It’s that time of the week again when we run through a selection of the most exciting matches taking place this weekend and offer our best bets and value picks.
Crystal Palace v Liverpool (Saturday)
Following a miserable 5-2 home defeat to Real Madrid in the Champions League, Liverpool will look to get back to winning ways when they travel to face Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Saturday. The Reds have won on each of their last eight trips to Selhurst Park, including a 7-0 victory in the 2020/2021 campaign.
Leicester v Arsenal (Saturday)
Arsenal will be looking to open up a five-point lead over Man City at the top of the Premier League table. Mikel Arteta’s side takes on Leicester City at the King Power Stadium on Saturday. The Foxes have struggled this term and languish in the bottom half.
Elche v Real Betis (Friday)
Real Betis aim to continue their winning ways when they face bottom side Elche at the Manuel Martinez Valero Stadium on Friday. Manuel Pellegrini’s men have won their last two games in La Liga, while the Valencian outfit have lost their last two in the Spanish top flight.
Almeria v Barcelona (Sunday)
La Liga leaders Barcelona will be looking to make it eight league wins in a row when they travel to Estadio de los Juegos Mediterraneos on Sunday to take on Almeria. The Catalan giants have been in top form and will fancy their chances against the Andalusian side who have lost their last three games.
Empoli v Napoli (Saturday)
With 62 points from 23 games so far, Napoli are the runaway leaders in Serie A this season. Their domestic form has been so impressive that it has started to make a title victory look almost certain for Luciano Spalletti’s men. Empoli, meanwhile, lies firmly in the bottom half of the table and have struggled for consistency.
Lazio v Sampdoria (Monday)
Lazio moved up to fifth in the Serie A standings after their victory at Salernitana, and now, Maurizio Sarri’s side will look to claim maximum points against Sampdoria who are winless in eight games and lie 19th in the table.
Hoffenheim v Dortmund (Saturday)
In-form Borussia Dortmund head south to the Rhein-Neckar Arena in the Bundesliga on Saturday looking to continue their impressive form under Edin Terzic and heap more pressure on American boss Pellegrino Matarazzo, who’s side languishing near the foot of the table.
Freiburg v Bayer Leverkusen (Sunday)
Freiburg will be looking to keep their good run of form going when they host Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga on Sunday. The Breisgau club are riding a three-game winning streak across all competitions, while they’re unbeaten in their last nine home games with seven wins. Xabi Alonso’s side, on the other hand, have lost four of their last five matches.
Angers v Lyon (Saturday)
Following a 2-1 defeat at Auxerre last time out, Lyon will be aiming to bounce back to winning ways when they travel to face bottom-side Angers on Saturday. The hosts are seeking to halt a run of 16 straight winless Ligue 1 matches.
Lorient v Auxerre (Sunday)
Lorient have struggled for form of late but will be confident of securing all three points against an Auxerre side languishing in the relegation zone after only four wins from 24 league games so far. Lorient won 3-1 at the Stade Abbe Deschamps when the sides met in September.