talkSPORT betting tips – Best football bets and expert advice for Wednesday 20 March

The Women’s Champions League takes centre stage on Wednesday night as a star-studded Barcelona team travel to Norway to continue their defence of the trophy.

Closer to home, National League promotion hopefuls Halifax and Bromley seek to boost their play-off prospects against Chesterfield and Wealdstone. 

Bet of the day

Bromley to beat Wealdstone @ 23/20

Wealdstone are unhappy at having to play Bromley this week as they will be without five players away on international duty. 

The Stones squad will be stretched thin for the visit of the promotion-chasing Ravens, who closed the gap to second-placed Barnet when they drew 0-0 with Kidderminster Harriers on Saturday.

Bromley struggled to break down a well-organised and resolute Harriers team, but should get more joy against a Wealdstone side that have lost their last two at home.

Andy Woodman should also have at least one of his first-choice wing-backs available again after suspension as the Kent club chase the three points that could see them leapfrog the Bees in the battle to secure pole position in the end-of-season play-offs.

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Special of the day

Over 5.5 match goals in Brann Women vs Barcelona Women @ 11/4 Boosted

The holders head to Norway in the Women’s Champions League quarter-finals with the mighty Barcelona expected to beat Brann in the first leg of their tie.

Brann finished fourth in the Norwegian top flight last season and are only in the competition because of what they did in 2022.

But they did run eight-time winners Lyon close in the group stages, losing 3-1 in France before fighting out a 2-2 draw in Bergen – where they will hope the cold and wet conditions will not favour their illustrious visitors.

Barca blew away lesser teams on their path to the last eight, beating Eintracht Frankfurt 3-1 in Germany and Rosengard 6-0 in Sweden before sharing the spoils in an eight-goal thriller with Benfica in their final group game.

And that’s not to mention the three home matches against those same teams, which Jonatan Giraldez’s side won by a combined score of 14-0.

England’s Lucy Bronze and Spanish World Cup heroine Salma Paralluelo were rested for Barca’s weekend warm-up match – a 7-0 Primera Division thrashing of Tenerife.

But both should return alongside Ballon d’Or Feminin winners Aitana Bonmati and Alexia Putellas on Wednesday with the holders set to prove far too strong for Brann, who began their campaign with a 4-2 defeat at Lillestrom on Saturday.

Long shot of the day 

Halifax and Chesterfield to draw 2-2 – 12/1

The big National League game of the day takes place in West Yorkshire where Halifax entertain runaway leaders Chesterfield at The Shay.

Paul Cook’s Spireites could have already clinched the title and automatic promotion back to the Football League if Barnet drop points on Tuesday and the impact of that result on this game should not be lost on punters.

Cook will demand a professional job from his team even if their season’s goal has been achieved, but the motivation for the Shaymen will be twofold as they bid to jump into the play-offs and avenge a last-gasp defeat in Chesterfield earlier this season.

A stoppage-time winner from Joe Quigley denied Halifax, who had battled back from two goals down, a point and it would be no surprise to see a similar see-saw contest unfolding again.

Chesterfield fought back to draw their game away at Oldham 2-2 last weekend and will take on a Halifax team that have been scoring goals recently – registering exactly two in four of their last six matches – so the odds on another 2-2 stalemate look good here.

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*all odds correct at time of writing and subject to change

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