Derby matches right at the start of the new season: Accumulator Tip for August 18

This weekend the first round of the new season is played in many European leagues, and we will see some of the biggest derbies right away. In the Premier League Chelsea will welcome the champions Manchester City, in French Ligue 1 Rennes will welcome Lyon while in Italy Roma will travel to Sardegna to face Cagliari.

Chelsea vs Manchester City (Premier League)

Chelsea: D-L-L-W-L

Manchester City: D-W-D-L-L

The biggest derby of the Premier League will be played on Sunday from 18:30 at Stamford Bridge where Chelsea and Manchester City will meet. Nobody understands what Chelsea is doing. Again, too many new players. Again without any clear goal and plan in the market and again entering the season with an insufficiently well-organized team, in addition to so many reinforcements. Enzo Maresca succeeded Mauricio Pochettino after his Championship title with Leicester. But now his job will be even more difficult. Chelsea finished in 6th place last season, which wasn't so bad after all. They will play in the Conference League, where they certainly do not want to be. The team still faces changes in the market, mostly departures, and no one has any idea what the starting line-up will look like. Manchester City suffered two big losses. Julian Alvarez left, Oscar Bob got seriously injured, and even Rodri will not play in the first round against Chelsea. It will be difficult for Pep. He'll have to find a way to deal with so many absences and maybe Bob's injury will force him to be active on the market. Manchester City have won four titles in a row and they certainly want a fifth. They know how to win even when they are not the best. Pep started the machine and created a winning team and there is no doubt that they are the biggest favorites this season as well. Manchester City are the favorite, but the absence of Rodrigo is always a problem. We think City are closer to victory, but we also think we can see some fireworks here. Last season we had a 4-4 spectacle at the Bridge. We expect something similar again.

• Bet: BTTS

Cagliari vs Roma (Serie A)

Cagliari: W-D-W-L-W

Roma: D-W-D-L-D

The first round of the Italian Serie A brings us another clash between Cagliari and Roma at Unipol Domus. Both teams enter the new season with high expectations but with different ambitions. Cagliari, under the leadership of new coach Davide Nicola, will try to preserve the first league status, while Roma, led by the legendary Daniele De Rossi, wants to return to the top of the table and secure a place in the Champions League. After barely remaining in the elite company of Italian football last season, without a triumph in the last seven league games and with only a point advantage over Frosinone and the relegation zone, Davide Nicola, a man known for achieving the impossible, took over the Cagliari bench from Claudio Ranieri. Cagliari's goal for this season will probably be just survival in the league, but Roma have bigger ambitions. With club legend Daniele De Rossi at the helm, they want to take it one step further. De Rossi took over at Roma in January after Jose Mourinho was sacked, leading the team to sixth place. However, Roma's season ended poorly, with just one win in their last five Serie A games, five points short of the Champions League spot. Given that the last six meetings between Cagliari and Roma at Unipol Domus ended with three or more goals scored, with both sides scoring goals, we expect a similar outcome to this match again.

• Bet: Over 2.5 goals

Rennes vs Lyon (Ligue 1)

Rennes: W-D-W-L-W

Lyon: L-W-D-L-W

In this season both teams enter with high ambitions, especially after not-so-good last season. Lyon will try to avoid drama like last season when they spent several weeks in the relegation zone, and with a constant form to be among 6 best teams in the league, while Rennes had a great start, but their form dropped as the season went by. Four of their last five matches ended with over 3.5 goals and both teams scored. This season both teams have changed lineups, but both of them are playing offensive football, so we can expect goals once again.

• Bet: Over 2.5 goals