Football Accumulator Tips: Four-fold featuring Champions League action

There is no World Cup action today. I know, I know. How will you cope without your late night trips to the Azteca or the various stadia named after jeans and fintech companies? Well prepare to broaden your horizons, my bleary-eyed, Coupe de Monde starved friends.

Join me as we take in the white-knuckle ride of club friendlies. The exhilarating rush of following those teams who never make it to the Champions League proper as they attempt to do just that. How about the under-19 European Championships? An international tournament that is taking place as we speak, apparently. Will wonders never cease? This is the Wednesday Football Accumulator tips.

Italy U19 to beat Denmark U19 @ 8/11

Don’t worry dear gambler, I’ll ease you in. But first I’ll allow you to get over the initial shock of a major international tournament that Italy are actually in.

While the Azzurri have no part to play in the World Cup this year, they have been competing in the UEFA under-19 European Championships. If I detailed the entire format I’d decimate the word count, but basically we’re in the second round of a three-round structure that plays out between March 2026 and January 2027.

Italy are vying with Denmark for fifth place and a place at next year’s under-20 World Cup. It has been a frustrating tournament for the Italians, who won the 2023 edition. But they still have enough quality on paper to triumph here.

Hapoel Tel Aviv to beat FC Zlin @ 11/10

Our next stop is a friendly pitting Czech side FC Zlin against Israel’s Hapoel Tel Aviv. Only the biggest games here, lads.

Hapoel returned to the Israeli top tier last term and made a decent fist of it. The 13-time league titlists qualified for the championship round of the format, eventually finishing fourth and securing Conference League football.

Zlin didn’t pull up many trees in the Czech First League, finishing 12th out of 16 sides. They’ll struggle to overcome Hapoel I believe.

Football Odds

Go Ahead Eagles to beat Almere City @ 4/9

An all-Dutch encounter this one as Eredivisie mid-tablers Go Ahead Eagles take on Almere City of the Eerste Divisie.

Almere found themselves back in the second tier last term after suffering relegation in 2024/25. The mighty Eagles finished an unremarkable 12th in last season’s top tier. Despite drab finish to their most recent campaign, I don’t think the Eredivisie side will struggle in this pre-season contest. 

Iberia 1999 Tbilisi to beat Talinna FC Flora @ 5/4

We close with the big one. Stop laughing. I mean it. I’ll keep you behind after the lesson if you carry one.

This one is actually big for the sides involved. A Champions League qualifier no less. The Red Eagles of Tbilsi are here by virtue of winning last season’s Erovnuli Liga while their opponents won Estonia’s Meistriliiga last term.

In an era where teams from the big nations only have to finish in the top four or five to gain entry, it is a refreshing change to see a match-up of champions in the Champions League. FC 1999 are better on paper and I reckon that’s how it plays out in practice.