Murici Overview

Several of the stronger teams in Europe take on relative minnows over the next few days. Is there value to be found when betting on those games?

Former Manchester United and Tottenham striker Dimitar Berbatov has relived a frightening ordeal from the very early days of his career back home in Bulgaria, when he believed he was being kidnapped by a rival club and might be threatened with violence if he refused to join them. The situation was eventually resolved without that happening, but it made him realise he needed to grow up fast.

The Spain national team equalled their record of 29 unbeaten games in competitive matches following a dominant 4-0 victory over Bulgaria yesterday. Luis de la Fuente’s side matched the milestone previously set by Vicente del Bosque’s World Cup-winning Spain team, with Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino scoring twice to seal the win. Spain achieved the result despite the absence of key players such as Lamine Yamal and captain Alvaro Morata.

Mikel Merino was Spain's difference-maker as the Arsenal star scored two headed goals to fire La Roja to an emphatic 4-0 World Cup qualifying win over Bulgaria at the Estadio Municipal Jose Zorrilla. Debutant Atanas Chernev put through his own net to all but secure the result, before Mikel Oyarzabal struck home a stoppage-time penalty to round off the scoring. The result edges Spain closer to history, marking their 29th competitive game unbeaten - equalling the record of their world champion generation.