Four football picks in focus as Dortmund, Spurs, Lyon and Real Madrid target weekend wins

Borussia Dortmund, Tottenham, Olympique Lyonnais and Real Madrid feature in a four-match betting accumulator selected by sports betting expert and Cameroonian journalist Arthur Wandji for the weekend of 29-30 August 2026.

Dortmund’s strong home record against Hamburg makes them an attractive selection. They have won eight of their past 10 home meetings with Hamburg, losing only twice, while an ambitious summer transfer window has strengthened their position further.

Although Dortmund will be without key players including Emre Can and Nico Schlotterbeck, Serhou Guirassy offers a major attacking threat after scoring 17 Bundesliga goals last season.

Hamburg have struggled to protect their defence, failing to keep a clean sheet in each of their past 14 league matches. Dortmund are unbeaten in the last seven meetings between the sides and have won the previous four at home.

Goals have also been a regular feature of Dortmund’s matches at their own ground, with eight of their past 10 home games producing more than 2.5 goals. Hamburg’s away problems, together with the absence of Alexander Røssing-Lelesiit, could make it difficult for the visitors to contain Dortmund’s attack.

Tottenham need a response against Newcastle

Tottenham return home looking to recover from a 3-0 defeat by Brentford on the opening day. Savinho, one of their summer arrivals, is expected to add urgency to the forward line as manager Ange Postecoglou’s side attempt to respond.

The Spurs endured persistent home difficulties last season and are currently on a run of five defeats. However, they have won their opening home league match in each of the past five Premier League campaigns.

Newcastle arrive after a promising 2-2 draw with Liverpool, but their defensive weaknesses remain a concern. Since last year, they have dropped a record 29 points from winning positions.

This is the most frequently played fixture in Premier League history to have never ended goalless, suggesting another open contest may be in store. Newcastle also have an unusually strong record at Tottenham’s ground, where they have won away more often than at any other Premier League club.

The defensive problems shown by both teams on the opening weekend, combined with Tottenham’s need for a reaction, point towards a match in which both back lines could be breached more than once.

Lyon hoping to turn European disappointment into league momentum

Olympique Lyonnais were knocked out of the Champions League by Fenerbahce in midweek and must quickly redirect their frustration towards Ligue 1 if they are to make it two league wins in a row.

The Gones are back at Groupama Stadium, where they will look to put recent home setbacks behind them. The team is expected to be heavily rotated, while there is uncertainty over Abner Vinicius.

Malick Fofana’s attacking contribution, particularly during the closing stages of matches, could prove important against a Le Havre side likely to defend in a deep shape.

Le Havre travel to the Rhone after a poor start against Monaco and were also weakened by the early injury suffered by Yanis Zouaoui last week. Lyon have won four and drawn one of their past five meetings with Le Havre and have not lost at home to them since December 1997.

While Le Havre have shown some resilience away from home, Lyon’s greater squad depth and the expected response after their European exit could give the hosts the advantage.

Mbappe and Real Madrid offer final accumulator leg

Kylian Mbappe scored a notable hat-trick against Real Sociedad as Real Madrid extended their winning run to five matches in all competitions under their current staff.

The Merengues have a commanding home record against promoted sides in La Liga, winning their last nine such matches at home. Their attack has regularly found the net both before and after half-time.

Real Madrid must manage a demanding schedule and will be without several important players because of injury, including Endrick and Eder Militao. Even so, their home strength makes them a formidable opponent for Malaga.

Malaga’s away form is alarming, with only two points collected from a possible 36 across their last 12 top-flight away matches. Their head-to-head record against Real Madrid is similarly one-sided: Malaga have won just one of their 36 meetings, while losing 27.

Mbappe’s finishing ability and his record of scoring particularly frequently after the interval could leave him with several opportunities to exploit a depleted Malaga defence. Fernando Calero and Diego Murillo are among the absentees affecting the Andalusian side.

Odds can change.