Championship Betting: Leeds and West Brom could be promoted without playing again

<h1 class="entry_header__title" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; color: #161616; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 2rem; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.25; margin: 0px 0px 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white;">Championship Betting: Leeds and West Brom could be promoted without playing again</span></h1> <div> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; font-weight: 700;">With news that the top two could be granted automatic promotion while rest of top six compete in shortened play-offs for final Premier League place, Max Liu brings us the latest Exchange odds...</span></div> <div> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></div> <div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #161616; font-family: inherit;"><span style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(255, 184, 12); border-image: initial; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-top-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><b>Leeds and West Brom are both </b></span></span><span class="inline-odds" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="1/9">1.11</span> for promotion on the Exchange after it was reported that the Football League is considering a plan to automatically promote the top two clubs form the Championship if no more fixtures are played.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white;">Leeds lead the division with 71 points, followed by the Baggies on 70, with third-placed Fulham six points behind. There are <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">nine outstanding fixtures</strong> left to play for each club but, while the League would prefer to see all matches played, they are working on a contingency plan.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white;">There would be a shortened format of the play-offs to determine the final promotion spot. The teams in third to sixth place - <span style="color: #161616; font-family: inherit;"><span style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(255, 184, 12); border-image: initial; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-top-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><b>Fulham </b></span></span><span class="inline-odds" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="6/4">2.54</span>, Brentford <span class="inline-odds" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="11/8">2.34</span>, Nottingham Forest <span class="inline-odds" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="11/2">6.60</span> and Preston <span class="inline-odds" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="10/1">11.00</span> - would play in semi-finals over one leg at neutral grounds before the winners met in the final.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white;"><strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></strong></span></div> <h2 style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; color: #161616; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.5rem; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.25; margin: 0px 0px 0.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Premier League relegation issues complicate picture</strong></h2> </div> <div> <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white;">For the Championship plan to work there would need to be <span style="color: #161616; font-family: inherit;"><span style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(255, 184, 12); border-image: initial; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-top-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><b>relegation from the Premier League</b></span></span>, as top flight clubs would be likely to reject the idea of an expanded division.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white;">Premier League officials are said to be working with the government on a plan dubbed "project restart" which could see top flight football return at the end of next month.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white;">The situation remains uncertain, to say the least. The relegation battle in the Premier League is tight, with only two points separating 18th-placed <span style="color: #161616; font-family: inherit;"><span style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(255, 184, 12); border-image: initial; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-top-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><b>Bournemouth</b></span></span> <span class="inline-odds" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="10/11">1.92</span> from 15th-placed Brighton <span class="inline-odds" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="4/1">4.90</span>. Condemning teams to the drop based on current standings could lead to a raft of legal disputes from the relegated clubs.</span></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <span style="background-color: white; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="591" height="438" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx9CcYE5as1Tgdn2RxjCkhwomG-oEqjUniBf4mKMhl3ufrqCMcV1ko-Z9ldTq7te8aZdf2LYmIpoe4xX5Bj-YUw9VK3y00w7gROhchLJnFjIL4N_UI6qauJBS6iXOP5rVBikWXRs1FwbA/s640/Marcelo-Bielsa-haunches-II.jpg" width="640" /></span></div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <br /></div> </strong></div>

Championship Betting: Leeds and West Brom could be promoted without playing again

Championship Betting: Leeds and West Brom could be promoted without playing again With news that the top two could be granted automatic p...

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Bundesliga Betting: When will the season restart?

<header class="entry_header" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 65.75rem; padding: 0px 0.75rem; vertical-align: baseline;"><h1 class="entry_header__title" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; color: #161616; font-family: inherit; font-size: 2rem; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 1.25; margin: 0px 0px 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white;">Bundesliga Betting: When will the season restart?</span></h1> <div> <span style="background-color: white; font-size: 20px; font-weight: 700;">A May return for the Bundesliga hasn't been ruled out, but as Kevin Hatchard explains, the season in Germany's top-flight isn't certain to be completed.</span></div> <div> <span style="background-color: white; font-size: 20px; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></div> <div> <h2 style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; color: #161616; font-size: 1.5rem; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.25; margin: 0px 0px 0.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">German football bosses prepared for restart</strong></h2> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white;">The DFL (Deutsche Fussball Liga) have been working for weeks to put together a plan that would allow them to complete the 2019-20 season <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">behind closed doors.</strong> Games without fans would be known as geisterspiele, or ghost games. Players at the 36 Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2. clubs have been training in small groups, performing drills that don't involve tackling, and observing strict hygiene protocols.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white;">A special task force, led by Professor Tim Meyer (part of the German national team's medical staff), has produced a detailed and extensive 50-page document that explains exactly what clubs and players need to do to <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">minimise the risk</strong> of contracting the COVID-19 virus. Players would be given an antibody test for the virus on the day before a match, with the results arriving early the following day. Five laboratories across the country will process the tests. The DFL is aware of the sensitivities concerning testing, and not only will they foot the bill for the estimated 20-25,000 tests that will be needed, but they will also donate half a million euros for additional testing outside football.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white;">It's not yet clear what happens if a player or indeed several players contract the virus. It appears the decision whether to <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">quarantine an entire squad</strong> will lie with the relevant local health authority.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white;"><strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></strong></span></div> <h2 style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; color: #161616; font-size: 1.5rem; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.25; margin: 0px 0px 0.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Government yet to give green light</strong></h2> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white;">In a meeting on April 30 between Angela Merkel's federal government and the heads of the state governments, <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">no definite position</strong> was taken on the Bundesliga's proposal. It is expected that it will be discussed in detail next Wednesday, when the governments meet again. While the DFL had initially mooted a restart date on May 9, it's important to remember that this was a suggestion, rather than a definite date. In reality, the DFL always knew that date could be pushed back, and privately they are more than happy to restart later in the month.</span></div> <h2 style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; color: #161616; font-size: 1.5rem; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.25; margin: 0px 0px 0.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Spectre of financial damage looms large</strong></h2> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white;">The DFL's CEO <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Christian Seifert</strong> has made it clear that failure to complete the current season would have serious consequences as regards the financial health of some clubs in the top two divisions. He has warned that "the Bundesliga could be part of the collateral damage of the coronavirus" and that several clubs in both divisions could face bankruptcy if the final tranche of TV money is not paid. <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Betting.betfair understands</strong> that the final chunk of TV money has been split into three parts, two of which are conditional upon how many of the remaining games are completed, so the financial pressure has not been eased as much as some reports have suggested.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white;">Borussia Dortmund CEO <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Hans-Joachim Watzke,</strong> a key figure in saving his club from bankruptcy back in 2005, has echoed Seifert's concerns. "If we don't play games soon," he warned, "the Bundesliga will drown."</span></div> <h2 style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; color: #161616; font-size: 1.5rem; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.25; margin: 0px 0px 0.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Early return not universally popular</strong></h2> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white;">The potential return of the Bundesliga has proven to be a <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">divisive issue</strong> in German society, and even within football, not everyone is on the same page. Several opinion polls have shown a significant split between those to think May is far too soon for a return for pro football, and those who think it's an acceptable idea.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white;">Considering the plan is to have games without fans, perhaps it's no surprise that fan groups aren't keen. Fanszenen Deutschland, who represent a number of fan groups, released a <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">damning statement.</strong> "The era of football being completely detached from the rest of society must come to an end," they warned.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white;">Some regional police chiefs have expressed concerns that fans could congregate at stadia, despite not being allowed into the actual grounds. In the only ghost game this season that has actually taken place, hundreds of fans gathered outside, as Borussia Monchengladbach overcame Rheinland rivals FC Koln. There are also concerns among some politicians regarding the optics of giving football the opportunity to restart, while other sectors of business remain inactive.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white;"><strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></strong></span></div> <h2 style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; color: #161616; font-size: 1.5rem; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.25; margin: 0px 0px 0.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Bayern in command if and when season restarts</strong></h2> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white;">I've looked at the Bundesliga's story so far this season on the pitch in detail <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #161616; font-family: inherit;"><span style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(255, 184, 12); border-image: initial; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-top-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;">here,</span></span></strong> but Bayern Munich are worthy favourites <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #161616; font-family: inherit;"><span style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(255, 184, 12); border-image: initial; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-top-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;">to retain their league title</span></span></strong> at <span class="inline-odds" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; color: #161616; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="1/8">1.12</span>. Coach <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Hansi Flick</strong> has now signed his contract to coach the team on a permanent basis, and that's a justifiable reward for his excellent work.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white;"><strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Borussia Dortmund</strong> <span class="inline-odds" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; color: #161616; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="13/2">7.40</span> are four points off top spot, but still have a home game to come against Bayern, while <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">RB Leipzig</strong> <span class="inline-odds" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; color: #161616; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="9/1">10.00</span> are a point further back.</span></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <span style="background-color: white; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="480" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4i3fQBfVTsnjUscc7N2BOhxe0vvjFeJ_2zySesLIAlHDi4HrwyGWP-iYyP8o_ULpRJn4ACf6h6I1YSmTpZPcwF8tWOpKn6QzxIbGD_nZIfekzki43jFZGeYZxI8R6ASa8x6_R7S8MZS0/s640/Bayern+%25282%2529.jpg" width="640" /></span></div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <br /></div> </div> </header>

Bundesliga Betting: When will the season restart?

Bundesliga Betting: When will the season restart? A May return for the Bundesliga hasn't been ruled out, but as Kevin Hatchard explai...

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Next Newcastle Manager Betting: Mauricio Pochettino odds-on favourite

<h1 class="entry_header__title" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; color: #161616; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 2rem; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.25; margin: 0px 0px 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white;">Next Newcastle Manager Betting: Mauricio Pochettino odds-on favourite</span></h1> <div> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; font-weight: 700;">Mauricio Pochettino has become odds-on favourite to be Newcastle's next permanent manager after a flurry of bets on the former Tottenham boss. Mike Norman has the details...</span></div> <div> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></div> <div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white;">The 48-year-old has today been backed into 5/6 to become <span style="color: #161616; font-family: inherit;"><span style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(255, 184, 12); border-image: initial; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-top-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><b>Next Permanent Newcastle Manager</b></span></span> after reports suggested that the former Southampton and Spurs boss is the prospective new owners' number one target to take charge at St James' Park.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white;">Pochettino has been out of work since being sacked by <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Tottenham</strong> in November, and despite rumoured interest from some of Europe's biggest clubs he is reportedly keen on a return to the Premier League.</span></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <span style="background-color: white; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="480" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSczAmkGhPMniGPQX8YQKcDsRw68ZdkmdJYl0yo4vlyC_eYHF98meVW4CyFoEdhKoMis15i09Tu3bGb1Kpp5ZoO6SWcP47_9qLh4-8LLShsm-RYE8j_bm-BMq5S7tvrpFFySLSbJneeN0/s640/Pochettino.jpg" width="640" /></span></div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white;"><strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></strong></span></div> <h2 style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; color: #161616; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.5rem; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.25; margin: 0px 0px 0.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Big name signings lined up should takeover be concluded</strong></h2> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white;">While <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Steve Bruce</strong> is likely to remain in charge of Newcastle until the end of the current campaign, the Saudi-backed consortium behind a £300m takeover of the north east club are expected to want a big-name manager at the helm for the start of next season.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white;">However, there has been plenty of opposition to the takeover in the last week with <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">beIN Sport</strong> asking the Premier League to "fully interrogate" the proposed deal while the UK Government has also been urged to take a role.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white;">But should the takeover be completed then a huge transfer budget is expected to temp Pochettino to St James' Park with the likes of Gareth Bale, <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Philippe Coutinho</strong>, Donny van de Beek and Edinson Cavani already being suggested as potential big-name signings.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white;">Should the prospective new owners fail to land Pochettino then former Newcastle boss <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Rafa Benitez</strong> could be tempted to return with the Spaniard currently available to back at 5/1 second favourite on the Betfair Sportsbook.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white;">Betfair Spokesperson, Sam Rosbottom said: "Our next Newcastle manager market has become increasingly popular with punters as more details of the Magpies' proposed takeover have emerged and today Mauricio Pochettino has become the <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">clear favourite</strong> to become their next man in charge at 5/6.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white;">"The former Spurs boss was behind the likes of Rafa Benitez and Massimiliano Allegri last week at odds of 9/4, but he now leads the way following a flurry of bets in the past 24 hours."</span></div> <div class="entry_body__content" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 8rem 0px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div class="editor" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <h2 style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; color: #161616; font-family: inherit; font-size: 1.5rem; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 1.25; margin: 0px 0px 0.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Having funds and guarantees would be key</strong></h2> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white;">Speaking last week, <span style="color: #161616; font-family: inherit;"><span style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(255, 184, 12); border-image: initial; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-top-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><b>Betfair Ambassador Dimitar Berbatov said</b></span></span>: "If the rumours are true, and Newcastle are looking at appointing Pochettino, <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">it would be a great move for the team</strong>. If he goes there then it will be the first sign from the new owners, to the players they are targeting, that the club means business.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white;">"If you put Pochettino in charge at Newcastle and you go and speak to players, trust me they will pay more attention and take the offer seriously, and I'm talking about big players as well - I know <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Gareth Bale</strong> is among those who have been linked with the club. I'm sure Newcastle will want to rebuild with some top names.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white;">"If the rumours are true, the first thing Pochettino is going to want is a guarantee that they will buy players because he would like to have as many good players as possible at his disposal so that he can achieve the club's goals.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white;">"He has already made his name as <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">one of the best coaches in the world</strong>. The question is, does Pochettino actually want to go to Newcastle? When you are connected to names like Real Madrid and Manchester United - and I mean no disrespect to Newcastle - there is a bit of a difference there. The biggest factor that would persuade Pochettino to go to St James' Park would be having the funds to buy players."</span></div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </div> </div> </div> <section class="betting_copy" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1.5rem; padding: 1rem; vertical-align: baseline;"><h2 style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; color: #161616; font-family: inherit; font-size: 1.25rem; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 1.25; margin: 0px 0px 0.5rem; padding: 0px; text-transform: uppercase; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white;">BETFAIR - NEXT PERMANENT NEWCASTLE MANAGER</span></h2> <div class="editor" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white;">Mauricio Pochettino - 5/6<br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;" />Rafa Benitez - 5/1<br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;" />Massimiliano Allegri - 14/1<br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;" />Jorge Jesus - 14/1<br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;" />Kevin Keegan - 14/1<br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;" />Marcelo Bielsa - 20/1<br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;" />Gian Piero Gasperini - 25/1<br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;" />Julian Nagelsmann - 33/1<br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;" />Marco Rose - 33/1<br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;" />Ralph Hasenhuttl - 40/1<br style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;" />David Moyes - 75/1</span></div> </div> </section></div>

Next Newcastle Manager Betting: Mauricio Pochettino odds-on favourite

Next Newcastle Manager Betting: Mauricio Pochettino odds-on favourite Mauricio Pochettino has become odds-on favourite to be Newcastle...

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Next Newcastle Manager: Odds slashed on shock Keegan return

<h1 class="entry_header__title" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; color: #161616; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 2rem; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.25; margin: 0px 0px 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white;">Next Newcastle Manager: Odds slashed on shock Keegan return</span></h1> <div> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; font-weight: 700;">Betting odds shorten on the Magpies legend making a shock return to St James' Park once the takeover is complete, reports Max Liu...</span></div> <div> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></div> <div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white;">Newcastle fans could be in for a sense of deja vu after <span style="color: #161616; font-family: inherit;"><span style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(255, 184, 12); border-image: initial; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-top-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><b>the odds on </b></span></span><strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Kevin Keegan</strong> becoming their next manager shortened to 9/4.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white;"><img alt="Kevin Keegan as Newcastle manager" height="360" src="https://betting.cdnppb.net/football/Kevin%20Keegan%201280.956x538.jpg" width="640" /></span></div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white;"><strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Rafa Benitez is still 6/4 favourite</strong> to be the next man in the St James' Park hotseat once the take over of the club by a group of Saudi-backed investors is completed.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white;">But punters have been <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">heavily backing Keegan to return</strong> over the last 24 hours and his price has come in from 20/1.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white;">Keegan, who was a club legend as a player, has had two stints as Newcastle boss, first from <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1992 to 1997</strong> when he got them back into the top flight and nearly delivered the title to St James'. He is associated with the most exciting times in the club's recent history, with his teams playing <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">attacking football</strong> that lit up the early seasons of the Premier League.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white;">He returned as manager in 2008. It was a popular appointment, as Mike Ashley tried to win over fans and took to wearing a Magpies shirt with <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">"King Kev"</strong> printed on the back. However, the honeymoon was shortlived and Keegan's second reign lasted just nine months. He has not managed since then so it would be a big surprise to see him return 12 years later.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white;"><strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></strong></span></div> <h2 style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; color: #161616; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.5rem; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.25; margin: 0px 0px 0.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Allegri and Pochettino look more plausible</strong></h2> </div> <div> <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></strong></div> <div> <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> For the new owners, meanwhile, who want to move the club on from the miserable Ashley era, it would feel counterproductive to hark back to a manager who is associated with its past. But bettors obviously think it's plausible that Keegan could be in line for a third stint in the dugout.</div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <img alt="PochettinoManaging1280.jpg" class="mt-image-center" height="360" src="https://betting.cdnppb.net/football/PochettinoManaging1280.600x338.jpg" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; display: block; font: inherit; height: auto; margin: 0px auto 20px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;" width="640" /></div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> Other candidates for the Newcastle job, who have managed top clubs in recent seasons, include ex-Juventus manager <span style="color: #161616; font-family: inherit;"><span style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(255, 184, 12); border-image: initial; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-top-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><b>Massimiliano Allegri 10/3 and Mauricio Pochettino 9/2</b></span></span> who is looking for his first job since leaving Tottenham earlier this season.</div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> Beyond that, <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Marcelo Bielsa</strong> is an interesting prospect at <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">14/1</strong>. He was in the midst of trying to get Leeds back into the Premier League when the season was suspended. His experience and charisma could appeal to the board, but he is probably committed to Leeds, at least for the remainder of this season.</div> </strong></div>

Next Newcastle Manager: Odds slashed on shock Keegan return

Next Newcastle Manager: Odds slashed on shock Keegan return Betting odds shorten on the Magpies legend making a shock return to St James...

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Euro 2020 Betting: Portugal price well worth another look

<h1 class="entry_header__title" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; color: #161616; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 2rem; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.25; margin: 0px 0px 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;">Euro 2020 Betting: Portugal price well worth another look</span></h1> <div> <span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; font-weight: 700;">For the second of his ante-post bets, Jamie Pacheco considers why a strong squad, a Nations League win and ability to handle pressure, means Portugal look big...</span></div> <div> <span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></div> <div> <h2 style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; color: #161616; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.5rem; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.25; margin: 0px 0px 0.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: #f3f3f3; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Last time out</strong></h2> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;">Portugal are <span class="inline-odds" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; color: #161616; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="19/1">20.00</span> to <span style="color: #161616; font-family: inherit;"><span style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(255, 184, 12); border-image: initial; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-top-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><b>win Euro 2020</b></span></span>. Many think Portugal's win last time out was just a <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">total fluke</strong>. Somewhat similar to those wins of Denmark (1992) and Greece (2004), also in the Euros, it was the story of a resilient side playing decent football over a short period of time until they were 'last man standing'. After all, Portugal only won one match out of seven in 90 minutes.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;">They drew all three group games, won the Last 16 match against Croatia with a 117th-minute goal, beat <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Poland on penalties</strong> and France in extra-time. Their only win was the 2-0 against Wales in the semis. And lest we forget, a late, late winner by Iceland over Austria (which they didn't even need) in the last round of matches in the Group Stages turned the whole draw on its head. Portugal avoided a run made up of <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">England, France and Germany</strong> in the first three knockout games. Fortunate? Well, yes but...</span></div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;">You can, of course, take a very different view. That it <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">wasn't a vintage side</strong> but rather one who was very hard to beat. They may not have won many, but they certainly didn't lose any, either.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;">They showed guts and stamina to beat Croatia late on and that they were perfectly entitled to play for penalties against Poland. After all, Portugal have been blessed with nothing if not good technical players over the years, including defenders, so it's hardly rocket science that they should be <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">decent from the spot</strong>.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;">We digress. They were good value for their win over Wales and beat red- hot favourites France in their own backyard, minus their injured skipper and talisman <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Cristiano Ronaldo</strong>. Were they really not deserving of their win?</span></div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"><strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></strong></span></div> <h2 style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; color: #161616; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.5rem; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.25; margin: 0px 0px 0.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: #f3f3f3; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Nations League no fluke, either</strong></h2> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;">As per usual, they were slow out of the blocks in qualifying. Back-to-back home draws against the Ukraine and Serbia first up were disappointing results but as we all know, that's 'hangovers' for you. They bounced back well to beat <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Serbia 4-2 away</strong> and won four of their five remaining games, the anomaly being a 2-1 loss in the Ukraine. It happens, but in the end, they qualified pretty comfortably, albeit as runners-up to the Ukraine.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;">A better measure of where they're at is that they won the top division of the inaugural Nations League. It may not have captured the full imagination of all European football fans to start with but just about every side fielded their best players in it in the end. <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">England's 3-2 win over Spain</strong> over in Group 4 is considered one of their best-ever performances in a competitive away match.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;">Portugal got the better of Italy and Poland to top their group, beat Switzerland 3-1 in the semis thanks to a Ronaldo hat-trick and played their usual brand of pragmatic football to see off the <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Netherlands in the final</strong>, 1-0. And yes, the Final Four was staged on Portuguese soil, but that's not their fault. By the way, their Nations League Group Stage matches were all played without Ronaldo featuring so it shows they <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">can survive</strong> without him, if necessary.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;">So just to recap: the side who won the last two major European tournaments is a <span class="inline-odds" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; color: #161616; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="19/1">20.00</span> chance to win next year's Euros. You read that right.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"><strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></strong></span></div> <h2 style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; color: #161616; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.5rem; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.25; margin: 0px 0px 0.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: #f3f3f3; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">More options in the squad than in 2016</strong></h2> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;">Is their squad better now than in 2016? I think it is.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;">Just looking at the XI that started that night at the Stade France against the hosts I'd point out the following: Renato Sanches' career has completely stalled from the moment he left Benfica that summer and the same happened when fellow midfielder <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Adrien Silva </strong>left the comfort zone of Sporting Lisbon for Leicester. By then, Nani was relying on class and experience rather than form and spark and Jose Fonte's club career before and after that <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">big night</strong> didn't suggest he was going to be an integral part of a European Championship-winning side.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;">The keeper's the same (Rui Patricio), the defence is of a similar standard nowadays to that on the night but it's in midfield that there's a big marked improvement in resources.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"><strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">William Carvalho</strong> is still there, as are Joao Moutinho (below), Andre Gomes and Danilo, but the emergence of the quite brilliant Bruno Fernandes and the continued progress of Bernardo Silva, penciled in as David Silva's natural successor at Manchester City no less, gives them two excellent additional options in key positions. All of those different options mean <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Fernando Santos</strong> can play a horses-for-courses approach or give a couple of regular starts players a 'breather' in the second match if necessary.</span></div> </div> <div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;">Then there's <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Joao Felix</strong>. The 20-year old has had a season at Atletico Madrid somewhat typical of a youngster making a big-money move to a bigger and tougher league: six goals in 28 appearances for Atletico certainly show he hasn't had it all his own way. But the fact he's always been picked suggests it's all just part of the natural <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">learning curve</strong> and he's done as well as what could be expected. If anything, the one-year postponement of Euro 2020 (21) may in this regard play into his hands. An extra year of La Liga and Champions League football under his belt will surely make him a more complete player come next July.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;">The flipside of that is of course, Ronaldo. Time waits for no-one and you'll have <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">a hard time</strong> arguing that at 36 Ronaldo will be in better shape than he is at 35. But does he seem like a man you want to be writing off?</span></div> <h2 style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; color: #161616; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.5rem; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.25; margin: 0px 0px 0.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: #f3f3f3; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Group F- Group of the terminally ill</strong></h2> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;">The fly in the ointment is their Group. They obviously wouldn't be that price if they'd been drawn in any other Group. And they probably wouldn't be that price if they'd been drawn against anyone other than <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">France and Germany</strong>. The fourth team in the Group is unknown at the moment because they'll come from the Play-Offs but whoever it is, they'll be big outsiders against Portugal, who absolutely have to beat them. And may well need to do so quite convincingly as goal difference may well come into it.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;">Even more so because it's a real possibility that they may have to progress to the knock-out stages courtesy of being one of the four third-best placed teams. It's bad enough being drawn against Germany; it's even worse when you have to play them at the <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Allianz Arena</strong> in Munich. So, you'd think a point there is as good as it might get for them, while their match against France in Budapest will again see them as outsiders, but a draw there may well be the most likely result. So, you can see why anything other than a win in their other match would <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">be disastrous</strong>.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;">In this regard, I think the schedule has favoured Portugal. That's the game they play first, and an early win will have them in the <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">driving seat</strong> while France and Germany lock horns in the other match. Assuming Portugal win that first game and it will be one of France or Germany (or both, if they draw amongst them) who are playing catch-up and needing to force the issue when they play Fernando Santos' men.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;">I have Portugal slated down for <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">four points</strong> and we'll have to wait and see if that's enough. What I don't necessarily buy is that it puts them up against it by facing one of the Group winners in the next round. For three reasons.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;">One: you never know how things may pan out elsewhere and an upset somewhere could mean a not-so-tough opponent anyway.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;">Two: in a competition like this, you've got to be prepared for whoever comes your way and you <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">don't deserve</strong> to win it if you don't have what it takes to get past whoever you're up against.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;">Three: Portugal are a side primed for <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">knock-out football</strong> and having dealt with France and Germany already, there's no-one else out there who they should fear.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;">They may not go all the away again and win it but a run to the semis will surely see them trade at sub <span class="inline-odds" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-radius: 2px; border: 0px; color: #161616; font: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;" title="4/1">5.00</span>. After that, you never know.</span></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <span style="background-color: #f3f3f3; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="480" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsFGYe_VQNNj39cM4ZbMVAOfxsmZ8YvwuytgVPdKANImjcvx_rE7oenuGDT7k5rQBW3YuD8tP4R0azQ9LKYzn3XpdwNWH4tbshYKdZd9RuuUgHl4ocphUqZNUo0DyR6mHQGUNGRnlUtPo/s640/ronaldo+%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></span></div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <br /></div> </div>

Euro 2020 Betting: Portugal price well worth another look

Euro 2020 Betting: Portugal price well worth another look For the second of his ante-post bets, Jamie Pacheco considers why a strong squa...

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Chelsea Transfers: Odds slashed on Coutinho joining Blues

<h1 class="entry_header__title" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; color: #161616; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 2rem; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.25; margin: 0px 0px 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white;">Chelsea Transfers: Odds slashed on Coutinho joining Blues</span></h1> <div> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; font-weight: 700;">Brazilian looks set to leave Barca this summer with Chelsea leading host of Premier League clubs in the running for his signature reports Max Liu...</span></div> <div> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 20px; font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></div> <div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #161616; font-family: inherit;"><span style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(255, 184, 12); border-image: initial; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-top-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><b>Philipe Coutinho is 5/6 to join Chelsea</b></span></span> after he was heavily backed to swap Barcelona for west London this summer.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white;">The Brazilian failed to impress at the Nou Camp after moving there from Liverpool in a deal potentially work £142m. He has spent this season on loan at Bayern Munich but has failed to reignite his career there too.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white;">He enjoyed <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">five brilliant years</strong> at Liverpool and is believed to be keen to move back to the Premier League with a host of other clubs reportedly interested.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white;"><strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></strong></span></div> <h2 style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; color: #161616; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.5rem; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.25; margin: 0px 0px 0.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Star connected with host of clubs</strong></h2> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #161616; font-family: inherit;"><span style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(255, 184, 12); border-image: initial; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-top-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><b>Tottenham are 4/1 to land the Brazilian and a return to Anfield is 6/1</b></span></span> even though Liverpool have made great sides since his departure.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white;">Would <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Jurgen Klopp</strong> really want to disrupt his attack by bringing in a player who's already turned his back on the club? Liverpool have won the Champions League since the Brazilian left - something he has failed to do at Barca and Bayern.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white;">A <span style="color: #161616; font-family: inherit;"><span style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(255, 184, 12); border-image: initial; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-top-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><b>move to Manchester United can be backed at 15/2</b></span></span>, although their priority is believed to be the signing of Jadon Sancho. A move to <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Leicester is 9/1 while Arsenal are 14/1</strong> to bring him to the Emirates.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white;"><strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></strong></span></div> <h2 style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; color: #161616; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.5rem; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.25; margin: 0px 0px 0.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <strong style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Brazil legend says Coutinho could thrive at Chelsea</strong></h2> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white;">Still only 27, Coutinho still has a lot to offer at the highest level and <span style="color: #161616; font-family: inherit;"><span style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(255, 184, 12); border-image: initial; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-top-style: initial; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><b>Betfair Ambassador Rivaldo</b></span></span> believes his countryman could benefit from moving to Stamford Bridge.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: white;">He said: "He will move to a big club and to a country and competition he knows well where he had his best years so far, so if that transfer really happens, I'm sure he will have a good chance of seeing things improve for him in the future."</span></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div> <div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: BetFairFlama, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 1.5rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <br /></div> </div>

Chelsea Transfers: Odds slashed on Coutinho joining Blues

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