Football tips for 28 Apr 2026: Analysis of 2 promising matches to watch, focusing on the UEFA Champions League and today's football program.
On 28 April 2026, the key highlights are the UEFA Champions League 2025-26 semifinal first leg, match 1, along with the English Championship contest that impacts promotion to the Premier League. Here is the football analysis and insights on two notable matches as follows.
- UEFA Champions League semifinal first leg / Kickoff at 02:00 GMT+7
"The defending champions" have reached the UCL semifinals three years in a row after defeating Chelsea in the round of 16 and Liverpool in the quarterfinals, scoring a total of 12 goals and conceding only 2. However, they then rotated their squad and lost 1-2 at home to Lyon before winning their last two matches 3-0 against Nantes and Angers. This season, they faced Bayern twice, winning 2-0 in the Club World Cup quarterfinal but losing 1-2 at home in the UCL group stage. The good news is Vitinha and Fabian Ruiz have recovered from injury and may start, orchestrating play for Ousmane Dembélé and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
"The Bavarian Tigers" are in top form, winning their last 9 matches across all competitions. Recently, they came from behind to beat Mainz 05 4-3. In the UCL, they have won their last 7 matches in all stages. Against PSG in this tournament, they have the upper hand, winning 5 of the last 6 encounters since their 1-0 win in the 2019-20 final. Despite having six injured players including Serge Gnabry, Lennart Czar and Raphael Guerreiro, Harry Kane, Michael Olise, and Luis Díaz remain available, offering hope they will avoid defeat away.
Analysis : A draw with goals in the first leg
- English Championship / Kickoff at 01:45 GMT+7
"The Saints" nearly upset Manchester City in the FA Cup semifinal, unfortunately losing 1-2 after initially leading. In the league, they are still in contention for automatic promotion to the Premier League, trailing "The Whites" by 4 points with only two matches left. Their league form is strong, unbeaten in 17 matches (13 wins, 4 draws), and undefeated in their last 9 home games (7 wins, 2 draws). Captain Jack Stephens is expected to return from injury to lead the defense, while the attack still features Finn Azaz, who scored against the Citizens, Kyle Larin, and Ross Stewart.
Ipswich has been inconsistent lately, winning only 4 of their last 10 league games (5 draws, 1 loss). They remain in the automatic promotion race, but a win over Southampton would almost secure their Premier League spot, putting them 3 points clear of Millwall with only one game left, plus a superior goal difference of 17. However, they have not beaten Southampton in their last 3 meetings (1 loss, 2 draws). Key left-back Leeev Davis is injured, and although they have Jack Clarke (15 goals) and George Hirst (10 goals), their current form may not match "The Saints."
Analysis : Narrow win for Southampton