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EDITOR PICKS

  • Watch: Carvajal's header delivers killer blow for Madrid in UCL final

  • An introduction to Top Soccer News on theScore ??

  • An introduction to Top Soccer News on theScore ??

  • Real Madrid beat Dortmund to win 15th European Cup

Soccer

Champions League best bets: No joy for Liverpool, Bayern

Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.

These weekly Champions League matches have been an absolute treat. However, with the international break looming, this is set to be the final matchday until the last week of November.

Let’s make the most of it.

Liverpool (+105) at Atalanta (+215), Draw (+250); Nov. 3 @ 3 p.m. ET

Perched atop Group D after two games, Liverpool face arguably their toughest test of the group stage as they head to Bergamo on Tuesday. The free-scoring Italians present a daunting task for Jurgen Klopp’s makeshift backline, which will likely feature Rhys Williams and Joe Gomez in the absence of Virgil van Dijk, Fabinho, and Joel Matip.

Atalanta boast an abundance of attacking quality, and we know they won’t just sit back and defend under Gian Piero Gasperini. Their aggressive style will give Liverpool fits, which Klopp will take into consideration with his team selection as the Reds face a crucial trip to the Etihad on Sunday. There’s excellent value here in backing the hosts, with Liverpool still in a comfortable position to progress even in defeat.

Pick: Atalanta (+215)

Bayern Munich (-300) at Salzburg (+625), Draw (+425); Nov. 3 @ 3 p.m.

It’s been a frustrating start to the group stage for Salzburg, who were unlucky not to claim three points against Lokomotiv before being undone by a late Atletico goal in Madrid. Sitting on one point through two matches, they can’t afford a defeat to Bayern if they’re to have any hopes of progressing.

It’s a tall order given Bayern have won 13 straight Champions League matches, but Salzburg aren’t a side to sit back against the defending champions, which works to their advantage here. We saw Salzburg give great games to Liverpool and Napoli last season, while Bayern have been made to sweat away from home, narrowly beating Lokomotiv last week and Olympiacos last season. Bayern visit Signal Iduna Park this weekend, and should they be caught looking ahead, Salzburg are well-equipped to take advantage.

Pick: Draw (+425)

Borussia Dortmund (-180) at Club Brugge (+400), Draw (+305), Nov. 4 @ 3:00 p.m.

Dortmund, who make up the other half of Der Klassiker, will welcome Bayern to northern Germany on Sunday. It’s one of the bigger derbies between the Bundesliga rivals – which are tied at 15 points atop the table – in years, so it’s sure to grab some of Dortmund’s focus from a midweek trip to Belgium. Striker Erling Haaland missed Dortmund’s game this past weekend, and he certainly won’t be risked here with Lucien Favre ensuring his availability against Bayern.

Dortmund have just two goals from open play through two Champions League matches, with Haaland scoring both of them. His absence will leave a gaping hole atop the visitors’ attack against a Brugge side that’s capable defensively and potent on the counter. Both of these clubs have quite similar approaches, which will make for a tense encounter Wednesday. Dortmund left Belgium with a 1-0 win courtesy of a very late goal when these clubs met in the group stage two seasons ago, but with Brugge more experienced this time around, they are good value to secure a point.

Pick: Draw (+305)

(Odds source: theScore Bet)

Alex Moretto is a sports betting writer for theScore. A journalism graduate from Guelph-Humber University, he has worked in sports media for over a decade. He will bet on anything from the Super Bowl to amateur soccer, is too impatient for futures, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.

NFL

Seahawks' DK Metcalf races 46 yards for a touchdown vs. 49ers

5:22 PM ET

  • Go ahead and GO, @dkm14! ???

    ?: #SFvsSEA on FOX pic.twitter.com/8gJMJqLBOc

    — Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) November 1, 2020

Soccer

Ex-Barca boss compares Messi to Michael Jordan: He's 'difficult to manage'

Former Barcelona head coach Quique Setien believes Lionel Messi’s desperation to win makes him hard to handle – just like NBA icon Michael Jordan.

Setien was sacked seven months into his Barcelona reign following August’s disastrous 8-2 Champions League defeat to Bayern Munich. Messi was critical of the team during Setien’s spell, calling Barca “very weak” a month before the tactician’s dismissal.

“It’s true that there are players that are not easy to manage, among them, Leo,” Setien told El Pais newspaper, as translated by ESPN’s Sam Marsden. “It’s difficult when someone is accustomed to winning.

“And when inside him, it generates an anxiety when you don’t achieve that (win), it harms you. The demand that exists today in football is brutal, it has saturated him and others that need to permanently win.”

Setien continued: “There’s another facet beyond just the player and it’s more difficult to manage. Much more difficult. It’s something inherent in many athletes that can be seen in the Michael Jordan documentary (“The Last Dance”). You see things you don’t expect.

“He (Messi) is very reserved and only shows you the things that he wants you to see. He doesn’t speak much.”

In August, Messi submitted an official request to cancel his Barcelona contract but withdrew his demand 10 days later to avoid a legal battle with the club. The artsy Argentine has since scored three goals and assisted twice across eight appearances in La Liga and Champions League action.

Despite Messi’s remarkable exploits throughout his career, Setien stressed that no one is more important than the club and its followers.

“After my departure, one thing that is clear to me is that at certain times I should have taken other decisions but there’s something above you: the club and the fans,” Setien said. “They are above a president, a player, a coach. You owe the respect to them (fans) and you have to do what is most convenient for the club.”

NFL

Jimmy Garoppolo, Brandon Aiyuk among top last-minute pickups for Week 8

The roster percentages for this column are updated every Friday morning, and any players from Thursday’s Falcons-Panthers game have been taken out.

Each week of the NFL season, we will identify fantasy football waiver-wire pickups specifically for those of you looking for streaming options in deeper formats (including IDP leagues). These are players available in a majority of ESPN Fantasy leagues who have enticing matchups in the week ahead that make them worthy of consideration for your lineup.

Looking to make a trade but not sure where to start? New in the ESPN App, the Trade Assistant is a matchmaking tool that assesses your team needs and depth versus every other team in your league and suggests trades for fantasy managers to either propose or dismiss.

Most trade offers: Michael Thomas (207,252 offers)
Thomas’ value continues to be a moving target as real-life trade speculation popped up this week. The Saints have nothing but fantasy-friendly opponents in December, so if you can be patient, Thomas profiles as a player to ask about.

Highest trade acceptance rate: Aaron Rodgers (10.9%)
Rodgers recovered nicely from a down Week 6 in a blowout win over the Texans and should be viewed as a difference-maker the rest of the way. His bye is in the rearview and it’s tough to argue with four home games in a five-week stretch when you need it most (Weeks 12-16).

Highest rejection rate: Antonio Brown (97%)
The idea of adding and trading Brown is easier said than done. While there is significant risk in targeting the former All-Pro, the Bucs do end the season with four straight games against bottom-seven defenses vs. fantasy WRs.

Trade Assistant with IBM Watson brought to you in partnership with ESPN

While you might notice some overlap with Field Yates’ pickup column that publishes on Mondays, an important distinction is that the options mentioned in this column are focused solely on this week’s matchup and not the players’ values for the remainder of the season.

Do you need replacement options for injured players? Or are you merely dealing with depth issues? A roundtable of fantasy analysts and NFL Nation reporters will join me to identify some choice names to consider each week.

Here are some of our favorites for Week 8:

Quarterback

Jimmy Garoppolo, San Francisco 49ers (26.0% rostered; at Seahawks)

Speaking of historically generous pass defenses facing efficient offenses, this setup for Garoppolo should see him bounce back nicely from last week’s poor fantasy showing. Seattle is sitting 29th in pressure rate, so Jimmy G should have time to throw. Even with a depleted crew of receivers and a thin backfield, there are enough playmakers still in the mix to support Garoppolo in this soft matchup. -J.M.

Running Back

Carlos Hyde, Seattle Seahawks (44.9% rostered; vs. 49ers)

I know Hyde isn’t an exciting young back with breakout potential, but luckily there are no “style points” in fantasy. And he should definitely get the volume as long as Chris Carson is out of the lineup. Hyde had 15 carries for 68 yards and a TD in Week 7 — not to mention 1,070 yards in Houston last season. ESPN Seahawks reporter Brady Henderson said they have a couple of other pass-catching backs they might use in a rotational role, but they specifically liked Hyde in free agency because he has “the size and physicality to approximate what Carson gives Seattle on early downs.” -Mike Triplett, NFL Nation Saints reporter

Zack Moss, Buffalo Bills (36.5% rostered; vs. Patriots)

Far more efficient last week than peer Devin Singletary and with nearly equal touch and snap rates in the win over the Jets, Moss is seemingly rising in the Buffalo backfield. Earning an endorsement for a second straight week in this space, there are some key positives to consider with the rookie. Moss was the primary goal-line back earlier in the season, while the team has rarely deployed Singletary in such scenarios since the start of last season. Another angle in his favor is New England has struggled against the rush, allowing a generous 4.6 yards per carry to backs and more than 24 fantasy points per game to backfields, leaving room for both Buffalo backs to flirt with flex value this weekend. -J.M.

Wide Receiver

Brandon Aiyuk, San Francisco 49ers (57.0% rostered; at Seahawks)

2 Related

The talented rookie wideout has everything going for him this week. He is coming off a career-best performance against a tough

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Soccer

  • Watch: Carvajal's header delivers killer blow for Madrid in UCL final

  • An introduction to Top Soccer News on theScore ??

  • An introduction to Top Soccer News on theScore ??

  • Real Madrid beat Dortmund to win 15th European Cup

  • Police arrest dozens of ticket-less fans at Wembley final

  • Dortmund boss Terzic lauds 'brilliant' Sancho after UCL defeat

  • Modric, Kroos among Madrid stars to make history with latest UCL triumph

  • Madrid's inevitability is a superpower no rival can match

  • Transfer window preview: 50 players who could move this summer

  • Vinicius Jr. named Champions League Player of the Season

“If you think about it, I've never held a job in my life. I went from being an NFL player to a coach to a broadcaster. I haven't worked a day in my life.”
-John Madden


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