Football Bet of the Day: Swedish strugglers can entertain

• Both teams in relegation danger

• AIK conceding plenty on the road

• Over 2.5 Goals a huge price

IFK Goteborg v AIK
Monday 06 November, 18:10

There was Portuguese pain for our pal Tobias yesterday, as Rio Ave went 2-0 up in the first half against Boavista, but that third goal stubbornly refused to appear. While he consoles himself with a tray of Pasteis de Nata, we'll head to Sweden, because there's a relegation scrap between IFK Goteborg and AIK, and I think it might end up being more lively than the market predicts.

IFK were a Champions League club when I was growing up, and in the 1990s they played the likes of Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Galatasaray. In 1986 they even got to the semi-finals of Europe's premier competition, before winning the UEFA Cup in 1987.

Those glory days are long behind IFK. They haven't won the title since 2007, and they finished a lowly 12th in 2020. This season they are scrambling for survival again, and only goal difference is separating them from the relegation playoff spot.

AIK are only a place and two points better off, and they were champions as recently as 2018. Former Manchester United and Blackburn defender Henning Berg is coaching the side these days, and his first season in charge could be heading for disaster. The Stockholm side have won just four of their last 16 games in the top division.

Whenever I see Over 2.5 Goals as big a price as 2.447/5, it piques my interest, and while I can understand why it's an outsider here, it does feel too big. AIK have conceded 13 goals across their last five away matches, while seven of IFK's last 11 Allsvenskan games have seen an Over 2.5 Goals bet land. It's a game both sides will see as a big opportunity, and an early goal here could lead to a shootout. When they last met in May, they played out an entertaining 2-2 draw.