The weekend is back and there is plenty of football action across European major leagues. Here are the things to look out for during the action. Bet on European football here.
Barcelona to win La Liga
Barcelona are just one victory away from their eighth La Liga title and they hope to put this to bed when they host Levante in the weekend. They can only do this if they are able to take all three points, notwithstanding result elsewhere between Atletico Madrid and Real Valladolid. With Lionel Messi on the pitch and the title on the line, it’s hard to see the hosts not ultimately prevailing here and that itvery probable if not likely.
Both teams to score?
Bordeaux might finish in the bottom half of the table but could still play a role in who takes the third spot in Ligue 1 as they play host to high flying Lyon on Friday. This fixture has a history of producing goals for both teams and the majority of their recent matches have seen both teams score. Six of the last seven meetings between these two clubs have seen both teams score, while three of Bordeaux’s and five of Lyon’s last six matches have also ended with both teams on the scoreboard. We are confident that both teams will find the back of the net and you can expect just that when they take on each other this Friday. (Add the betting odds?)
Dortmund to ride on strong home form
Dortmund will be eager to gain ground on league leaders Bayern when they host rivals Schalke at Signal Iduna Park on Saturday. Schalke are having one of their worst ever seasons and have not improved despite a managerial change. Huub Stevens has won just one of his six matches in charge, the win came away to bottom of the table side Hannover 96. Dortmund are the obvious favourites going into Saturday, and given their strong home form you can expect them to dominate this fixture.
Juve to struggle away from home
Juventus secured their eighth consecutive Scudetto following their 2-1 home win against Fiorentina with a 20 point gap to second-placed side Napoli. They will travel to Milan where they will play Inter this weekend. The hosts can take comfort in the fact that their visitors have not looked at their very best in recent trips away from home. As a matter of fact, Juventus have won just one of their last four games on the road. The champions have major issues in defence, as they have seen both teams score in their last five matches. They have looked very sloppy in recent weeks, and we don’t expect them to fix this just a week after lifting the title.
Will Benfica blink when they face Braga to hand title to Porto?
Braga could play a key role in the title race in Portugal as they prepare to play host the league leaders Benfica on Sunday. Anything but a win could see Porto reclaim the top spot heading into the final three games of the campaign as the two are matched on points. Braga have won three of their last six matches, while Benfica have lost two of their last three away games setting the stage for a big clash. The hosts have been really impressive this season and with the home advantage they should get something out of this fixture. There is a lot of pressure on Benfica and it will be interesting to see how they deal with what could end up being a title deciding match.