Soccer – Dutch Super Cup (Johan Cruyff Shield) – Ajax vs PSV

With the European season on the brink of a return, a number of curtain-raising pre-season games are taking place. The Eredivisie is back in a fortnight, and another fascinating title-race looks set to ensue. Ajax and PSV are set to renew their rivalry this weekend, as they compete for the Dutch Super Cup, and its the first of our big betting events. 

The top flight in Holland is known as one of the most entertaining divisions in Europe, and a number of promising young players tend to break through each season. It would be no surprise to see a number of newcomers getting a few minutes in this tie. Ajax will be showcasing new signing Edson Alvarez, who will face fellow countryman Hirving Lozano. The pacey Quincy Promes is far more established, and he could make his competitive debut for his latest employers.

It’ll be an opportunity for Ajax fans to see some of their new recruits in action with the likes of Kik Pierie, Razvan Marin and Lisandro Martinez hoping to get some minutes under their belt.

Last season was a year to remember for Erik Ten Hag’s men, who wrapped up the Eredivisie title, and progressed nicely in the Champions League. The head-to-head ended 1-1 last season, and neither side have managed to dominate this fixture in recent years. The last draw between the pair came in 2016, and this looks set to be another fascinating match-up between the two heavyweights.

PSV haven’t been as active in the transfer market, but they could give a competitive debut to Bruma, who joined from RB Leipzig and Olivier Boscagli, who arrives from the Cote d’Azur. Timo Baumgartl is another potential arrival, although it remains to be seen whether the deal is finalised ahead of this encounter.

Regardless of the competition, there is always a decent rivalry between these two sides. Despite this essentially being a glorified pre-season game, it is likely to be played at 100mph, and there will be plenty of committed challenges flying in.

The fans cannot wait for the campaign to get underway, and this will be the perfect re-introduction to competitive action.

I always enjoy watching Ajax vs PSV, and last year’s champions are priced up as favourites once again. They appear to have made the better signings this summer, but the result will greatly depend on which side is best prepared for this July fixture.

The Dutch Super Cup will be streamed in the UK via many of the top online bookmakers’ websites. 

MMA/UFC – UFC 240 – Max Holloway vs Frank Edgar

UFC 240 provides some wonderful match-ups, with Max Holloway vs Frank Edgar set to produce a fascinating main event. It is the second of our big betting events this weekend.

Max Holloway is looking for a quick return after he was defeated by Dustin Poirier, and he fancies his chances against Frank Edgar. It was his first defeat in five years, and it came as quite the shock to his legion of fans. His dreams of securing a title at 155 pounds remain, and he knows that he will have to continue to work hard in order to reach that target.

He claims he is a “different guy” to the one which lost to Poirier, and it remains to be seen how he approaches this match-up. He’s looking for his third title defence at 145 pounds, and he has been priced up as an odds-on favourite to achieve a fourth.

Edgar hasn’t been seen for a while with his latest victory coming in 2018 against Cub Swanson. He’s put in a number of powerful performances, but will need to be at his very best in order to cause an upset in Alberta.

If he is able to get past Edgar, he will face top-ranked division contender Alexander Volkanovski, and that will provide a much stiffer challenge for the Hawaiian.

It is the third time that this match-up has been made, but the first time they will come face-to-face. With both players having previously pulled out of the scheduled bout, fans are looking forward to seeing how the pair approach this bout.

Some fans have questioned whether this is the right match-up, but I do think this should provide a hugely entertaining main event in Canada, and I can’t wait to see how it pans out.

UK viewers can enjoy this fight on BT Sport 2 this weekend

Soccer – MLS – Los Angeles FC vs Atlanta United

The MLS continues a-pace, and it’s been a hugely entertaining season so far. Los Angeles FC are the frontrunners, and Bob Bradley’s side will face MLS Cup winners Atlanta United this weekend. It is the third of our big betting events.

LAFC will be determined to bounce back from their defeat in El Trafico. The franchise slipped up against rivals LA Galaxy, and will be smarting from letting Zlatan Ibrahimovic net a hat-trick. They played their part in a very entertaining game, and should create plenty of chances in this encounter. Watch out for Carlos Vela, who is in spectacular form at the minute. He is a man who is embracing life on the west coast.

Atlanta United left it late to secure a 2-0 victory over DC United. It was a deserved success against stubborn opposition, and they even missed a penalty en-route. The Five Stripes have struggled so far this season, but they appear to have turned a corner, and they are showing some sort of consistency in recent weeks. Frank de Boer’s side have some very talented players in their side with Josef Martinez finding the net on a regular basis.

This should be plenty of quality on show here, and this is undoubtedly the highlight of the MLS card this weekend. There has only been one previous meeting between these two sides, and it ended 5-0 to Atlanta United. Whilst we could see a similar amount of goals in this meeting, it is unlikely to be as one-sided this time around.

LAFC have a seven point advantage at the top of the standings, and lead the Western Conference by a whopping nine points. They’ll be looking to pull further ahead with another victory, and swat aside one of their main rivals for the MLS Cup.

Bradley’s men look unstoppable at home, and Atlanta’s away form has been patchy at best. Both sides enjoy home comforts, and at an odds-on price, the bookies are expecting Los Angeles FC to prevail once again.

This fascinating MLS game is live on Premier Sports for UK viewers

Aussie Rules – AFL – Hawthorn vs Brisbane Lions

One of the first games of the weekend sees the high-flying Lions visit Hawthorn. They will looking to keep tabs on the Cats, who are leading the way and this fixture is the fourth of our big betting events. 

There’s a strange phenomenon in the AFL this season in which the side sat second in the ladder becomes prone to slipping up. Only four of the 15 teams who have gone into a game sat second in the table have been victorious so far this year. It’s a remarkable stat which according to Fox Sports has led some followers to claim that it is a ‘cursed’ position.

The likes of GWS, West Coast, St Kilda and Fremantle have all slipped up when beginning the day in second position, and the Lions will be hoping to avoid a similar fate.

They have slowly risen up the ladder, and been remarkably consistent. They’ve won each of their last five match-ups, and come off the back of a fairly straightforward victory against the Kangaroos. They’ve also recently beaten St Kilda and Port Adelaide Power on their travels, and they won’t be fazed by an inconsistent Hawthorn outfit.

Having said that, the Hawks are full of confidence after winning three matches in a row, and they will fancy their chances of upsetting the visitors. They have recently beaten the Magpies and the Cats, and will be looking for another top eight scalp here.

The Lions have dominated this fixture in recent years, winning each of the last four, and they’ll be hoping to keep the opposition at arms length once again.

I’m looking forward to seeing whether the curse continues this weekend, and whether the Lions can avoid becoming the latest high-flying side to suffer defeat.

BT Sport will be showing highlights of all AFL games throughout the course of the season. 

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