Our BTTS treble continues despite the Premier League being long gone. Although we do include two games from these shores, as well as the main match on Saturday evening. Good luck if you follow our selections!
Real Madrid v Atletico Madrid – 7.45pm Saturday
Both teams to score odds – EVENS with Coral
The European season always feels like it fully comes to a close with the Champions League Final and the battle we have on our hands here, means we could have a classic. An all Madrid affair which is first final between two sides from the same City, the story couldn’t have been written more flawlessly. Now we are on the final chapter for the biggest prize in club football- expect fireworks!
Real Madrid are the most successful side in European history yet have failed to pick up this piece of silverware for over a decade as Barcelona have taken the lead role over the continent, picking up three European titles in this time. Has the wait finally ended for Los Blancos? In the six games the Galactico’s have played in the knockout stages of the competition, they have scored a gigantic 18 goals, and they play with no fear. Carlos Ancelotti has big players at his disposal and I can see a few goals in either net, for Madrid they are going to come from that man Cristiano Ronaldo. Who else? 16 goals so far is an ECL record. The stage is set for him.
Atletico are looking to make it a perfect season, one which they could only have dreamt of having a few short years ago. Already La Liga Champions, this side will be confident of beating anyone on the planet right now and rightly so after knocking out AC Milan, Barcelona and Chelsea on their way to the final. Could they have asked for a tougher route? A dent in their bid for glory will be the likelihood of Diego Costa missing out injured but as they proved against Barcelona, when the superstar striker fell injured early in the game last week, that they can perform without him. Diego Simeone has done an incredible job and I can see him go one step further by pulling of a result this weekend but his Atletico side will have to score twice.
Derby County v Queens Park Rangers -7.45pm Sunday
Both teams to score odds – EVENS with Coral
They call this match the most lucrative game in football with £134 million on the line, and the drama never fails to deliver. Ups and down over 90 minutes is always in the script and personally i look forward to this match as much as any other in the football calendar.
After appointing Steve McLaren following the exit of Nigel Clough, the former England boss made an instant impact which resulted in County pushing Burnley most of the season for the final automatic spot only to fall away towards the end. Derby still finished five points ahead of QPR in third. This Derby outfit are young and talented and will bring plenty of energy to the occasion. A large number of players got on the score sheet throughout the season with the Rams scoring plenty more than Rangers and I expect them to find the net at some point on Saturday.
QPR gained their place at Wembley by overcoming Wigan Athletic with a key win at Loftus Road to seal their slot. Rangers boss Harry Redknapp is under a lot of pressure to ensure the Hoops find themselves in the Premier League next season with the famous wage bill being higher than Atletico Madrid’s. Redknapp received a boost this week with the news that Croatian midfielder Niko Kranjcar is fit after an injury scare and Charlie Austin has promised a big performance on Saturday. All the right noises are coming out the club this week and I am predicting the R’s to win.
Leyton Orient v Rotherham United – 3.00pm Sunday
Both teams to score odds – 4/6 with Coral
Another season finisher greets us on Sunday with the League One Play Off Final. A fantastic season in the division comes to an end as two of the biggest over achievers come head to head for a place in the Championship. Nobody would have predicted the pair to have played so well throughout the campaign and it is a shame one side won’t be getting the reward they deserve.
Many outsiders and pundits expected Leyton Orient to drop off after their quite awesome start but they never did. This was a great surprise to many, but not those who know the club well. This achievement has been four or five year’s hard work to slowly build a talented side. At Wembley you would expect the star players to perform so look out for veteran Kevin Lisbie to get on the score sheet. Orient are bound to find the back of the net- on their travels they did so in all but one game over their 23 ties, which is an outstanding record.
Rotherham will be confident and have given themselves every opportunity for the big game as they have announced they have a full squad to pick from and plenty of competition in each position. In the Semi Final the Yorkshire side faced a Preston North End outfit that nobody wanted to face, and were favourites to get promoted out of the four sides, yet the Millers got the result necessary to book their Wembley place. On the road Steve Evans side won 14 of their 23 games during the campaign which is a fantastic return. This game is so hard to call and either side could win it but I can almost guarantee it will be a great game and hopefully one with goals.
£10 stake on today’s treble will return a lovely £66.80 with Coral
