It is the biggest game in the Spanish calendar, the 271st El Clasico sees La Liga champions Barcelona square off against Champions League finalist Real Madrid. Arsenal fans will have the opportunity to see Arsene Wenger lead the Gunners out for the last time at the Emirates stadium when overachieving Burnley come calling. Not far away in West London, Chelsea welcome Liverpool and old boy Mo Salah to Stamford Bridge as the Blues try to revive their faint Champions League hopes. In France, the battle for the remaining two Champions League spots behind champions PSG is up for grabs between these three teams (Lyon, Monaco and Marseille).
Here is our preview of some key fixtures in the top leagues in Europe.
We begin in France;
CAEN v MONACO – SUN. 6 MAY 2018, 16.00HRS
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Monaco’s failure to beat Amiens at home last week saw them lose second spot to Lyon in the battle for a Champions League place. The Principality club are just a point and position better than Marseille as we head into match week 36. Their host – Caen are five points above the drop zone but need a victory to guarantee safety. On current form, Caen would give anything to buy a victory as they are without a league victory in their last six outings. Monaco cannot afford further slip ups as the league hits home stretch if they are to hold on to the final Champions League spot with Marseille breathing down their neck.
VERDICT – Caen’s average goal per match in the league is 0.73 compared to Monaco’s 2.32. Monaco have won four of the last six league meetings between these two clubs. With 17 goals in the last six meetings, we are guaranteed an average of two goals per match. There should be over 1.5 goals at Stade Michel d’Ornano
MARSEILLE v NICE – SUN. 6 MAY 2018, 20.05HRS
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Marseille dropped points at Angers last week and will need to return to winning ways if they still harbor hopes of securing a Champions League spot. The home game against Nice is Marseille’s final league match at the Orange Velodrome this season. The Europa League finalist have been impressive at home this season with Dmitri Payet and Florian Thauvin looking unstoppable. Nice are perceived to be poor on the road this season but ahead of their trip to the Orange Velodrome, they are on a five game unbeaten run in the league which should make this game as exciting as possible.
VERDICT – Kostas Mitroglou and Florian Thauvin scored a brace each in Marseille’s last home game against Lille. Rudi Garcia will be hoping for same returns from his forwards. It’s a tricky game as both sides have enjoyed an excellent run of form recently and both looked very well organized at the back in this term. This could be a low scoring affair – under 2.5 goals
In Italy;
JUVENTUS v BOLOGNA – SAT. 5 MAY 2018, 19.45HRS
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Juventus got help from an unlikely source last week in Tuscany with Fiorentina convincing win over Napoli in addition to their own victory in the Derby d’Italia at the San Siro to restore their four points lead at the top of the table. The Old Lady of Turin is back in the driver’s seat in the Scuddetto race. They require just two more wins to retain the title. Ahead of next week’s Coppa Italia final next week, Max Allegri could be tempted to rest some players against Bologna.
VERDICT – Juventus have not lost to Bologna in 11 consecutive league matches – winning the last three. The Rossoblu victory against the Biaconeris was in February 2011. The home team to claim all three points.
LAZIO v ATALANTA – SUN. 6 MAY 2018, 14.00HRS
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Two in-form teams clash at the stadio Olimpico this weekend with Lazio sitting fourth on the table while Atalanta are sixth. A victory for the host will virtually guarantee qualification for the Champions League next season, a feat for Simone Inzaghi’s team. Atalanta have Milan breathing down their neck in the race for the final Europa League spot so there is everything to play for in Rome in this weekend.
VERDICT – Lazio are in great scoring form in front of their fans at the moment, so I’m expecting them to maintain that against Atalanta. This fixture has seen 26 goals in the last 7 encounters so we are guaranteed goals at the Olimpico – over 2.5 goals
In Germany;
STUTTGART v HOFFENHEIM – SAT. 5 MAY 2018, 14.30HRS
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Against all odds, Stuttgart won at Leverkusen last week and are just two points off the final Europa league spot. Hoffenheim are on a three-game winning run, playing excellent football and holding on to the final Champions League spot. The penultimate league match at the Mercedes-Benz Arena is crucial for Die Kraichgauer if they are to qualify for Europe’s premier competition next season.
VERDICT – Stuttgart have lost one of their last 12 matches while Hoffenheim are unbeaten in their last nine Bundesliga matches. This will be a tough match between two form teams in the Bundesliga. With everything put into consideration, we expect both sides to score in this intense game.
WERDER BREMEN v BAYER LEVERKUSEN – SAT. 5 MAY 2018, 14.30HRS
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Leverkusen have suffered back to back defeat at this crucial stage of the season which has left their Champions League qualification hopes hanging by a thread. Bremen haven’t won in the league in four outings but manage to secure their Bundesliga status last weekend. Leverkusen are just a point behind Hoffenheim so they have to keep the pressure on and hope for help from others.
VERDICT – Bayer Leverkusen have the second best away record (7W in 16) in the Bundesliga. Werder Bremen are unbeaten in their last 11 home games. It is a game with little meaning for Bremen except keeping their decent home record into the new season. We expect an open game at Weserstadion – over 2.5 goals.
To Spain;
VILLARREAL v VALENCIA – SAT. 5 MAY 2018, 19.45HRS
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Villarreal are five points better than the chasing pack in the race for the final Europa league spot in Spain. Ahead of the local derby, Marcelion’s Valencia require just one more victory to secure qualification for the Champions League next season. Villarreal dispatched Celta Vigo comfortably at the Estadio de la Ceramica in their last home match and will need to do so against Valencia to maintain required gap from seventh place Getafe.
VERDICT – There have been over 2.5 goals scored in Villarreal’s last four home games. Valencia are winless in their last four league games. There isn’t much to separate these two local rivals, we could see them cancelling each other out.
BARCELONA v REAL MADRID – SUN. 6 MAY 2018, 19.45HRS
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Barcelona host eternal rivals Real Madrid at the Camp Nou in the 271st El Clasico. Champions Barca will look to avoid defeat against their eternal rivals as they bid to become the 1st Spanish team to go unbeaten in an entire season. On the other hand, Real Madrid arrive in Catalan in high spirit after making it to another UCL final and will love to put a dent on record chasing Barcelona. Can Real Madrid end Barcelona’s Invincibles ambition? Whenever these two giants clash, we are always served a spectacle.
VERDICT – We have seen 18 goals in the last six league meetings between these two giants which gives us an average of 3 goals per match. Barca have the better record (4W 1D 1L) in the last six league meetings. We are guaranteed goals at the Camp Nou on Sunday evening. Over 2.5 goals.
To England;
ARSENAL v BURNLEY – SUN. 6 MAY 2018, 16.30HRS
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Arsenal host Burnley at the Emirates Stadium in Wenger’s last home game as their manager. Arsene should get the fantastic send-off he deserves for his contribution to Arsenal’s history. Can overachieving Burnley secure what is an unlikely win in the Frenchman’s last home game? I don’t think so. The Gunners will want to honor their longest serving manager with a home win with several former players in attendance.
VERDICT – Burnley make things difficult for the Gunners but Arsenal have won the last three meetings against the Clarets. History could be repeating itself.
CHELSEA v LIVERPOOL – SUN. 6 MAY 2018, 16.30HRS
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Old boy Mo Salah returns to his former stomping ground in Red to face his former club in a game which could reopen or shut the top four race depending on the outcome. Liverpool travel to Stamford Bridge in full confidence after securing their place in the Champions League finals in Kiev. A win for Chelsea will see them close the gap on the Reds to 3 points in the race for a place in the top four. The Reds have to turn their attention to this pivotal game as the season draws to a close.
VERDICT – Liverpool haven’t lost at Chelsea in their last two visits to Stamford Bridge and current form and spirit, we do not see that changing. We expect goals – Both sides should score
This wraps up our previews across the 5 major leagues in Europe. Keep playing, keep winning….
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