Considering Different Formats of Tournaments in Football for Your Bets

Before moving on, it is worth putting emphasis on in what formats of tournaments football teams participate. Upon further consideration of the features of the games at home and away, we will refer to this subsection. Practice shows that in different formats the weight of a home game comes out different. Away and approaches to games at a party.

Domestic championship

The main football tournament in the country is the championship. There are many options for organizing such a championship. Differences are usually caused by the number of teams or some local traditions. But let’s start with the characteristics of the classical schemes by which such popular leagues of European countries are played as the championships of England, Spain, Germany, Italy, France and many others.

In the framework of the championship, teams must play each other twice. One match is played at home, and the second away. Based on this, a schedule is compiled. There are two circles. Matches at home and away are usually alternated. Sometimes there are exceptions, but if there are no third-party factors, restrictions on the use of sports facilities at some periods, games at home and away replace each other. Even such a construction itself speaks of the importance and difference in how the team play at home and away.

There are leagues where there are few football clubs and you have to play in 3 or even 4 circles. There are options when the first two rounds of the championship are played. Two groups are formed there. In the second part of the tournament, losers play the right not to fly out among themselves, and the leaders dispute the championship and places in Eurocups.

Country cup

Traditionally, cup competitions are held in the format of playoffs, relegation games. There are exceptions involving group stages. But let them go. There are approximately the same laws as in the Eurocup system, which will be discussed later. The main differences of the cup competitions are whether the playoff stage is played in the format of one match, or a dual confrontation at home and away.

There are cups that are arranged according to a mixed system. Part of the distance is played in one match, and in the end, from the 1/4 final stage, doubles are played. It is important to distinguish between these points. It’s generally ridiculous to bet on games when you are not aware of the format of the competition. So in different countries there may be different rules. Somewhere a draw is allowed in regular time and a replay is appointed (British approach). Somewhere immediately extra time goes. All these factors influence the mental attitude of teams and this must be taken into account in forecasts.

Eurocups

Club pan-European cups have a heterogeneous format at different stages. The main tournament of the Champions League, or the Europa League, begins with the group stage. Some teams, according to the results of their domestic championships and cups, penetrate the group stage directly, according to the quota for the country.

The other part is to overcome the qualification, which is played in the playoff format. Here matches are played in pairs, at home and away. The winner who goes further is determined by the total score of two games and additional factors (goals scored away) if the final score comes out equal. If both meetings ended with identical scores, then in the second match extra time is played, and if necessary, penalties break through.

The group stage is a mini-championship. There are 4 teams in a group. Each plays 6 matches against its three opponents. Accordingly, 3 games at home and 3 away. Of the groups in the playoffs of the main tournament, the first two teams leave.

The playoffs are played in the same way as qualifications — in the format of double matches. Only the finals are held in one game. What is important, it takes place on a neutral field, which is appointed at the very beginning of the next season. So theoretically, the team owner of some of the European arenas can go through the entire tournament and accept the final not only in the face of the nominal host, but actually play on their own field. In other matters, this is a huge rarity.

National teams. World or European Championships

The qualifications of the national teams of the countries for the World and European Championships are held in a similar format. There are groups from where the first places go directly, and the second play-offs. In addition, the system is being reformed and in the future more places will go directly. Not the point. The main thing is that here, too, teams play in doubles mode. Each opponent has a game at home and away.

National teams. The main tournament of the World Cup or Europe

But the main tournaments of these championships are held in pre-designated countries. So for most participants, all games will be held in neutral fields, in equal conditions. The owner of such confrontations is only nominal and such a status does not give them any real advantages. Only the country or countries of the hostess will be in a privileged position. Moreover, they do not even participate in the selection.

For the countries of the organizers, all home games in the truest sense. We don’t dare to judge how several stadiums in different parts of the country can be considered equally familiar to national team players, who often play at all in foreign clubs. But the fact that fans in any arena fiercely support, energize their favorites is a fact.

Home games

So, let’s start the assessment of the differences between the home matches for the team with purely pragmatic factors. Firstly, each stadium has its own lawn. Specialists, who are responsible for the field, are often members of the club’s team (except in situations in some countries where stadiums are the property of municipalities, not clubs).

Therefore, they try to make the field the most convenient and follow the instructions of the coaching staff. If we are talking about a natural lawn, then this includes varieties of grass, its density, cutting height, watering mode. If the team is used to playing on an artificial field, then it’s on their own. Since artificial fields also come in different generations, the thrill of playing on them varies.

From the foregoing, it becomes clear that since a team is training in its own arena, it means that it is very well adapted to a particular clearing. Let’s estimate that in the championship for 20 clubs the season consists of 38 matches. Of these, 19 teams play in their own field, and another 19 times in 19 different fields. Of course, each coating makes its own adjustments, and it is its own stadium that is more familiar than the disagreement of 19 foreign glades.

Especially fierce position in those leagues where the fields vary greatly in their coverage and quality. For example, the same Russian league FNL. There are natural and artificial fields of different quality, as well as indoor playpens, where it more and more resembles a mini-football entourage. In general, we will dwell in more detail on an important factor in the influence of field coverage on football forecasting.

In addition to the habitat of the lawn, an important point is the fact that the home team does not need to go anywhere or fly. Players live at home or at the base, train in the same field. Before the game itself they overcome a short way to the arena. Guests need to go, fly, sometimes at a decent distance. This is exhausting morally and physically, which cannot but affect the result. But about guest status we will talk a little later.

The third, partly irrational factor is the support of the stands. The stadium is more or less filled with people who support their local team. If the team is popular among the people, and even plays against a strong eminent rival, then a full house is going.

Full stands sing, chant, wave, support all kinds of performances with their club and, on the contrary, boo the opponent. With dangerous standards, the rumble from knocking in the sector outside the gate is growing. It is impossible to measure the energy that is transmitted to the players, but the fact that it exists and works is a fact. The term “12th player” was coined not only for the sake of a red word.

Based on the above factors, it turns out that the hostess team is in a better position. For some clubs, their stadium is a full-fledged fortress, as evidenced by the differences in the results in the native walls and outside them. For others, the difference is not so great. Rare examples come across when your field is heavy and it is even easier for the team to play away. But they are exceptions.

It turns out that a strong team, which also plays at home, is more likely to win. In matches between nominally equal opponents, the factor of your field can tip the scales toward the home side. Bettors often bet on zero handicap of the home team in such cases, implying that they will not lose at least. If the bookmaker evaluates the teams as approximately equal, then the odds for the victory of the hosts will be only slightly lower than for the guests. So a handicap with zero can also be taken as impressive odds.

The home arena can also help weak teams when they accept a stronger opponent. The field can be difficult and unusual for more cool footballers guests. The long-haul flight, not very comfortable local climate, can affect. This should always be taken into account, especially when teams from the south of Europe fly to Northern or Eastern Europe, to Russia and countries close to it. It is also quite uncomfortable for the players of their championships in the northern European countries to play in the fields of Cyprus, Greece, Israel and other southern countries.

It is clear that any coach will try to score maximum points in their stadium. They will especially tweak the team before the home game. This is also a factor. Nobody likes to lose in their stands. So the whole array of reasons considered tells us that the factor of its field should be taken into account when forecasting. It is quite weighty. Often newcomers bet on favorites away. But many strong average teams at home show the maximum and take points from the leaders, ruining the bets of unlucky bettors. So be careful about such moments.

As for the layout of tournaments. In the championship, the team is trying to score more points at home. In addition to purely tournament benefits, the club will earn on tickets if the flow of fans does not dry out in the home arena.

In the playoffs of a cup played by one match, there is always an advantage for the team that the lot determined by the owner. Often, the grid is made so that teams from the lower leagues accept their more powerful opponents at home. So they are given a certain handicap. In addition to the fact that the cups of their countries are often not very important for large clubs, more modest teams, and even playing at home, have chances to go further, contrary to all forecasts.

In the playoffs, which are played in the format of two matches, the strategy is significantly different, depending on where the first match is played. Of course, if the difference between the teams in the class is very large, then the favorite is likely to demolish the opponent twice and not notice the resistance. But if the difference is not so great, the alignment of the fields has weight. For example, if they play first at home, they always try to make a start, win, with the best possible difference, to go on a return decisive match to visit, having an advantage.

In addition, if the opponent is stronger, then some coaches require players to play strictly, even at 0-0 at home. So they care about the goal rule on the road, which costs one and a half goals according to the results of the doubles match. In an away match, the coach apparently expects to endure and score, passing through the same away goal with a result of 1-1, 2-2, or simply winning, by some miracle, with any score, at least 0-1.

Away matches

Reflecting the opposite side, away match, we will not go too deep. The benefits of a home team are indicated. Therefore, guests do not have such advantages. The question is the strength and coaching of the team. There are such clubs which the exit status factor does not bother at all, as statistics will confidently tell you.

But if you go down to the table places 4-5 and below, then for most teams, trips will not be a simple test. So on such teams should not be put away. The maximum is on X2, the handicap of guests with zero, on their ITO (1). In general, bets on net guest wins should be reduced in practice to a minimum. This is a very slippery choice. You should insure against a draw.

Many coaches set the goal: try not to lose while away. As a result, the team plays a draw, closes. Of course, it is not always possible to defend oneself. But this trend should be borne in mind, read the coach’s manner in this regard.

As for the two-match playoff format, the first away game stimulates any team to strive for a goal. Losing 3-1 in the first match is better than 2-0; 2-1 is preferable to 1-0. So if you see the attacking potential as a guest, and the hosts do not shine with “reinforced concrete” defense, you can play just for the away goal, leaving the main outcomes aside.

Games on a neutral field or with a nominal host

Finally, in matches on neutral fields, both teams end up as guests. Coverage of an unfamiliar field will definitely put teams in approximately equal conditions. Arrival of a larger support group from one of the clubs, for example, due to the geographical proximity of the neutral field to a particular country, can somewhat shift the balance. It can affect. So such factors are worth considering. Look at the map, evaluate the stands at the beginning of the broadcast, listen to what commentators are broadcasting on this topic.

Team calendar factor in football predictions

Each team has a game schedule. The calendar has two properties: density and complexity. If a team plays only in the domestic championship, then it, as a rule, prepares in a weekly cycle, without being distracted by anything.

Some teams may not yet fly out of the inner cup. This means that somewhere in the calendar density they will be higher. For the cup game, you will have to release either a mix with reservists, or the leaders of the team will be more tired than the leaders of the opponent for the upcoming round of the championship. This should be taken into account in their forecasts. If you saw that one team was playing in the cup, and the second was resting, then you should see the composition that played the match for the “salad bowl”. If the basis came out there, then the forecast for a future match in the league needs to be adjusted.

Even denser calendar for clubs that are involved in European competitions. The game in two days on the third for them is the norm. Teams strive to lengthen and strengthen their bench, a cage of rotation, if they make their way to Eurocups next season. When some small poor team does not do this, the results in the domestic league suffer greatly, up to the point that you can play on the external arena and fly out to the minor league in your championship. Such examples have occurred in the history of football.

Of course, if one team plays at home, preparing for a week, and the opponent flew on a long trip to the Champions League, and even had to play the base there — this all adds up to the risks for the next match. So even the average team can defeat a tired grand in their field, and even “pinch” a nominal favorite at their party. Again, you need to watch matches, evaluate the composition, the degree of rotation, the energy costs of the games.

In addition to density, it is worth looking at the complexity of the calendar when making forecasts. The fact is that over the weekend, mid-week and next weekend, you can play three games against weak teams: outsiders of their league and not the most dangerous opponent in the European Cup. There is one situation. But you can run into the schedule when on both days off there will be direct competitors in the domestic championship, and even some of the European grandees in the Champions League. In this scenario, the team just will not play exactly all three games in 7-8 days.

The task of the forecaster is to look at how and with what game resources the team invests in these matches in order to make a correct prediction and a winning bet. If you saw that the team went all out in the first two games, or maybe even got injured by important players, then in the third match we simply bet against it. Or if we see that in some of the intermediate matches the coach rotates the squad, releases not the most top performers, tries to save their strength, then we can already set up against such an overloaded team in live.

Conclusions

The factor of your field is of great importance and it should always be taken into account when forming a forecast, choosing a bet. The density and complexity of the team’s calendar are almost more important factors. Forecasters who take these points into account in their work are always several steps ahead of those who indiscriminately evaluate matches based on bare numbers from statistical calculations.