Moving on from the Euros

As the days roll into weeks, memories of Euro 2020 begin to slide down the minds of soccer fans in the US. From its kickoff right down to the final seconds of Italy’s triumphant victory in the finals, the tournament was thrilling. So what’s next on the cards for US soccer fans? Drum roll? In a few weeks, the biggest competitions in international soccer will resume for the 2021/2022 season. 

For the average fan, the prospect of witnessing prominent international soccer superstars in action once again is tantalizing in itself. But the thrill is arguably even greater for fans in the select US states where sports wagering is legal. After a relatively slow couple of months, sports betting enthusiasts can get back to wagering on Best App Bets on their favorite international clubs for the chance to win big. We’ve written this preview and soccer predictions to give you an idea of what to expect from the top tournaments this coming season. 

The English Premier League

Expect US soccer fans to be glued to their screens when the highly anticipated English Premier League resumes mid-August. The standout clash of the opening weekend will see defending champions Manchester City begin their title defense away at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. With the transfer window still open, there remains some uncertainty about whether the Euros England captain Harry Kane will chase the trophies or stay at Spurs.

For Man City, Pep Guardiola will still count on the eternal brilliance of playmaker Kevin de Bruyne. His creative capabilities make this City side an almost unstoppable force. In defense, Ruben Dias will look to continue to put in the sort of performances that earned him the FWA Player of the Year award last season. Premier League soccer predictions are a notoriously tricky terrain – particularly this season with the competition looking stronger –  but we expect City to have enough to see off their rivals for the league title. 

Ole Gunnar Solksjaer’s Manchester United has been active this summer, agreeing to a $101 million deal with Borussia Dortmund for winger Jadon Sancho. They’ve also been strongly linked to Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane. If United land both players, they will become serious contenders for City’s crown. In any case, with the likes of Harry Maguire and Bruno Fernandes in the team, the Red Devils already have enough to put up a good fight for the league. 

Chelsea’s transfer window has yet to pick up, but there’s still enough talent in the squad for it to not be a problem. German duo Kai Havertz and Timo Werner have a full Premier League season under their belts now, and fans will rightly view the ’21/22 season as the time for them to shine and propel the Blues to a first Premier League title since 2016. 

Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool will welcome talented defensive duo Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez back to the team after injuries ruled them out for most of last season. In Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino, and Mo Salah, the Reds still boast a world-class frontline. Should they manage to put together a consistent run of wins, the Premier League trophy they won in the 19/20 season might be well in their grasp again. 

The Spanish La Liga

Spain’s premier competition will kick off for the 2021/2022 season on August 15 when Real Madrid visits Deportivo Alaves. Legendary defender and four-time Champions League winner Sergio Ramos has left the club after 16 years of service. He has been replaced by the versatile David Alaba, who will be tasked with slotting right into that defense as a leader. As has been the case since the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo, Madrid’s hopes of picking up silverware this season will largely rest on their talismanic striker Karim Benzema.

Barcelona look set to start the season with a new-look attack of Lionel Messi, Sergio Agüero, and Memphis Depay. Their success this season will be heavily reliant on the genius of Leo Messi. Thankfully for Barcelona, the 6-time Ballon D’Or winner doesn’t seem to be showing signs of slowing down. Goalkeeper Marc Andre Ter Stegen is also set to return from injury to resume his impressive shot-stopping duties between the sticks. Between him and Messi, Barca fans will be quietly confident of bringing La Liga back to Camp Nou.

Few soccer experts will be counting against Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid picking up a second consecutive La Liga title in the 2021/2022 season. This is the strongest they have been in years, and more importantly, the weakest their rivals have been. With Luiz Suarez and Joao Felix in attack, Atletico has more than enough firepower to challenge the title. New boy Rodrigo de Paul was phenomenal in Serie A last season, and he’s certain to make this title-winning Atletico side even stronger. It’s hard to see Barca and Real stopping them from winning the title for the second year. 

Julien Lopetegui’s Sevilla side was in the La Liga title race right until the end of last season. They will want to record even more progress this time out. The Andalusian side has signed Erik Lamela from Tottenham, hoping that his playmaking skills thrive in the more technical La Liga. If they manage to keep hold of gifted center-back Jules Koundé, a top-3 finish may not be out of their reach.

The German Bundesliga

The German Bundesliga kicks off on Friday, August 13. Reigning champions Bayern Munich remain strong across the pitch despite the loss of 10-time Bundesliga-winning defender David Alaba. The Bavarians – in typical fashion – signed young defender Dayot Upamecano from rivals Leipzig to replace the Austrian.  They filled the gap in their squad and weakened their rivals in one smooth move. In Robert Lewandowski, Bayern also boasts the hottest striker in international soccer presently. The Pole scored a record-breaking 41 goals last season. Good luck finding any soccer prediction against Bayern winning the Bundesliga title for the 10th straight year. 

By all indications, Borussia Dortmund appears to be holding firm to Erling Haaland despite interest from Chelsea. After losing Jadon Sancho, it is easy to see why they want to keep the young striker. Since moving to Dortmund, Haaland has been a revelation, cementing his place as one of the most clinical finishers in European soccer. He will be crucial to Dortmund’s hopes of finally challenging Bayern for the Bundesliga title. Raphael Guerrero’s attacking contribution also remains a vital cog in the Dortmund machine,  and we expect him to light up that left-wing in the absence of Sancho. 

RB Leipzig lost bright young coach Julian Nagelsmann to Bayern, but they moved swiftly to appoint talented American Jesse Marsch as the new head coach. The Red Bull team also lost Dayot Upamecano (again, to Bayern), and they have not managed to replace him yet. But if there’s one thing this team has shown, it’s that they have a knack for springing young talents almost out of nowhere. Dani Olmo impressed Spain in the European championship and is expected to be a key player for the team as they chase a historic first Bundesliga title.

The Italian Serie A

Inter Milan romped to last season’s Italian Serie A title, as the league finally saw a new champion for the first time in 9 years. However, Inter’s glorious moment was soon dampened by news of Antonio Conte leaving due to differing views on finances and player sales. Inter look set to keep hold of star striker Romelu Lukaku, which is a definite plus. They have also signed Halkan Calhanoglu from city rivals, AC Milan. Those two will most likely shoulder most of the team’s attacking responsibilities. Going by their impressive showings last season, it shouldn’t be too much of a problem.  

Fans of Juventus are excited at the prospect of Cristiano Ronaldo forming a partnership with Federico Chiesa this new season. The 36-year old superstar proved that he is still a ruthless scoring machine by topping the Serie A goal charts, while Chiesa lit up Euro 2020 with his performances down the flanks for Italy. But, the reason why our Serie A soccer prediction leans ever so slightly towards Juventus is Max Allegri’s return to the dugout. The Italian has won the league more times than any other coach in the last ten years. That is the sort of experience that gives you an edge in the most crucial moments.

Luciano Spalleti will guide Napoli in the 2021/2022 season, and his experience should be crucial in bringing out the unmistakable quality that this team possesses. Kalidou Koulibaly has been linked to different clubs in the last couple of windows, but he remains reliable for this Napoli side. Former coach Gennaro Gattuso seemed unable to get the best of Mexican Hirving Lozano, but should Spalletti coax the star back to full form, he will be a deadly weapon for the team from Naples. 

Atalanta, AC Milan, and a Jose Mourinho-led Roma side complete a very competitive Serie A top six. It is doubtful that these teams will place ahead of Inter and Juventus, but you can expect them to fight for the top 4 right down to the final days of the 2021/2022 season. 

Summary

The global COVID-19 pandemic restricted international competitions to playing behind closed doors last year and resulted in a congested fixture list. Those two factors are set to change in the 2021/2022 season, as the fixture calendar returns to normalcy and fans finally return to stadiums. All of these mean that fans are ready for a very exhilarating season of international soccer. This return to near-normalcy might also be a silent motivator for teams to put up more of a fight. Whichever way you look at it, we’re set for premium entertainment. 

Betting on Soccer 

To crown it all, thanks to the 2018 repeal of the PASPA bill, select states in the US have launched regulated sports betting. Residents of those states can look forward to an electrifying season filled with fantastic soccer and safe and legal sports betting. Best App Bet provides you with all the best legal sportsbook apps to choose from. Also, have a look at Best App Bet’s online map to determine what is legal in your state. Enjoy the 2021/2022 season with all the betting knowledge and the best apps!

So visit Best App Bet today, sign up and claim your free bets to get you started with your international soccer betting for the next season!