In the year of the World Cup, football always has the most attention to itself. You could even argue that’s always the case. This April, despite the upcoming NFL draft, the start of NBA playoffs, and the most interesting part of the season in the Champions League, all eyes will be set on three football matches.
What we have ahead in coming days are some of the top derbies in the world, and you could argue that one of them is the biggest game in football. That’s right, as what we have scheduled for this Sunday are duels between Boca Juniors and River Plate, Liverpool and Everton, and Benfica and Sporting. Let us walk you through what you can expect from these matches.
River Plate vs. Boca Juniors
Let’s start with the most fiery of all world derbies. Argentinians simply have more passion than most when it comes to the beautiful game. If you take a look at the Boca Juniors vs River Plate Betting Markets, it is River Plate who holds the slight advantage coming into this duel. The odds on the home team win are set at 2.21, the draw is paid by 3.00 odds, while a win on Boca Juniors is rewarded with 3.40 odds. River has a slight advantage coming into this duel not only because of home field advantage. We know that playing at home venues in Argentina plays a massive role and the fans give advantage to their team quite a lot with the atmosphere they create. They are also on a hot streak of form having won five times in their last five matches. At the same time span, Boca has two wins and three draws. Both teams have been playing football with defending at the forefront, and we shouldn’t expect a myriad of goals when the derby kicks off. The state of attacking prowess with River is best seen throughout the fact that their best scorer on the year is defender Gonzalo Montiel with 4 goals to his name.
Sporting vs. Benfica
The stakes are always high when the derby of Lisbon is on schedule. Yet, this time around, it is not all about Derby de Lisboa betting odds. It is a small matter of the Portuguese league title. At the moment, Porto leads the table, but all three teams have chances of lifting the trophy in the next five rounds. Also, Sporting has a game in hand. If they win this one, and then the game in hand vs. Tondela, they will only be 2 points behind Porto with 3 games to go. As far as Benfica goes betting predictions for Derby de Lisboa do not favour them too much, they play away, are not in the best form, and it seems Jose Mourinho is seriously flirting with Real Madrid once again. So, if you plan on betting on this duel, the odds on Sporting are set at 2.13 while a win on Benfica is paid with 3.20. With a loss in this duel, the Special One’s side can say goodbye to the title. With five more rounds to go, the championship in Portugal promises a lot of fun coming our way in the next few weeks. It’s been a while since we had such an interesting three team race in Portugal and no one can say that we’re not enjoying it to the fullest.
Everton vs. Liverpool
The Merseyside Derby is a massive game for the fans of both teams. Yet, Everton and Liverpool are not as close historically and currently in the way, Sporting and Benfica, and Boca and River are. It’s been a while since the Merseyside Blues have been fighting for silverware. At the same time, Liverpool has been one of the best teams in the world for the past decade or so. Merseyside Derby betting odds show the difference in quality, with Liverpool being the only away team from these three derbies to be favoured to win. Yet, this is that one situation where you shouldn’t let Stake.com odds dictate what you’re going to bet. Despite the clear difference in the team’s stature, Everton will play with passion. The Reds have been subpar for the most part of the season, while David Moyes’ side is playing quite well.
There is a new sense of pride found in his team playing in the new stadium, and considering that this is the first Merseyside Derby played at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, Everton will certainly be looking to win. Even a draw is a good result in their book, considering they will hold their bitter rivals one step away from the Champions League spot. Also, if Everton’s good run of form continues they could find themselves playing European football next season, and considering Moyes has gotten a taste of winning European silverware, Everton might be pushing to win this derby for more than one reason.
Your Sunday needs to be reserved for football. With these derbies scheduled for Sunday, April 19th you have no other choice. The best part is that you can dedicate your day to the Merseyside Derby, evening to the happenings in Lisbon, and your night to the fiery encounter in Argentina. The football gods are known for having mercy, and they have been more than rewarding to football fans this Sunday. From Liverpool, across Lisbon, to Buenos Aires, football has the centre stage.