Miami, New Jersey, Philadelphia and Atlanta. Brazil have won every group since 1982 and are widely expected to top their group once again. 

World Cup Group D includes co-hosts the United States of America, Paraguay, Australia and Turkey with the fixtures taking place in the USA in Los Angeles, Seattle and Santa Clara, plus the Canadian city of Vancouver. Some Americans have high hopes for their team, however, the road to the USA’s opening game at the 2026 World Cup has been a rocky one, and the tournament co-hosts don’t seem entirely ready for their clash with Paraguay in Los Angeles. Mauricio Pochettino’s side have lost three of their four games in 2026, and they’ve kept a single clean sheet across their previous 14 internationals.

Billi begins his 2026 World Cup coverage by breaking down Groups A and B. World Cup Group A includes co-hosts Mexico, South Africa, South Korea and Czech Republic; matches will take place in Mexico and USA, with Mexico opening tournament vs South Africa on Thursday June 11th. World Cup Group B includes co-hosts Canada, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Qatar and Switzerland; matches will take place in Canadian cities Toronto and Vancouver and in the USA's Santa Clara, Los Angeles and Seattle.

Billi recaps and analyses this season's Champions League and major European leagues, and glosses over what we might see next season. This season's action concluded last Saturday, with Paris St-Germain underlining their status as one of European football's greatest ever teams by becoming only the second club to retain the Champions League.Their nervy 4-3 win on penalties over Arsenalfollowing a 1-1 draw in the final in Budapest backed up their 5-0 win over Inter Milan in Munich 12 months ago.In doing so they became the first side to successfully defend their title since Real Madrid's three-peat from 2016 to 2018, and only the second to do it in the Champions League era - 1993 onwards.

Billi breaks down what was Manchester United's 25/26 season. A season that began with Amorim and has concluded with Michael Carrick securing the job as the head coach of the men’s first team, having signed a new contract which will run to 2028.Carrick returned to United as head coach in January and was awarded the Premier League Manager of the Month award after victories against Manchester City and Arsenal in his first two games in charge. He has overseen qualification into next season’s UEFA Champions League with 11 wins from 16 games, accumulating the highest points tally in the Premier League since his arrival.

Billi recaps an EPL Season which saw Liverpool - who were never at the races - relinquish the Premiership title to Arsenal, who ended a 22-year wait for a league title. The season also saw Pep Guardiola end a 10-year stay at Manchester City, while Manchester United returned to Europe's top table- with Chelsea missing out on Europe entirely. Meanwhile, at the other end of the table, Tottenham narrowly avoided relegation, as West Ham dropped down to the Championship with Burnley and Wolves.

The winners of this season’s UEFA Champions League will be decided in Budapest on Saturday, as Paris Saint-Germain face Arsenal in the final.


Although not historically two of Europe’s powerhouses, both sides have proved their worth in recent years and now sit proudly at the head of Europe’s top table – not only as finalists but as champions of two of the most famed domestic leagues in the world.PSG’s dominance in France’s Ligue 1 is well established, winning 12 of the last 14 league titles, while Arsenal’s three consecutive second-placed finishes in the English Premier League finally saw them take the next step this year.

The Final Day of the 2025/26 Premier League season approaches on Sunday and while the title race is over there is still plenty to play for.There are places in the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Conference League to be secured, while the final relegation spot will also be decided.Even clubs without European qualification or Premier League safety to play for will still hope to finish the campaign on a high and potentially boost their prize money by securing a higher position in the table. Last season, each league place provided an extra £2.6million in prize money.

Tottenham Hotspur's midweek defeat at Chelsea means the relegation battle goes down to the wire, but Spurs' fate is in their own hands. The equation is simple: Beat Everton and they stay up. A draw would also almost certainly suffice, with Spurs’ -10 goal difference superior to West Ham United's -22. 


Elsewhere, there are still two ways into the Champions League for Bournemouth. A Liverpool win against Brentford coupled with a Villa defeat at Man City, would result in Liverpool moving up to fourth and Villa dropping down to fifth, given the Reds have a superior goal difference. Fifth place in the Premier League will be given a European Performance Spot (EPS) in the Champions League, but Villa have already qualified for the competition by winning the Europa League. Consequently, should Villa finish fifth, the EPS spot will be passed down to sixth sending that club (currently Bournemouth) into the Champions League instead of the Europa League. Bournemouth can seal sixth-place with a draw as they are three points ahead of Brighton.

Unai Emery heads into his fifth Europa League final in Istanbul on Wednesday, and the most successful manager in the competition’s history can lead Aston Villa to glory and get his hands on the trophy for the fourth time.Underdogs Freiburg are enjoying their most successful European season to date, but much of their success this campaign has been built on their flawless home record, and the lack of home advantage may prove a deciding factor on Wednesday.

Milan are on seemingly on the verge of squandering Champions League football, however, they might represent a value bet away at Genoa on Sunday, despite their recent poor form. Massimiliano Allegri’s side face Daniele De Rossi’s team at Stadio Luigi Ferraris and could be worth backing to get the win against a Genoa side who have failed to score in three straight Serie A games and have been unable to find the net in five of their last seven matches.

Manchester City will contest the FA Cup final for the fourth year in a row tomorrow, as they face Chelsea at Wembley. City have lost the last two finals and will be desperate to avoid a third consecutive defeat in the final of the world’s oldest cup competition. Only one team has lost three successive FA Cup finals before and that happens to be Chelsea, losing in 2020, 2021 and 2022 – and this is their first appearance in the showpiece since.In any case, the pressure is on both sides here as City look to keep their domestic treble hopes alive and Chelsea bid to salvage what has been a disappointing season.

AC Milan are locked in a five-way battle for Champions League qualification, and they can give their chances a boost when they host the European-chasing Atalanta on Sunday.The Rossoneri have put in some poor performances lately, but they have only lost three home games all season and face a visiting side winless in their last five.

Manchester United’s revival under Michael Carrick was further enhanced by last weekend’s victory over bitter rivals Liverpool, a result that guaranteed the club’s return to the Champions League next season.That 3-2 success at Old Trafford also made it three wins on the bounce for United and 10 victories in 14 since Carrick returned to the club in January, form that makes a more permanent stay for the 44-year-old seem increasingly likely.Another win on Saturday would certainly help those claims and United’s record against Sunderland is impressive, as they have won three on the bounce and five of the last six meetings between the two sides, including a 2-0 success in October’s reverse meeting at Old Trafford.

Manchester City will need to beat Brentford on Saturday and will be desperately hoping for a favour from West Ham, who host Arsenal on Sunday afternoon. Arsenal secured a spot in their first Champions League final in two decades in midweek, but their Premier League title hopes may take a hit when they visit a West Ham side battling relegation. The Hammers sit a point adrift of safety after last weekend's defeat to Brentford, but that was their first defeat since the middle of March and their record at the London Stadium is promising - with zero league defeats in last 9.