Friday football tips: Cardiff can climb back into playoff places with win

Focus switches to the Championship, where Cardiff are eager to boost their promotion hopes with a victory at struggling Huddersfield. Mick McCarthy's Bluebirds are chasing an eighth win in nine games.

Today's best football bets

Bets to be placed by 7.30pm

Cardiff to beat Huddersfield

Mainz to beat Schalke

Under 2.5 goals in Valencia v Villarreal

Pacos Ferreira to beat Nacional

Cardiff can climb back into Championship playoffs by piling on the misery for relegation-threatened Huddersfield and there may be more anguish for Bundesliga basement boys Schalke, who could be cast further adrift by a defeat at home to second-bottom Mainz.

Goals could be hard to come by in the La Liga clash between cash-strapped Valencia and out-of-form Villarreal and Pacos Ferreira's strong home record (seven wins in ten league games) look set to be further enhanced by a victory over relegation-threatened Nacional.

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Bet of the day

Cardiff to beat Huddersfield Sky Sports, 7.45pm

Cardiff have taken 22 points from their last eight games to enter the thick of the Championship promotion race and should be too strong for Huddersfield, who have slipped to 19th after winning one of 13 games this year.

Huddersfield v Cardiff

Sky Sports Main Event/Football, 7.45pm

Cardiff are unbeaten in ten games under Mick McCarthy and could rise from eight to sixth with victory at the John Smith's stadium. Huddersfield are having a tough time and could finish the weekend just two points above the drop zone.

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Best bet
Cardiff

Best card bet of the day

Schalke v Mainz BT Sport 2, 7.30pm

Schalke are having a terrible season and the frustrations seem to be getting the better of left-back Sead Kolasinac, who joined on loan from Arsenal in January. The Bosnian international has been booked in two of his last four appearances and could see yellow in the key encounter at home to relegation rivals Mainz, which is sure to be hotly contested.

Best bet
Sead Kolasinac to be shown a card

Stat of the day

Valencia v Villarreal FreeSports, 8pm

None of Valencia's last five home games have featured more than two goals.

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