Big derbies in the National Cups: Accumulator Tips for January 08

This Wednesday we will see several great derby matches in the National Cups. In England, Tottenham will welcome Liverpool in the first match of the EFL Cup semifinals. In Portugal, Benfica and Braga will play the second semi-final of the National Cup on neutral ground while in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Athletic Bilbao and Barcelona will play in the first semifinal of the Spanish Super Cup.

Tottenham vs Liverpool (England, EFL Cup)

Tottenham: L-D-L-L-W

Liverpool: D-W-W-W-W

Tottenham will host Liverpool in the first leg of their EFL Cup semi-final on Wednesday at 11 pm at the New Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The hosts have not won a game since they triumphed over Manchester United in the competition more than two weeks ago. Ange Postecoglou's side host Newcastle United in the Premier League last weekend. The defense was once again weak, which has become a common problem for Tottenham this season. The Lilywhites lost, conceding 2+ goals for the fourth time in their last five games. Liverpool dropped points for the fifth time this season in the Premier League last weekend, playing a thrilling 2-2 draw against Manchester United at Anfield. Although they did not show the standard level of play we have come to expect this season, the draw ended their run of four consecutive wins, but they proved once again that they can score goals even when they are not playing at their best. Regardless of the competition, Tottenham and Liverpool always score many goals in their duels. In the last nine meetings, both teams have scored, with only one ending with less than three goals. History aside, both teams are currently excelling in attack – the hosts have scored at least two goals in their last four home games, while Liverpool have scored 2+ goals in each of their last six.

• Bet: Over 3.5

Atheltic Bilbao vs Barcelona (Spain, Super Cup)

Atheltic Bilbao: D-W-D-W-W

Barcelona: W-L-L-W-D

In the semifinals of the Spanish Super Cup, which will be held in Saudi Arabia for the fourth time, the winner of the Copa del Rey, Athletic Bilbao, will face off against the runner-up of La Liga, Barcelona. Last season left an indelible mark in the history of Athletic Bilbao, who after 40 years of waiting finally lifted the King's Cup trophy. This success ended the long drought of the club from the Basque and secured their appearance at the prestigious Spanish Super Cup. On the other hand, Barcelona come to Jeddah with the clear intention of asserting their status as a dominant force on the domestic scene. Although they faced challenges such as the failed signings of Dani Olmo and Pau Victor, the Catalan giants showed their class last weekend with a convincing 4-0 win over fourth-tier Barbastra in the Copa del Rey. Barcelona have won in five of the last seven meetings with Athletic Bilbao and according to all bookmakers is a big favorite to enter the final of the Spanish Super Cup, that's why I decided on the triumph of the Catalans on Wednesday evening.

• Bet: W2

Benfica vs Braga (Portugal, League Cup)

Benfica: L-L-W-W-D

Braga: W-L-W-D-L

The second semi-final of the Portuguese League Cup will be played on Wednesday at 22:45 in Leiria at the Dr. Magalhaes Pessoa stadium, where Benfica and Braga will face off for the second time in just five days. The match in the league, which was played in Lisbon on Saturday, ended in a 1-2 victory for the visitors. Benfica ended the year with a disappointing defeat in a fierce Lisbon derby, where they lost 1-0 to bitter rivals Sporting at a packed Jose Alvalade stadium. However, the start of the year was no better, bringing another disappointment for Benfica fans, as their team also lost to Braga (1-2), only this time at their home ground in Luz. On the other hand, Braga also ended the year with a disappointing defeat to Casa Pia (1-2) at their home ground, which briefly lost them a place among the teams fighting for European competitions. However, with an impressive triumph on the road against Benfica in the last round, they returned to the top four. Both teams to score has been a winning bet in the last three meetings between these two rivals, so given the current form and quality of the team, I have opted for this option when it comes to their upcoming clash on Wednesday night.

• Bet: BTTS