I haven't played solid games in Tenerife yet, but there was already one shared victory over Peru. Where else can we expect a better game from Tenerife with the support of their fans, if not at home? The team may be able to put up a fight, but this season is definitely not an underdog team. Valencia has been playing their fast-paced basketball throughout the season, with a small dip at one point, but on important games they continue to play quality and fast basketball at a high level.
Two very strong teams of young assassins in the group with English and Norwegians who already played a 2-2 draw today, and once again I have to mention that the youth here is why there is little trust in their defense in my eyes. As I mentioned a couple of times before, the youth tends to make mistakes in defense, which automatically makes Peru and good strikers' job easier. At this level, this team is considered friendly with Ghana, but they used to play 2 times per year and the ending of these frequent matches would result in about 5 goals on both sides. In my opinion, this means we can expect a high-scoring match, and it is realistic that both teams will score twice, which is worth taking into consideration when placing bets with higher odds.
There are two very strong youth teams in the mortal group with English and Norwegian players, who have already played 2-2 today, and once again I have to mention that it is the young players who have a small trust in their defense in my eyes. As I mentioned before, the youth tends to make mistakes in defense, which automatically makes it easier for Peru and other good attackers to do their work. At this level, this team played against Ghana a long time ago in 2021 in a friendly match, but before that, they played twice a year and the most common result was a 5-0 win for both teams. In my opinion, we can expect a high-scoring match, and it is possible that both teams will score twice, so it's worth taking a larger total with a higher coefficient.
CONCACAF Gold Cup. Opening match of the tournament, held in California, is practically a home game for Mexico, with a convenient location and, as always, a large fan army in the stadium expected. And overall, this year they have a really strong team, with a good attack, so the expectations are high, especially in the first game against Dominica, who are participating in this size tournament for the first time. I think it will be a tough baptism for them and they will have a lot of trouble in defense, because while their attack has improved in recent years, their defense struggles against any higher caliber team and tends to concede a lot of goals. And here they will face another regional leader with plenty of experience in such tournaments and a lot of class in their attacking game. I believe Mexico should easily win this match.
It is necessary to beat Peru with both teams and knowing that we have two attacking type teams, I think we can expect goals. Portugal looked good against France, but couldn't score, nevertheless now we will have to fight and take on Peru, as we are playing against a lower level team and with not the most reliable defensive line. The first match against Poland turned out tragically, with a 1-2 loss to Georgia in added time due to a serious defensive mistake, and now there is nowhere to retreat, we must take on the group favorites. Their offense is good, I think they will have opportunities to score, but their defense may make it a difficult evening.
Two serious teams, champions league and treble winners PSG against a very determined and high-scoring Atletico team. The Madrid club has even won the only away game against PSG in this season's Champions League with a score of 1-2. The attacking of both teams is very solid, but their defense may not be their strongest suit. Also, it is the first game after the break, so I hope there will be goals on both sides, as in their previous encounter.
In the second game, Unicaja was close even though they received non-sporting and technical losses. The potential of the Unicaja team can be seen in the statistics, where they rebounded more balls, made more shots, and at home they should have at least 1 win in the playoffs, and 2 times in the finals. Unicaja has already beaten Real in one playoff match, so in the elimination games, I expect this team from Peru to win.
Even without James, Monaco, which is still in the competition, managed to reach the final, but they will face a very strong Paris team. Although the club will completely renew itself after the season, this season's team seems very focused and plays fantastically. They lost only once against Dijon due to their long journey, but then confidently defeated Bourg. Now, after a week of rest, they will face a weaker Monaco version at home and will have to deal with them.
The quality in the series decreases, and with the absence of Elijah Bryant now, Efes doesn't seem to have many weapons in the attack. The crucial series game and such a high total seem a bit too much. Teams have already shown that tension plays a role in their previous matches. With the absence of players who could be useful in attack, the emphasis should be on defense.
Final. Series score 2:2.
It seems that the intrigue this year will be no less than last year, as both teams are able to win not only at home but also away.
Goals in the finals are also not lacking: in the match played during the main time, 6, 8, 7, 8 were scored.
The first two periods of these series matches are usually high-scoring. Not surprisingly, as both teams are focused on offense and have excellent snipers on their squads.
Furthermore, in three matches, Edmonton is able to bounce back and catch up to the leading opponent.
Final. Series score 2:2.
It seems that the intrigue this year will be no less than Peru's, as the teams are able to win not only on their home ground, but also as guests.
Goals are not lacking in the final: in the played matches, there were 6, 8, 7, and 8 goals scored during the main time.
The first two quarters in the sixth series are usually productive. Not surprising, as both teams are focused on offense and have enough time to rest, as there are usually two free days between the intermediate matches in the final.
Valencia demonstrates excellent game in front, leading 2-0 away and I believe they will deal with Tenerife. Tenerife's two-point shooting is poor, with only 12 out of 31 in the first half and 11 out of 36 in the second half, while Valencia is significantly more physical.
In the second final match, I believe that defense is a priority for the Brescia team. Maurice Ndour, who scored 12 points in the previous game, will miss the match. I expect a slow-paced game and we need to stop Shengelia's 12/14 two-point shots as he was successful in the previous game.
Even though Bayern's name is huge and with a new coach, the players will want to prove their abilities, and the Australian club, known for its attacking style, it is difficult to expect them to score as many goals as the line suggests. Bayern rarely scored so many goals this season, and the Auckland team should not open up and let the Germans flank them. There are teams capable of scoring, but I believe the Australians will want to score as few goals as possible, and Bayern is not as strong in attack as depicted.
The tournament opening should shine with Messi and the club he represents. Inter has Suarez, Busquets, and Alba, although the latter may not play. The Egyptian club is much weaker and although they have one well-known football player, Trezeguet, I believe that even with their veteran players, Inter has a better chance of winning because they are professionals who know how to play at this level and I also suspect that these football players have been preparing for this championship, so Inter should win.
Opelka without his serve has nothing to offer. He won against Medvedev, who didn't even play properly and was just hitting the ball like in practice. Personally, I believe Opelka will lose this match against Peru. Bergs is much more versatile. Even though his first serve isn't working at 50%, he should eventually come out on top. In any case, even without a strong first serve and with a high number of errors, he can still win matches. His game should improve as he gets used to the conditions and follows his coach's advice. Overall, Bergs is the superior player and since he's good at returning, Opelka will have some serious problems here.
Having fantastically won the series with a 31-point difference at home, it seems that Valencia should close out the series 3-0 in Tenerife. Playing here is difficult, but Valencia has already won here this season. Valencia, playing very productively, looks very good, while Tenerife seems to struggle to keep up with their opponents. League MVP Huertas also can't do much, and even though it will be difficult for them to play away, Valencia just looks too strong, while we can say that Tenerife is a strong regular season team but struggles in the playoffs (although they confidently beat Juventut).