European fixtures heavily influence the weekend odds. However, don't for a second think clubs will take their domestic duties for granted ahead of their Champions League or Europa League ties. Results in Europe are important to gauge the mood of a team in question, whether it is motivation or frustration as they look to make something of their season. Some games are bigger than others this weekend, for example the result between Marseille vs Lyon on Sunday could hand the impetus in the Ligue 1 title race to one of the two Olympique’s.
LIKELY BETS
Palermo vs Juventus: DRAW 1ST HALF @2.00
While the upcoming Champions League return leg against Borussia Dortmund and the 11-point advantage over Roma are two reasons to not give their all in Sicily, Juventus are yet to lose focus in league games. In Palermo, it will be difficult to not give their all for the full 90 minutes, but at the same time, the Rosanero will not find it easy to hit the back of the net, at least in the opening 45 minutes. One of Juventus’ statistically calculated WhoScored styles of play is 'to control the game in the opposition's half’, which will benefit the Bianconeri here.
Verona vs Napoli: BOTH TEAMS TO SCORE @1.67
Both teams have scored in each of Verona’s last 6 league games, while Napoli have recently found it difficult to avoid conceding goals in Serie A. The fixture is also sandwiched in between the Partenopei’s Europa League meeting with Dynamo Moscow. There are 4 situations listed in the WhoScored match forecast deemed 'very likely' or 'extremely likely', which predict either team netting.
Augsburg vs Mainz: BOTH TEAMS TO SCORE @1.70
The weekly Bundesliga game where both teams are tipped to score comes from Augsburg. Both sides have found the back of the net in 4 of Augsburg’s last 5 league games at home, while the same has happened in 4 of Mainz’s last 6 away matches in the Bundesliga. The WhoScored match forecast suggests it is ‘likely’ that Augsburg ‘will make a comeback if they go behind’.
TEMPTING BETS
Borussia Dortmund vs Köln: BOTH TEAMS TO SCORE @2.10
There are huge odds here considering that Klopp certainly still hasn't fixed Dortmund's problems in defence, while Köln have conceded 8 goals in their last 3 games. Furthermore, the WhoScored match forecast predict goals for both sides.
Almeria vs Villarreal: DRAW 1ST HALF @1.95
Normally this would be an easy task for the Yellow Submarine, but they are focused on trying to turn around in just a few days, after a Thursday night home defeat to Sevilla in the Europa League. For Almeria, this is the perfect chance to punch above their weight.
Espanyol vs Atletico Madrid: AWAY WIN @2.05
Simeone will not allow his team to slip up here, especially with the Clasico to be played in 10 days time. The WhoScored match forecast lists just 2 likely occurrences: reflecting ways in which the Colchoneros will dominate the game and how they will score.
LONG-SHOT BETS
Olympique Marseille vs Olympique Lyonnais: DRAW @3.40
The Olympique derby could be the last chance for Bielsa to salvage what looked set to be a historic season. Their nightmare period lasted throughout February but the 6-1 win in Toulouse could finally have restored some confidence. However, Lyon have lost only 1 of their last 13 matches and they too come into the game following a huge 5-1 win after that solitary defeat. The visitors surely won't leave space for the lethally fast Marseille transitions, and at the same time Bielsa is well aware that he can't afford to lose this game. Both teams have just one way in which they will likely find a route to goal according to the WhoScored match forecast.
Burnley vs Manchester City: DRAW (-1) @3.75
Manchester City probably a better chance of catching Chelsea in the league than they do of winning at Camp Nou, hoping that Southampton can exacerbate Chelsea's bad mood after being kicked out of the Champions League by PSG. Burnley are a tough opponent but the visitors should win and the last 3 home defeats suffered by Burnley have all come by a 1-goal margin.
Everton vs Newcastle: DRAW @3.60
It was an extremely demanding comeback from Everton against Dynamo Kiev, with a 2-1 win giving them real hope of qualifying for the next round but potentially costing them a lot of energy. Everton are the team that have drawn the most matches at home in the Premier League, with a current streak of 4 home draws in a row. According to WhoScored's match forecast it is 'likely' that Newcastle 'will make a comeback if they go behind'.
What are your top tips for the weekend? Let us know in the comments below
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