Football Accumulator Tips: 3-3-3 Column Cross-European Treble

Back with a winner, back in business, back in profit after last week's treble came in at 4.56/1.  

But there's no rest for the wicked so let's get on this treble that takes us to Verona, Getafe and Barcelos this weekend as we look to get back on track with our Cross-European Football Accumulator Tips for this weekend...

Welcome to the 3-3-3 betting column. Why is it called that? Glad you asked.  It's not a formation to play when you've had a man sent off but rather: 

• 3 - The number of different selections making up the acca. 
• 3 - The number of different (non-English) European Leagues the selections are taken from every week. 
• 3 - The minimum odds (3/1) or 4.0 if you prefer, that the acca will come to it every week. 

And it really is as simple as that. The selections can be from any betting markets, as long as they meet the criteria set out above.  And to round things off, every week I'll leave you with a cool (or at least I think so) bit of trivia involving one of the teams featured in the acca. Simples... 

Current P and L: +0.98pts  

Yes, we're back in business. The first clue is that the P and L above is now in profit. That's because despite the 3-3-3 column rules dictating that the odds of each column must come to at least 3/1 (4.0) there's nothing to say they can't come to more than that. And last week they did: it came in at 4.56/1 with that extra little bit ensuring we've recovered our losses and are in very much in positive territory.  

For what it's worth and not for the first time this season, it won pretty comfortably. Ok, Atalanta 'only' won 1-0 but Boavista actually scored twice at Sporting Lisbon (we needed BTTS, it ended 3-2) while we needed less than 10 corners in the Brest game and there were only five.  You can check out last week's 3-3-3 Football Accumulator Tips column in full behind the link.

So, great to be back up but our work is never done here at the 3-3-3 column.  

Verona v AC Milan        

Friday, December 20 19:45  

Selection: Back over 2.5 goals @ 8/11

What was with that Shakespeare play 'The two Gentlemen of Verona'? Were they the only two gentlemen in town? Two of many?  And why was someone living in the Midlands in England so concerned by what two gentlemen were doing in a somewhat obscure Italian city anyway?  

I don't know the answer to any of these questions but here's what I do know: Hellas Verona, the local team from the city have seen all of their eight home matches go over 2.5 goals so far this season. Yes, all eight. For interests' sake, they're not the only ones this has happened to in Serie A because Lazio are also 8/8 for 'overs' games at home this season. But back to Verona.  

Just as an example of the unpredictable nature of their results, they won their first home match of the season 3-0, then lost the next one 3-0. They beat Roma 3-2 one week in Verona and lost 5-0 to Inter two weeks later.  

So I'm not going to try and predict a result but I think there will be goals in what is a pretty obvious statement to make. In this regard, opponents Milan should certainly help: they're 7/8 in 'overs' matches away from home. The last three here ended 1-3, 1-2 and 1-3 as well.  

Getafe v Mallorca  

Saturday, December 21 13:00  

Selection: Under 9.5 corners @ 1/2  

At the height of the spread betting craze, I used to make good money buying corners when Blackburn were in action, circa 2001. They had Damien Duff on one wing and Keith Gillespie on the other and all the pair of them did all day was run down the wing and win endless corners. Eventually the fun ended when Duff moved onto Chelsea, but it was good while it lasted.  

You have to wonder if Getafe even play wide players. Or have shots on goal that might result in corners. Or do anything that results on getting or conceding corners if the season-long stats are anything to go by.  

Only once all season did they get more than six themselves and only once this season in eight games, were there more than 9.5 corners.  

They share a common interest with Mallorca, also huge fans of low-number-of-corners games and who are themselves 6/8 for matches with nine or less when away from home.   

A good recipe for corners being at a premium once again.  

Gil Vicente v Sporting Lisbon        

Sunday, December 22 20:30  

Selection: Both teams to score @ 8/11   

I have no issue going to the well once again when it comes to Sporting Lisbon and a both teams to score bet which served us so well last week.  

They're up against Gil Vicente this weekend, a club named after another playwright of great note who curiously, was called, Gil Vicente. It's a lazy comparison to make but he, alongside Luis de Camoes, is (was) the Portuguese Shakespeare.   

But enough about plays and let's talk about betting plays. Gil Vicente have a respectable 4/6 record when it comes to BTTS matches at home this season but more significant than that (as it was last week) is the fact that Sporting are currently all at sea.  

Having been very solid in defence at the start of the campaign under Ruben Amorim, they've now conceded 12 in their last five, including producing BTTS matches in four of their last five. It's also five of the last eight between these two that has seen goals at both ends so the stats are certainly backing up our bet. But let's wait and see how it 'plays' out.  

*You can create your own Acca or follow James' selections over on our Football Accumulator Coupon page on betfred.com

James' Fun Fact  

Damien Duff won exactly 100 caps for the Republic of Ireland. You'd think that's a relatively small club to be part of, but it's not. Over 20 other players managed the same feat of getting to precisely 100 including the likes of Tony Meola, Robinho, Carles Puyol and Dario Simic.