Bayern Munich begin their 2009 campaign with a testing last-16 German Cup tie at Stuttgart, the same team who held the German champions to a 2-2 draw in their last match of 2008.

After a one-and-a-half-month winter break, a training camp in the Dubai sunshine and five wins from five friendly matches, Bayern must steel themselves for a return to competitive action.

The Bavarian giants, second in the German championship on goal difference behind leaders Hoffenheim and into the last 16 of the Champions League, need to step up another level in order to win trophies , according to president Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.

Bayern s league campaign resumes with a trip to Hamburg on Friday.

The team, unbeaten in sixteen matches and reinforced by the arrival of American m…

NFL betting fans will have to wait for this matchup between the Las Vegas Raiders and Cleveland Browns, after the game was postponed until Monday due to health & safety protocols decimating the Browns roster.

Things got moderately better for the Browns, who gained a couple of bodies back that would not have played Saturday, but their top two quarterbacks — plus a host of other key players — are still sidelined. 

The Raiders have lost five of six games and are coming off an utter humiliation against Kansas City. They opened as 6.5-point NFL betting road dogs but have seen the line flip them to favorites, as they are facing a somewhat-unrecognizable Cleveland roster — on both sides of the ball.

Here are our best free NFL pi…

The Green Bay Packers will look to build off of their stunning Week 10 victory over the Cowboys and their combination of deep targets and heavy run game will be put to the test vs. the Tennessee Titans’ elite defense. With a projected slow pace of play, heavy-volume passing numbers from either side shouldn’t be expected.

Here are my free NFL prop picks — to go along with our free NFL picks and predictions — for Titans vs. Packers for Thursday Night Football.

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In a wide open NFC playoff race, the Los Angeles Rams have been surging in recent weeks and since the return of Matthew Stafford from injury, Sean McVay’s team has gone 4-1 in its last five heading into the Week 16 odds opener.

However, now Stafford & Co. will have to deal with a New Orleans Saints defense that’s been one of the best in the league this season and is equally hungry for a playoff berth.

You can see how I’m betting on Matthew Stafford’s odds as I dive into the TNF odds to bring you my free NFL picks below.

For more TNF coverage, check our Saints vs. Rams predictions and our best TNF prop bets! 

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Joni Mitchell taught us that, “you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone”. 

In the case of Aaron Rodgers, the New York Jets only got four snaps with the veteran quarterback but now know what they’ve got: an elite defense, a bruising rushing attack, and a passing game ready to pop after being held back by rotten QB play in 2023.

The promise of Rodgers carried weight with the betting markets last summer and the bar is even higher in 2024. Gang Green lays points in 14 games, according to look-ahead lines, and their win total is at 10.5. New York is -175 to make the playoffs, a co-fave to win the AFC East, and among the second tier of Super Bowl contenders.

This is the Jets we’re talking about, however. So,…

Former FIFA World Cup winner Geoff Hurst has urged fans to flock to Brazil for next year s tournament for more than just football.

Hurst scored a hat-trick to help England clinch the 1966 FIFA World Cup as they overcame West Germany 4-2 in the final.

The lead-up to next year s World Cup finals has been overshadowed by public protests in Brazil against the large-scale spending on football stadiums rather than using the money to overhaul the South American country s health system and improve law and order.

But despite that, Hurst remains adamant the World Cup will benefit Brazil, while he also believes it will be about more than football for the international fans who attend.

I think everybody is excited, not just because of the football and being in Brazil to watc…

Eight countries remain interested in hosting the 2023 Women s World Cup as they prepare to submit a bid book to FIFA later this year.

FIFA confirmed the eight-strong shortlist for the tournament, which will be the first finals to feature 32 teams.

Japan are the only former champions to register a continued interest, while Brazil who hosted the 2014 men s World Cup are also on the list alongside Australia.

There is further South American representation from Argentina and Colombia. New Zealand and 2010 men s hosts South Africa are set to make a bid, too.

South Korea is the final country in contention, although the Korea Football Association has expressed its interest in a joint bid with North Korea.

There had been a record 10 interested parties prio…

Barcelona s Sergi Roberto hailed a remarkable year of personal and team growth after his team s last game of 2015.

Roberto has already made 21 first-team appearances this season, as coach Luis Enrique has found more and more use for the midfielder as a right-back, helping Barcelona to a La Liga, Champions League and Copa Del Rey treble, as well as a Club World Cup title.

Speaking after Barcelona s 4-0 win over Real Betis, confirming the Catalan giants position at the top of La Liga heading into next year, Roberto said he was looking forward to bigger and better things in 2016.

In sporting terms it has been a spectacular year with five titles won. It was also good for me personally because I got more minutes and gained confidence, Roberto said.

[January]…

Harry Maguire has defended his England team-mates after their performance at Euro 2024, labelling the criticism as a bit ridiculous .

England reached back-to-back European Championship finals but suffered the same outcome in Berlin as they did at Wembley three years ago.

The defeat against Spain saw Gareth Southgate become the first head coach in the history of the tournament to end up on the losing side in two finals.

Southgate called time on his eight-year tenure in charge of the Three Lions two days after the tournament ended, winning 59.8% of his 102 games in charge.

Despite this, underwhelming performances in Germany saw cups thrown towards the former England head coach as supporters jeered the players.

Southgate came under fire for his def…

Monday Night Football is a bit of a mess in Week 16, with the New Orleans Saints forced to march out a fourth-string quarterback for their homestand against the Miami Dolphins.

That has bettors a little iffy on the side and the total for this primetime non-conference clash, which means Monday Night Football props are the play tonight. Books rolled out a lengthy list of alternative odds and proposition wagers, allowing NFL bettors to steer into the skid.

Here are our free NFL prop picks for Dolphins at Saints on Monday, December 27.

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