Tips — Thursday, 3 September 2026

💬 Mantova are the reason to take goals here. Ten of their last 16 games have had 3 or more goals in them. They score almost 2 goals a game and they won 2-0 away at Lazio in the last round, so they travel without fear. Palermo can score too. They have won 6 of their 7 home games this season and get 2 goals a game at the Barbera. Now the honest part. This needs three goals, and the most likely single score is a tight 1-0 to Palermo. Palermo's home defence has been mean, with only 4 goals let in across those 7 games. Only 5 of Palermo's last 14 games have had 3 or more goals. Three of the four meetings between these two ended level, at 0-0, 2-2 and 1-1. So what has to go right? Heavy changes are normal for a cup tie, and Inzaghi is set to rotate a lot, with Fortin in goal for the injured Joronen. Changed back lines and an even game are how these ties open up, and Mantova have the attack to punish that. This is a genuine ask, and we know it. Mantova's games keep producing goals, and that is the side of this we want.

💬 These two met only three days ago and Djurgarden won 4-0. Nothing since then says Mjallby have found an answer. Mjallby are the champions but they are running on empty. They have not scored in five of their last six games. They have one win in seven since 4 August, and only 2 wins in their last 16. They have won by 2 or more goals just once in that run. Djurgarden are the opposite. They score more than 2 goals a game and let in just over one. They have won 10 of their last 18. On the road they have 5 wins, 1 tie and 2 losses, scoring almost 2 goals a game and letting in under one. They sit 3rd on 32 points. Mjallby are 12th on 20. Strandvallen should be harder work than Stockholm was. Mjallby let in just over a goal a game at home, so another big win is unlikely. A 0-2 to Djurgarden, one goal before the break and one after, is the shape we expect. The worry is the quick rematch. Djurgarden may rest players after a 4-0 win, and Mjallby will change their approach. Mjallby also made enough chances in that heavy loss to score, so the gap is smaller than 4-0 suggests. We still want Djurgarden to win this one.

💬 This derby has a long history of tight, level games. Seven of the last 20 meetings ended in a tie, and Hearts have won three of the last five. Across those 20 games Hibs have 4 wins to Hearts' 9. Hibs are in decent form. They have won 8 of their last 17, score more than a goal a game and let in just over one. They were the better side in their last game and made plenty of chances. Hearts do not beat themselves. They have won 7 and tied 4 of their last 16, and they have tied three of their last five. They score almost 2 goals a game. They are set up to sit deep and hit on the break. That is the shape that keeps making this game tight. Hearts also arrive fresher, with five days since their last game to Hibs' four. A 1-1 is the fair read here. Hibs have won by 2 or more goals in only 3 of their last 17, so a big home win is not how this usually goes. What we need is for Hearts to avoid defeat. The concern is real. Hearts are without Craig Halkett, Stephen Kingsley, Ageu and Malachi Fagan-Walcott, and most of those are defenders. A patched back line against a Hibs side in this mood could crack. We still think Hearts leave Easter Road unbeaten.

💬 Celta cannot score right now. They have one goal in three league games and sit 17th with a single point. Their centre forward Borja Iglesias is out with a muscle injury, so Ferran Jutgla leads the line on his own. Sociedad are not flying either, with 2 wins in their last 13. They did find something in their last game, a home win over Espanyol. They score more than a goal a game, and Anoeta is where they are at their best. Across the last 20 meetings with Celta they have won 11. Celta are much better away from home than at it. On the road they have 2 wins, 2 ties and 3 losses, and let in just over a goal a game. That is the part that makes this closer than the table says. The bigger warning is at the other end. Sociedad have let in a goal in each of their last ten games, with no clean sheet in that whole run. Both teams are also missing players. Sociedad are without Pablo Marin and Alvaro Odriozola. A 2-1 is the shape we see. Sociedad take control and get two goals, then have to hold on after Celta pull one back. Sociedad have won by 2 or more goals only once in their last 13, so expect a nervy finish. We are still with the home side to come through.

💬 Neither of these teams can score. Cagliari get less than a goal a game and Verona barely score at all. Cagliari have won three of their last four, but they have not been winning big. They have not won by 2 or more goals once in their last 16 games. At home they score less than a goal a game and let in about one. That is a team that grinds out 1-0s. Verona are in worse shape. They have won once in their last 16 and are now in Serie B after going down. They have not won by 2 or more goals in that run either. The counts back this up. 9 of Cagliari's last 16 games finished with 2 goals or fewer, and 10 of Verona's did. Verona have not played in a 5 goal game in those 16. The last 19 meetings between the clubs averaged just over 2 goals. There is one more reason to expect a quiet night. This is a knockout round, and a level score after 90 minutes means extra time, so nobody has to chase. The risks are honest ones. Verona have made better chances lately than their results show. Heavy changes are normal in this round, so both back lines may be unfamiliar. A 1-0 to Cagliari is our read, and we are happy taking the low scoring game.