Marquee Matchups

Last week saw a break from domestic competitions, with the 2018 World Cup Qualifiers taking their place. With most countries having two fixtures during this period, predicting which games EA would choose became a tall order to say the least and with a result of 2 correct from 6 guesses, we had a fairly successful week. This week sees a return to the standard league matches, and hopefully an even stronger prediction will follow! 
 
Remember as always, even if we correctly predict the games, we still need to account for formations, chemistry, rating, nationality and clubs. Always make your investments as safe as possible by eliminating the risk some of these can cause. 

Liverpool vs Manchester United 

Manchester United sit second in the Premier League to local rivals Manchester City, separated by not even a point, but a single goal. This week sees them travel to longtime rivals Liverpool for the North-West derby. Can Liverpool continue their top four challenge or will United simply destroy them, much like their immediate rivals Manchester City have? 

  
Atletico Madrid vs Barcelona 

Moving across to Spain for the second fixture, and once again we see two of the biggest teams in the league go head to head. Despite a disastrous transfer window, Barcelona sit 5 points clear atop the table, having yet to drop a single point. Atletico are amongst the chasing pack, and whilst remain undefeated have already drawn 3 games. Can Barcelona continue this incredible streak or will Atletico be the first team to steal some points away from the league leaders? 

 
Inter Milan vs AC Milan 

We head over to Italy for these next few predictions and begin with one of the largest rivalries in the league, the Milan derby. Despite the influx of funds AC received, their start to the season would be described as average at best. With 4 wins and 3 losses from their 7 games, it seems like they need time to allow their new signings to settle. On the other hand, the competition has had an explosive start and even Inter have only dropped 2 points from their 7 games so far. Is this where AC can turn things around, or will Inter simply stride further ahead? 

Juventus vs Lazio 

Now while the Milan derby appears to be the obvious choice for investment we know better than to simply fall into such a trap. That’s why we have not one, not two, but three fixtures as a possibility here. Second place Juventus host fourth place Lazio in what is likely to be another heated match. With just 3 points separating the teams, can Lazio take this opportunity to close in on last year's champions? 

Roma vs Napoli 

The final game in the Serie A that we will be looking at sees top of the table Napoli travelling to fifth place Roma (who also have a game in hand). A win here for Roma, alongside a win in their extra game, would see things all level at the top and hence piles on the pressure with the importance of this match. Can Napoli hold their ground and continue their perfect start to the season, or will Roma be the contenders that prove to be too much? 
 
Remember, that investing in one or all three games is never a bad decision. The challenge is likely to require a full eleven players and having extras available from the same league will always be useful. 

Dortmund vs RB Leipzig 

With an extremely shaky start to the season from last year's winners Bayern Munich, Dortmund find themselves atop the table having won 6 and drawn just the 1 game. RB Leipzig also continue their fantastic form from last season, sitting fourth in the table, 6 points off the leaders but just 1 point from second and third. While this isn't quite as big as the other choices we have, it feels like a worth mention to simply cover all basis. Can Dortmund continue their unbeaten run or will it be Leipzig who stop them in their tracks? 

Lyon vs Marseille 

We move onto Ligue 1 next where two of the bigger teams, by name, come face to face. With Marseille sitting in third place 6 points off unbeaten leaders PSG and Lyon in eighth with 4 draws from 8 games already, there isn't all that much riding on this match. However, we do see a large rivalry between the two teams, with the derby known as "Choc Des Olympiques". Is it unlikely to see this match with so many other big games taking place elsewhere, or is this the kind of curveball EA love to throw at us? 

Melbourne Victory vs Melbourne City 

The final game we are looking at today will be from the A-League. We see the two Melbourne sides, Melbourne Victory vs Melbourne City go head to head. Now while this game isn't quite as mainstream as the others we have mentioned, it doesn’t mean we should ignore it. With only silver and bronze cards available from the two teams, we could see a much larger increase in profits if needed, however we also run the risk of seeing the new "blocks" used by EA for such a fixture. The only question here is, can we find the value? 
 
As you can see there are plenty of options available this week, this is simply my shortlist from dozens of potential candidates. When investing always look for the highest possible value. Which challenges will likely require the most players? Which investments are rarer on the market and hence should rise more? Which challenges have a chance of having "blocks" instead of players required? Will I lose much if my investments are wrong? Do I sell on hype or after the event is released? If you are answering these questions, then your investments instantly become a lot stronger.