talkSPORT tips – Best football bets and expert advice for Wednesday 24 August

Wednesday’s football action includes the conclusion of the Champions League play-off round as well as plenty of Carabao Cup action domestically.

There are four finely balanced ties to be decided in the Champions League, while Tottenham boss Roberto De Zerbi will be desperate to avoid a cup upset as Charlton visit north London in one of the four Carabao Cup games. 

As usual, we have a trio of selections to make up our best bets of the day.

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Bet of the Day

Levski Sofia to qualify @ 13/5

There was nothing to separate Levski Sofia and AEK Athens in a goalless first leg of their Champions League play-off round and the Greeks appear a bit short to win this second leg.

They last reached the main stages of this competition in 2018/19 and are facing a Levski side on a 15-game unbeaten run. That includes all seven qualifiers in this competition.

The Bulgarian side have played six times in August and conceded no goals, now having gone nearly 600 minutes without a breach.

Between them these sides mustered just four shots on target in the first leg and this could be another attritional encounter. 

Levski were last in the Champions League in 2006-07 and they can end the wait with a solid defensive showing before nicking this with an odd goal or even going all the way to penalties.

Bet Builder

Dinamo Zagreb to win, Dion Beljo to score & Over 2.5 goals @ 22/5

Norwegian champions Viking were close to being cut adrift in the first leg of their Champions League play-off tie against Dinamo Zagreb as they trailed 2-0 after only 10 minutes.

To their credit, they battled back and were level by half-time, albeit completely against the run of play. The home side won the shot-count 23-6 and will wonder how they won’t bring a lead to Norway.

Dinamo have avoided defeat in both away legs to come this far, scoring at Swiss side Thun and winning in Lithuania against Kauno Zalgiris.

Viking have just one clean sheet in their last eight games and are vulnerable against a side with much stronger pedigree at this level.

There could be plenty more goals and, with seven goals and five assists in seven games, Dion Beljo is the dangerman for the visitors.

Acca

Both teams to score: Tottenham vs Charlton, Bradford vs Burnley & NK Celje vs Slovan Bratislava @ 23/5

Completing our midweek interest is a both teams to score acca across the EFL Cup and Champions League.

Spurs were given the runaround at Brentford on Saturday evening in what amounted to a worrying start for De Zerbi. With an atrocious home record last season that brought just three league wins, they will be eager to take care of business as Charlton come calling.

The Addicks stunned West Ham on Saturday to make it back-to-back wins in the Championship after a 3-1 win at Cheltenham in the first round of this competition. They can score at Spurs.

Both teams have scored in each of Burnley’s three league and cup games, with five goals shipped in two Championship outings.

Bradford were 2-0 winners in round one against Rochdale and have beaten Peterborough and Sheffield Wednesday without conceding since in League One. The Bantams can serve it up to the Clarets in what could be an entertaining contest.

It was 1-1 between Slovan Bratislava and Celje in the first leg and the Slovenian side host the second game aiming for just a second clean sheet in six qualifiers.

Slovan have scored eight times in their five-game run to this point, but have managed just one shutout in the last four.

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Odds correct at time of publish and subject to change.

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