This should be an entertaining game between two teams that are fighting for their lives at the bottom of the table. The specter of relegation hangs over Wolfsburg and Werder Bremen, as they both have dreadful defensive records. Wolfsburg have only kept one clean sheet in 26 matches this season, and Werder Bremen have just five clean sheets. Both teams are decent in attack, so we should see goals in this game. Wolfsburg’s matches have averaged 3.50 goals this season, and Werder Bremen’s have averaged 2.92 goals, so over 2.5 goals looks appealing.
Napoli should pick up a vital away win against Cagliari, who are on a six-game winless streak in Serie A. The Sardinians low on confidence right now, and they could struggle to deal with a strong Napoli team. Napoli have a solid away record, with eight wins from 15 games on the road, and they should have too much firepower for Cagliari to handle.
PSG's players will be full of confidence after thumping Chelsea 5-2 in Paris last week. They've had all week to rest, so they should be raring to go by the time they step onto the pitch at Stamford Bridge for the second leg of this Champions League clash. By contrast, Chelsea had to play Newcastle at the weekend, and they lost 1-0. The players could be tired and disheartened, while they're also missing captain Reece James through injury. Chelsea will need to take risks in a bid to overturn the three-goal deficit, but that leaves them vulnerable to PSG's pace on the counterattack.
Tottenham Hotspur are in danger of being relegated from the Premier League following an 11-game winless streak. They’re fighting for survival, so the last thing they need is a two-legged Champions League clash with Atlético Madrid. Key players are injured, the players lack belief, and new manager Igor Tudor has been unable to galvanize the squad, so the club is in a real mess right now. Atlético Madrid should be able to capitalize. Los Rojiblancos have won their last three league games, and they have enough quality to exploit Spurs’ defensive frailties. They have home advantage for this game, they’re more motivated than Spurs, and their superior quality should shine through.
Bayern Munich are unbeaten in their last 18 games in all competitions, so they should be full of confidence right now. They rested star striker Harry Kane for their game against Borussia Mönchengladbach at the weekend, but they still won 4-1. That result left the Bavarians 11 points clear of their closest rivals at the top of the Bundesliga table, so they can afford to focus 100% on the Champions League. Kane should return to the starting lineup for this game, and he should fire his team to victory over Atalanta, who are currently seventh in Serie A.
Toulouse and Marseille played out an entertaining 2-2 draw in the French Cup quarterfinals on Wednesday night. It went to a penalty shootout, which Toulouse won. The teams will renew hostilities immediately on Saturday, when they meet in the league, and it should be another entertaining game. Matches featuring Marseille have averaged 3.50 goals this season, with two-thirds of them going over 2.5 goals. Toulouse’s home games have averaged 3.00 goals, so over 2.5 goals looks like a great bet on this match.
Borussia Dortmund should outclass Koln when the teams clash at RheinEnergieStadion. They've won their last four games against Koln, including a 4-0 victory at this stadium kast season. Dortmund have the second-best away record in the Bundesliga this season, with four wins and four draws from their last eight road trips. Koln have lost five out of 12 home matches, and they tend to struggle against the league's best teams.
Mallorca’s players could be low on confidence after losing their last four games. They’re now in the relegation zone, and they could drop down to Segunda Division next season. Mallorca have struggled on the road throughout the campaign, losing 10 out of 13 away games. That doesn’t bode well for a trip to Pamplona to face a strong Osasuna team. Osasuna are 10th in the table, 9 points clear of Mallorca. They’ve been strong at home this season, with seven wins, three draws, and just two defeats from 12 matches. That’s the sixth-best home record in La Liga, so Osasuna really should get the better of Mallorca this weekend.
This is a must-win game for Real Madrid. Los Blancos are now 4 points behind title rivals Barcelona after losing their last two matches. The players left the field to a chorus of boos following a damaging 1-0 home defeat to Getafe at the weekend. They will be desperate to bounce back with a win, so they should be fired up for this away game against Celta Vigo. Real Madrid lost 2-0 to Celta earlier this season, but they had three players sent off in that match. They won their previous 11 games against Celta, and normal order should be restored on Friday.
Monaco were unlucky to lose 5-4 on aggregate to PSG in the Champions League playoffs last month. They were 2-1 up in the home leg, but Alexandr Golovin was sent off, and they ended up losing 3-2. Monaco then drew 2-2 with PSG in Paris, despite having Mamadou Coulibaly sent off on 58 minutes. Once again, they were winning when he was shown a red card. If they can keep 11 players on the pitch, they could give PSG a run for their money on Friday. Monaco are unbeaten in their last six league games, so they should be competitive.
Man United should extend their 11-game unbeaten streak when they face struggling Newcastle this week. The Red Devils are flourishing under new manager Michael Carrick. They've picked up seven wins and four draws from their last 11 matches, and they're surging with confidence right now. By contrast, injury-hit Newcastle have lost five of their last six games. They slumped to a 3-2 home defeat against Everton at the weekend. The Magpies are now 13th in the Premier League table, 15 points below Man United, and they could struggle to contain the Red Devils in this game.
Inter Milan will be desperate to bounce back from their humiliating 2-1 defeat to Bodø/Glimt on Tuesday night. The Nerazzurri crashed out of the Champions League following that defeat, so they can now focus 100% on winning Seri A. They're 10 points clear of their closest rivals at the top of the table after winning their last seven league matches. Inter beat Genoa 2-1 on the road earlier this season, and they should win by a heavier margin when the teams renew hostilities this weekend.
Borussia Dortmund's players could be low on confidence after suffering a demoralising 4-1 defeat to Atalanta on Wednesday. They then had to fly back home from Italy, so they could also be tired and a little jet lagged. By contrast, Bayern Munich have had all week to rest and recuperate. They're top of the Bundesliga table, 8 points clear of Dortmund, and they will have one hand on the trophy if they win this game. The Bavarians beat Dortmund 2-1 earlier this season, which could give them a psychological advantage. Bayern also look superior to Borussia Dortmund in every department, so they should win Der Klassiker this weekend. It's a lot of juice, but in this case, it's worth the squeeze.
Bournemouth are up to 8th in the Premier League table after embarking on a six-game unbeaten streak. In their last three home matches, they've beaten Tottenham, beaten Liverpool, and drawn with high-flying Aston Villa. The Cherries have the sixth-best home record in the Premier League this season, and they look capable of beating Sunderland this weekend. Sunderland struggle on the road, with just two wins, four draws, and seven defeats from 13 away games. The Black Cats are winless in their last eight away matches, which doesn't bode well for their chances of beating Bournemouth.
Bayer Leverkusen outclassed Olympiacos when the teams met in Greece last week. Two goals from Patrik Schick earned them a 2-0 away win, so they now have a decisive advantage in this two-legged clash. If they win, draw, or lose by a single goal in the second leg, they will qualify for the Round of 16. However, it would be risky to simply sit back, soak up pressure, and aim for a draw. Bayer Leverkusen should go for the jugular on Tuesday, and they have enough quality to beat Olympiacos in front of their home fans.