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    What do Man City need to guarantee qualification to the Champions League last 16?

    MANCHESTER City may be established European juggernauts – but the new league format has made things trickier to navigate.Following defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, the Sky Blues sit 25th in the League Phase table – just outside the play-off spots – on eight points with one more game to fight for.Anything other than win in City’s last league game will end their Champions League campaignCredit: GettyPep Guardiola’s side had the chance to put themselves in a reassuring position in their penultimate game in Paris, but the 4-2 capitulation – when they led by two – has given advantage back to direct rivals PSG.City’s final game will pit them against fellow last 16 hopefuls Club Brugge at the Etihad on Wednesday.Brugge, one of nine teams still in contention for a playoff spot, sit 20th on 11 points.PSG and last playoff spot holder, Stuttgart, also clash on the final matchday.read more on MAN CITYWhat do Man City need to guarantee qualification to the Champions League last 16?For City to progress they must secure a win due to goal difference of the teams around them.The introduced eight-game ‘Swiss model’ has scrapped the traditional 32-team group stage of Europe’s top club competitions for a 36-team league phase.The top eight automatically qualify for the last 16 and are joined by the winners of a play-off round between those that finished ninth to 24th.Those that finish 25th to 36th are eliminated from all European competition – teams no longer drop into the Europa League.Most read in FootballAccording to Opta’s supercomputer – which simulates the 2024-25 UCL league phase 50,000 times to work out a team’s Champions League knockout likelihood – City have an expected points of 10.1.According to that algorithm, City had an 84 per cent chance of reaching the play-offs prior to their defeat in the French capital.Fan spot classy gesture from Chelsea star Nicolas Jackson to Man City newbie Abdukodir Khusanov after horror debutThe new tally of 63.8 per cent still gives them a chance of playoff qualification, but there is plenty of room for error with a 36.2 per cent chance of elimination.Despite the array of permutations and the number of teams involved, City’s task remains simple – win and they qualify for the play-off round. More

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    What do Aston Villa need to guarantee qualification to the Champions League last 16?

    DESPITE the loss to Monaco last week, Aston Villa are still among possible contenders for automatic Champions League qualification.The Villans’ high flying Champions League campaign took another hitch as an uninspiring 1-0 defeat in Monaco left them outside the top eight – which guarantees progression to the last 16.A win in Villa’s final league game will give them a chance of qualifying for the Champions League last 16Credit: ReutersUnai Emery’s men are ninth in the League Phase table, joint on 13 points with five other teams, including Bayer Leverkusen, who occupy the final automatic spot. So far, Villa have won four, drew once and lost twice.What do Aston Villa need to do to guarantee Champions League round of 16 qualification?Their final game, Celtic at home, provides an enticing affair where only a win will give them a chance to go straight into the Round of 16. The opportunity arose after Bayern Munich’s shock defeat to Feyenoord and Brest’s defeat.read more on aston villa Those not in the top eight positions either fall into the play-off spots – ninth to 24th – or are immediately eliminated.Villa are offered the security blanket of at least a play-off spot.Opta have calculated that the Midlands side are favourites to scrape the all-decisive eight spot.A supercomputer simulation – that estimates the likelihood of teams finishing in the competition – has Villa down for a 52.6 per cent probability of clinching it.Most read in Champions LeagueFor that to happen, Villa will have to beat Celtic and also need one of Bayer Leverkusen, Atletico Madrid, AC Milan or Atalanta to not follow suit. The teams behind Villa – Monaco, Feyenoord, Lille and Brest – can also match the former’s final tally but their goal difference is inferior.Champions League club send Micah Richards shirt with very cheeky nickname on the back thanks to his Brest obsession Villa’s potential for a seeded spot will likely hinge on Atalanta and whether they can beat Barcelona – which would be needed to stay in the top eight. All outcomes are permutation-driven and ultimately out of Villa’s hand, who can only win to give themselves the best possible chance. More

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    Phil Foden swipes at Gareth Southgate for playing him out of position at Euros as England star says ‘we never got going’

    PHIL FODEN has finally got his spark back and is now aiming to light up the rest of Manchester City’s season.The Premier League’s Player of the Year in 2023-24 felt burnt out when he returned to the club following last summer’s European Championship.Phil Foden opened up on his Euro 2024 heartacheCredit: GettyAlthough England reached the final in Germany, it was a difficult tournament for Foden.The hangover from that disappointment lasted several months and it is only since the start of 2025 we have begun to see the old Foden again.It cannot be a coincidence that six goals in the last four Prem games have coincided with a mini-revival for Pep Guardiola’s team.And they need their homegrown star to continue to shine to help save their Champions League skins tonight.READ MORE IN football Only a win over Club Brugge will be enough for the 2022-23 winners to avoid an embarrassing early exit.Yet with Foden back in form, most expect them to get the job done.The hopes of a fifth straight Prem title may be all but gone but the midfielder insists City have plenty to play for — and he intends to be at the centre of it.Foden, 24, said: “Even though it’s been a challenging season, we’ve still got things to look forward to.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS“Because we’re having a bit of a blip, we can’t lose belief in that.“I still believe we can do good things and come back from this. I want to try to show I’m a leader by turning up in big moments and help the team when I can. Kyle Walker opens up on ‘uncomfortable’ conversation with Guardiola as he admits ‘things weren’t going well’ at Man City“We need to look at finishing at least top four in the Premier League — aiming to win the Champions League and the FA Cup as well.”Foden has been pivotal to City’s recent success which has seen them win six of the last seven Prem titles.It is only 19 months ago they did the Treble but Foden feels all the exertions of recent years finally caught up with him in August.He could not find the energy which has been such a key feature of his game — leaving fans wondering what was wrong.Foden said: “For me, football is played with the brain and when the brain is mentally fatigued you’re not going to see a player for who he is.“I’m normally itching to get back but when I came back my body and my mental state was low.“I’ve been playing since the age of five pushing myself every day to be the best I can.“When you add up all the games and all the travelling it is a lot for the body. “I wasn’t feeling 100 per cent when I was training, and there were a few niggles. There were times when I was getting frustrated.“My body didn’t feel how I was used to and it’s something I’ve had to deal with.“I feel that’s the reason why I had a slow start to the season. I had a bit of rest, just to give my body time to recover.“I took the start of the season very slowly, I didn’t play much. I was resting and trying to get back to myself.“When you start the season good, I feel you have the rest of the season good. I feel frustrated I didn’t get out what I wanted to. The position I was put in on the left was very difficult to influence the game.Phil Foden “But I missed periods at the start of the season so I think that’s why it’s taken me so long to get going.”Foden is looking much more like his old self now — as City have started to go through the gears since Christmas.But the regrets over his time at the Euros with the Three Lions — when so much was expected of him — still linger.The England faithful even came up with a song — an adaptation of Bruce Springsteen’s Dancing in Dark.But Foden was stuck out on the left by former boss Gareth Southgate and never really got going — even though he played every game as the Three Lions reached the final.He said: “I feel frustrated I didn’t get out what I wanted to. The position I was put in on the left was very difficult to influence the game.“Coming off last season — being the best player in the Premier League and playing centre midfield — I do feel the position was quite difficult to get used to.READ MORE SUN STORIES“I’m one who can play multiple positions and I had to try to deal with it the best I could. “I don’t feel like England ever got going or performed to our potential.”Gareth Southgate played Foden on the leftCredit: Alamy More

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    Only Man City’s meltdown has saved Champions League – new format has been an ocean of filler to TV schedules

    ONLY Manchester City’s meltdown has saved tonight’s Champions League bonanza from becoming the mother of all damp squibs.When Uefa revealed their grand plan for one monster 36-club league to replace the group phase, this was supposed to be a red-letter night.Man City have struggled in the Champions League this seasonCredit: RexThe tournament has undergone a revamp this yearCredit: ReutersWith 18 matches kicking off simultaneously, it was a feast of football, enough to melt the remote controls of goggle-eyed supporters across the continent.And yet only City’s clash with Club Brugge holds true jeopardy for both clubs.Etihad boss Pep Guardiola’s fallen Premier League champions need to win, while their Belgian opponents need a draw to avoid elimination.Had this been a normal campaign for City, there would be little English interest in tonight’s proceedings.READ MORE ON FOOTBALLInstead, Pep’s men have lost at Sporting Lisbon, Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain while squandering a three-goal lead at home to Feyenoord, so it is ‘game on’ in Manchester.This new format — the most-hyped ‘Swiss model’ since Ursula Andress stepped out of the sea in Dr No — was supposed to make it nigh-on impossible for Europe’s richest clubs to fail to progress to the knockout phase.Yet City have contrived to make a serious hash of it all and ended up in the elimination zone along with the usual suspects from Eastern Europe and the Alps.And the prospect of elimination for the 2023 European champions is the only true intrigue in the mammoth fixture list.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSWe’ve had 126 matches and in essence it’s been an ocean of largely meaningless filler content for the TV schedules.While adding to fixture congestion, viewer fatigue and player burnout at many elite clubs who face a month-long Fifa Club World Cup next summer.How Omar Marmoush helped Pep Guardiola reinvent Man City’s tactics in one gameFA Cup third and fourth-round replays were scrapped to accommodate this monstrosity — with non-league Tamworth missing out on a rematch with Tottenham.And the two legs of the Carabao Cup semi-finals are being played FOUR WEEKS apart — meaning most neutrals will have forgotten the first-leg results before the return matches are played.This Champions League format bastardises the whole idea of league football — the idea that every team in the table plays each other.And while seeding is meant to balance out the ‘weight’ of clubs’ fixture lists, true sporting integrity has been lost.Fans have struggled to grasp the complexities of the format — the top eight go directly to the last 16 in March, while the next 16 face a two-legged play-off, with only the bottom 12 dumped out.Three more of tonight’s games — Aston Villa’s Battle of Britain with Celtic, Lille v Feyenoord and champions Real Madrid’s clash at French club Brest — all represent a sort of shootout for a place in the top eight.But even that does not bring the jeopardy of elimination from the event, those who fail to gain automatic qualification only face an extra round.The most likely result of the night would be a draw between Stuttgart and PSG, who would both progress to the play-offs.So what could bring back genuine excitement to Europe’s elite club competition?READ MORE SUN STORIESHow about a straight knockout competition like the original European Cup?As if anyone at the top table would vote for danger when they can grow fat on the proceeds of ever-increasing TV filler instead.New Champions League format is a snorefestBy Dan KingUEFA sold the idea of expanding the Champions League from 32 to 36 teams, with each playing eight games instead of six in the opening phase, as a way of creating more competitiveness and excitement.The biggest clubs would have two matches against their peers, rather than having to wait until the knockout stage to meet.The smaller clubs would meet teams of a similar level twice and have a chance of tasting victory that was so hard to achieve if you were the bottom seed in a group of four.Ignoring for a moment the fact that the real motivation was the simple equation of more games = more money, the theory itself already looks flawed.None of the matches between European giants has delivered a compelling contest yet.And why would they? At the start of the long season with more matches in it, why would any team with ambitions to win things in the spring, go out all guns blazing in the autumn?Especially when they know they have six games NOT against big sides to make sure they accrue enough points to qualify at least for the play-off round (and even more games).There is even less jeopardy than before.Read the full column on the Champions League format fail and why everyone – including YOU – needs a rethink. More

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    Harry Kane could be robbed of Champions League fairytale by Bayern Munich’s biggest downfall, fears ex-England star

    HARRY KANE could be robbed of a Champions League fairytale this year unless Bayern Munich learn to defend better, according to Owen Hargreaves.This season’s final will be staged at Munich’s Allianz Arena on Saturday May 31, 2025.Harry Kane looks on while playing for Bayern MunichCredit: GettyThe last time the Bavaria venue held the showpiece occasion was back in 2012 but Munich lost on penalties that night to a Didier Drogba-inspired Chelsea.The Bundesliga leaders are in 15th place in the expanded 36-team Champions League table, having conceded 11 goals in seven games, including three at Feyenoord last week.While England captain and Munich striker Kane, 31, could fire them through the knockout phases, their defence is clearly an issue and needs tightening up under new boss Vincent Kompany.Hargreaves, 44, played for seven seasons in the Munich first team and was in the starting XI when they beat Valencia on penalties at Milan’s San Siro in the 2001 Champions League final.READ MORE IN football Speaking on behalf of TNT Sports to promote watching live sport in pubs, the ex-England midfielder said: “It’s that old adage in American sports – defence wins championships.“I think it’s true. You have got to defend well.“Bayern are easily one of the most talented teams in the competition. Possession-wise, shots-wise, they are right at the top.“But the only problem is they play such an aggressive style. They press really aggressively.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS“We saw it in their defeat against Aston Villa at Villa Park. We saw in the 3-0 loss at Feyenoord. There is space if you play quickly over the top, to counter them.“I don’t think I have ever seen a team win the Champions League being that open at the back.Kris Boyd says common sense has prevailed after Mohamed Diomande won his red card appeal“Even Pep Guardiola, with the brilliant football he plays, had to evolve to win the Champions League and played with four centre backs.“Bayern could win it but they have got to be a bit tidier at the back.“Bayern approach the game now under Kompany in a super aggressive way, and they score goals.”Hargreaves – a European football analyst for TNT Sports – joined Bayern as a 16-year-old and won four league titles before moving to Manchester United under Sir Alex Ferguson in 2007.He added: “There’s pressure at a club like Bayern, you are expected to win every game. I am talking about literally every game. Every Saturday, every Wednesday.“They know they are not the best team in the Champions League. They proved that against Feyenoord.“Even though they have one of the most talented squads, they are not favourites. Liverpool are the favourites.“Then you’ve got Inter Milan, Real Madrid and Manchester City if they can defend better. There are a lot of teams in that bracket below Liverpool.“Bayern could do it. If they get the balance right.“It will be interesting to see if Vincent tweaks it a bit for the knockout stages.“The style puts a lot of pressure on the centre-backs, Kim (Min-jae) and (Dayot) Upamecano, to get it right all of the time.READ MORE SUN STORIES“One mistake is costly and you are out. I think they can win it if they tweak the way they are playing.”Owen Hargreaves was speaking on behalf of TNT Sports about enjoying Champions League midweek football in your local pub. To find out where you can watch, please visit tntsports.co.uk/pubfinder/Owen Hargreaves was speaking on behalf of TNT SportsCredit: C1 MEDIA More

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    Liverpool leave 12 key stars including Mo Salah and Virgil Van Dijk at home for Champions League clash with PSV

    MOHAMED SALAH is one of a dozen key players to be left at home for Liverpool’s fixture against PSV.The Reds take on the Dutch side in the final league stage match of the Champions League.Arne Slot has left 12 Liverpool stars at home for the Champions LeagueCredit: AFPMohamed Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Ryan Gravenberch are three of the dozen not to travel to HollandCredit: GettyLiverpool go into the final matchday top of the league and three points ahead of second-placed Barcelona.Arne Slot’s side are guaranteed a spot in the last sixteen as they can not drop out of the top eight teams.The manager has since taken the decision to rest 12 of his star players including goalkeeper Alisson.The Dutchman will not be taking defenders Virgil van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Ibrahima Konate to Holland.READ MORE ON FOOTBALLWhile midfielders Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai will also miss out.Forwards Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah will both be at home for the match.Slot could instead hand opportunities to fringe players to prove themselves worthy of more game time.It is thought that Caoimhin Kelleher will return to the goal for Liverpool.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSWataru Endo, Darwin Nunez, Federico Chiesa and Harvey Elliott will all be keen to earn some European minutes.Cody Gakpo is also a part of the travelling team and is expected to feature against his old club.’It’s my last year in the club,’ says Mo Salah as Liverpool star gives contract update ahead of becoming a free agent Liverpool’s squad vs PSVHere is Liverpool’s travelling squad to face PSV in the Champions League…Waturo EndoDarwin NunezFederico ChiesaCody GakpoHarvey ElliottKonstantinos TsimikasAndy RobertsonKone-DohertyIsaac MabayaJames McConnellVítězslav JarosCaoimhin KelleherAmara NalloKieran MorrisonJayden DannsJames NorrisJarrell QuansahTyler MortonConnor BradleyHarvey DaviesTrey NyoniThe 21-man squad also features youngsters such as Trey Nyoni, Tyler Morton, James McConnell and Jayden Danns.Liverpool will then have a tough trip to Bournemouth in the Premier League on Saturday.This is then followed by the second leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final against Tottenham Hotspur next week.Slot has admitted that those who are not travelling will have the time off and insisted the decision is for the long term.He said: “If possible, we always prefer to have them off three days before a game, it’s not always possible, but we try.”I think we are playing, like all the teams in Europe, many, many games and these players are ready. All the players left behind could have played tomorrow.”But for the long-term, it doesn’t tell us anything about the short-term or Saturday.READ MORE SUN STORIES”If you look back at our season it’s always been after four, five weeks we gave them the break during the week.”If there was a moment for them to get some freshness back we’ve always done that.”Arne Slot is giving the omitted players the time offCredit: EPA More

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    How TNT Sports will cover never-before-seen Champions League night as 18 GAMES take place at same time but not all on TV

    WEDNESDAY night promises to be a bonkers blockbuster evening of Champions League action.For the first time ever, there will be 18 MATCHES played simultaneously.The Champions League league phase ends on Wednesday night with all 36 teams playing simultaneouslyCredit: ReutersJules Breach is going to be in a studio with Martin Keown and Owen Hargreaves for Girona vs ArsenalCredit: GettyIt promises to be another memorable night at Villa ParkCredit: GettyGoals Show Xtra will keep tabs on the 18 matches which get underway at 8pmCredit: TNT SPORTSThe new league phase concludes with all 36 teams in action at the same time, with the bumper fixture list kicking off at 8pm (UK time) right across Europe.So how are TNT Sports going to keep fans watching at home up to date with all of the action?Well, fear not, SunSport has got the full rundown.First things first, the good news is fans can watch dedicated coverage of any of the 18 Champions League matches on Discovery+.READ MORE ON FOOTBALLAnd TNT Sports bosses have picked nine of the ties to be shown on TV. The Battle of Britain between Aston Villa and Celtic takes the TNT Sports 1 slot with Manchester City’s must-win home clash against Club Brugge on TNT Sports 2.It’s PSV vs Liverpool on TNT Sports 3 while Girona vs Arsenal is available on TNT Sports 4.Brest vs Real Madrid, Bayern Munich vs Slovan Bratislava, Stuttgart vs PSG, Inter vs Monaco and Barcelona vs Atalanta are on TNT Sports 6 to TNT Sports 10 respectively.Most read in Champions LeagueBest new sign-up offersSunSport exclusivesThose channels are on the red button.TNT Sports 5 is also accessed via the red button and that is where the crazy Goals Show Xtra will be shown.Ally McCoist meets Sir Alex Ferguson in new TNT Sports show Ally’s Social Club Matt Smith hosts that programme and will be joined by Ally McCoist, Karen Carney and James Horncastle in the studio. In what is essentially a live watch-along, Smith and the team of pundits will react to all the goals as they go in around the grounds at the 18 different stadiums.Plus Smith must try and keep tabs on what it all means for the as-it-stands table which will no doubt see plenty of twists and turns before the full-time whistles are blown. At the end of the four live TV matches involving the British clubs, those channels will switch to the Goals Show Xtra to round off the action. The nine matches only available on Discovery+ are Bayer Leverkusen vs Sparta Prague, Borussia Dortmund vs Shakhtar Donetsk, Dinamo Zagreb vs AC Milan, Juventus vs Benfica, Lille vs Feyenoord, Red Bull Salzburg vs Atletico Madrid, Sporting vs Bologna, Sturm Graz vs RB Leipzig and Young Boys vs Red Star Belgrade.And there is still plenty to play for on matchday eight of the new-look format. Liverpool will secure top spot overall simply by matching Barcelona’s result.Six teams go into the final game on 13 points with Aston Villa in ninth – one place below the cut-off for automatic progression to the last 16, with that spot currently occupied by Bayer Leverkusen. City are way down in 25th but know a win will see them scrape into the play-off stage because PSG and Stuttgart play each other. READ MORE SUN STORIESWednesday’s results will also determine who finishes in ninth to 24th and heads into that play-off round – with big hitters Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Juventus and PSG all currently in those spots. And at the very bottom, Slovan Bratislava and Young Boys will be battling it out to avoid the wooden spoon with both sides on zero points from their seven matches so far. TNT Sports have four live matches on TV, another five on the red button and all the games on Discovery+Credit: GettyMatt Smith will be in the hot seat for Goals Show XtraCredit: TNT SportsAlly McCoist will provide live reactions as all the goals go inCredit: GettyPep Guardiola knows his side need to beat Club Brugge to progressCredit: AlamyArsenal can still overtake Barcelona to nap second spot behind LiverpoolCredit: AFP More

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    Bet £10+ on the Champions League and Get £5 free bet builder for EVERY Premier League game this weekend

    BETFRED have a spectacular offer to mark the end of the league phase of this season’s Champions League on Wednesday.They are offering brand new customers a superb ‘bet and get’ offer, where new punters will get a £5 free bet builder for EVERY Premier League game this weekend when signing up and staking £10+ on the midweek Champions League action!Find The Sun’s betting publishing principles hereBet £10+ on the Champions League & Get £45 free bets for the Premier League – CLAIM HERE*Betfred’s terrific Bet&Get offer this weekNew Betfred offerVisit the Betfred website HERE*Register an account before 9.45pm on 29/01/25 using the Promo Code: PREM45Deposit £10 using a Debit CardPlace your first bet of £10 or more on any Champions League market on January 29th, at odds of Evens or greaterOnce that bet has settled, Betfred will credit your account with £45 in Free Bets – £5 for each Premier League game this weekend!Betfred: Get your £45 in PL free bet builders – Claim here*Bet £10+ on the Champions League & Get £45 free bets for the Premier LeaguePremier League free bets offerWhat is the Betfred offer?Betfred have a fabulous offer to celebrate the exciting finale to the league phase of the Champions League.They are offering new customers a chance to claim £45 in free bet builder bets – £5 for all nine games this Saturday and Sunday – when signing up and staking £10 on any of the Champions League action this Wednesday!How do I claim the free bets?New to Betfred? Then you’re eligible to claim this offer and it couldn’t be simpler.Head over to Betfred’s website HERE* and register a brand new account before 9.45pm on 29/01/2-25 using promo code: PREM45.Then just deposit and stake £10 on any Champions League market from this week’s games (January 29th) at odds of Evens or greater.Then what happens?When that bet has settled — win or lose — Betfred will credit your account with £45 in free bets to use on the weekend’s Premier League games.That’s a £5 free bet for EVERY game played across Saturday and Sunday!The qualifying league fixtures are listed below.£5 free bet builder fixturesNottingham Forest v Brighton (12:30 on 01/02/25)Bournemouth v Liverpool (15:00 on 01/02/25)Everton v Leicester (15:00 on 01/02/25)Ipswich v Southampton (15:00 on 01/02/25)Newcastle v Fulham (15:00 on 01/02/25)Wolves v Aston Villa (17:30 on 01/02/25)Brentford v Tottenham Hotspur (14:00 on 02/02/25)Manchester United v Crystal Palace (14:00 on 02/02/25)Arsenal v Man City (16:30 on 02/02/25)Betfred: Get your £45 in PL free bet builders – Claim here*Remember to gamble responsiblyA responsible gambler is someone who:Establishes time and monetary limits before playingOnly gambles with money they can afford to loseNever chase their lossesDoesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry, or depressedGamcare – www.gamcare.org.ukGamble Aware – www.gambleaware.orgFind our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here.For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to www.gamstop.co.uk*New customers only. Register by 21.45 on 29/01/25 with PREM45, deposit via Debit Card and bet £10+ (Evs+) on any CL game on 29/01/25. 9 x £5 Free Bets on Bet Builders for EPL games on 01/02/25-02/02/25. Credited on settlement. Eligibility & T&Cs Apply. More