My midweek football acca will get you £258.13 from a £10 bet

The Premier League is on pause this weekend, with the March international break upon us.

We have previewed the four Nations League quarter-finals in our weekly acca, together with England’s first game under Thomas Tuchel.

A £10 wager on our three-leg acca would pay out £69.95, while the same stake on our five-leg version offers a potential return of £258.13.

England vs Albania: England to score in both halves (4/5)

Thomas Tuchel’s maiden squad selection as England manager did not please anyone, but it is hard to see his team encountering too many difficulties on Friday night.

Albania, who finished bottom of the group of death at last summer’s European Championship, will have their eyes on second place (and therefore a play-off berth) in a World Cup qualifying group that also contains Serbia, Latvia and Andorra.

England will almost certainly finish first and Tuchel will want to see his team make a statement of intent at Wembley Stadium.

The squad at his disposal is among the strongest in Europe, even without injured players like Cole Palmer, Bukayo Saka and Trent Alexander-Arnold.

It will be fascinating to see how England shape up under Tuchel. We anticipate a straightforward debut for the former Chelsea head coach.

Go for England to score in both halves at 4/5 with bet365

Denmark vs Portugal: Portugal to win (5/4)

Portugal eased to top spot in their Nations League group, amassing 14 points from a possible 18. Only Spain collected more points in the group stage of the tournament.

Denmark only squeezed through after finishing second to Spain, so it stands to reason that Portugal are strong favourites to advance to the final four.

Denmark will hope to make the most of home advantage in the first leg, but we fancy Portugal to take a huge step towards the semis by winning in Copenhagen.

Although Roberto Martinez’s men flattered to deceive at Euro 2024, the sheer amount of talent in their squad allows them to frequently get the better of inferior teams.

Paris Saint-Germain duo Joao Neves and Vitinha should help Portugal establish control in midfield. Further forward they have the firepower to get Martinez’s side over the line, with Cristiano Ronaldo still the centrepiece of the team’s attack.

Tip Portugal to win at 5/4 with bet365

Netherlands vs Spain: Both teams to score (8/11)

The Netherlands will aim to spring a surprise against Spain, the reigning European and Nations League champions under Luis de la Fuente.

La Roja are arguably the strongest international team in world football right now, but this is a potentially tricky tie.

Virgil van Dijk anchors the Dutch defence and he remains one of the best centre-backs around. Meanwhile the Netherlands demonstrated their attacking productivity by scoring 13 goals in six group games, a tally that only Germany bettered.

But for all that the imperious Van Dijk is having a fine season, Spain should find the back of the net at De Kuip. De la Fuente has made Spain more potent in the final third, helped immensely by Nico Williams and Lamine Yamal out wide. 

Goals at both ends is the smart choice here.

Choose both teams to score at 8/11 with bet365

Italy vs Germany: Draw at half-time (21/20)

Italy fell flat at Euro 2024, suffering a meek exit at the hands of Switzerland in the round of 16. 

Luciano Spalletti’s side were much improved in the group stage of the Nations League, however, finishing second to France on head-to-head record alone.

This is certainly not a vintage Italian squad, but Spalletti’s side have made strides forward since their poor showing last summer.

Whether the Azzurri have enough to get the better of Germany over two legs remains to be seen. The Nationalelf resemble a club side under Julian Nagelsmann, who is one of the brightest coaches currently working in international football.

Germany are our pick to advance over two legs, but they will not have everything their own way in the away game.

We expect this match to be tight and the two teams could still be level at the interval.

Add a draw at half-time to your acca at 21/20 with bet365

Croatia vs France: Under 2.5 goals (4/5)

The Didier Deschamps era is nearing an end, with France’s long-serving manager having already announced he will step down after World Cup 2026.

There is a chance of two more trophies before Deschamps departs. Next summer’s event in North and Central America is obviously the priority, but France will also be determined to lift the Nations League trophy for a second time.

Their conservative brand of football continues to divide opinion, but there is little chance of Deschamps changing his ways at this stage of his tenure.

The former midfielder seldom lets his team off the leash and we should see another constrained French display here.

Those who want to see a high-scoring encounter on Thursday should probably look elsewhere.

Back under 2.5 goals at 4/5 with bet365

About the author

Greg Lea

Greg Lea is a freelance football writer from London. He predominantly covers the Premier League and has had work published by the Guardian, FourFourTwo, ESPN and others.

Follow Greg on X: @GregLeaFootball

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