It’s FA Cup weekend in England and given the unpredictable nature of that competition, both in results and team selections, I am focussing on the league action from across Europe with 3 games in particular catching my attention. First-off we had to Scotland for an early kick-off as 2nd placed Rangers travel to Motherwell while I’m going for goals in games from Bremen and Leipzig as Werder welcome champions Bayern and 2nd placed Red Bull welcome unbeaten Hoffenheim in a clash between 2nd and 3rd in the division. Here then are my Key Facts and Best Bets for Saturday as well as a couple of other picks for those doing an acca. 12.30 Motherwell vs Rangers Prediction - 1.2 Best Bets – BTTS @7/10, BTTS and over 2.5 goals @21/20 Key Facts * Motherwell have seen BTTS and over 2.5 goals scored in 5 of their last 8 home league fixtures * Going back further, 11 of their last 16 home games have seen BTTS and over 2.5 goals * 31 goals were scored in their last 8 home matches. Motherwell scored 15 and conceded 16 * Motherwell have scored in 13 of their last 16 home fixtures * Motherwell’s home results against top 5 opponents (Celtic, Aberdeen, Hearts and St Johnstone) this season saw BTTS and over 2.5 goals scored. (3.4 vrs Celtic, 1.3 vrs Aberdeen and Hearts and 1.2 vrs St Johnstone) * Rangers have seen BTTS in 8 out of 10 away league fixtures this season with only 1 clean-sheet kept during that period. * 5 of those 8 games also went over 2.5 goals * Rangers have won all 3 meetings between these two sides this season. Both of the last meetings at Ibrox finished 2.1 to the home side including last weekend’s Scottish Cup tie. Final Verdict Goals should be on the cards here with an on=form Rangers heading to leaky Motherwell in the early lunch-time kick off from the SPL in Scotland. The hosts have a nice habit of scoring and losing to the better sides in the division, especially at home and I fancy that outcome here with Rangers strong enough to come away with the points but also vulnerable enough to concede themselves. Indeed Rangers have kept only 1 clean-sheet on the road this season and given the hosts ability to score at home (13 of their last 16), BTTS looks pretty likely @7/10 while I expect this game to also go over 2.5 goals and the double pays at just over evens @21/20. 14:30 RasenBallsport Leipzig vs Hoffenheim Best Bets -- BTTS @3/4, BTTS and over 2.5 goals @5/4 Prediction - 2.1 Key Facts * RBL have seen BTTS in 5 of their last 7 home league fixtures * 4 of those 5 also went over 2.5 goals * RBL have scored 2 goals or more in each of their last 6 home Bundesliga matches * RBL sit 2nd in the league, 3 points behind leaders Bayern while Hoffenheim are 3rd, a further 8 points behind * RBL have won each of their last 6 home league fixtures * Hoffenheim have scored in 13 of their last 15 away league fixtures * Hoffenheim are unbeaten in each of their last 8 away league fixtures * Hoffenheim have seen BTTS in 10 of their last 15 away league fixtures including 5 of the last 8 * Hoffenheim remain unbeaten in 17 league fixtures so far this season * Hoffenheim have drawn 6 of their last 8 league fixtures * Hoffenheim have drawn 5 of their last 8 AWAY league fixtures * These two sides met for the first time ever on the opening day of the season. That match finished in a 2.2 draw. Final Verdict Goals have to have a good chance here as two on-form sides clash in Leipzig with 3rd placed and unbeaten Hoffenheim taking on the seasons surprise package, 2nd placed RB Leipzig. Both sides have surprised the Bundesliga by taking 2 of the top 3 spots at the half-way stage in the season and I expect an entertaining contest here between two sides with little to lose and everything to play for as we enter the final months of the season. A home win is expected but given the away sides unbeaten record, I'm more tempted by BTTS @3/4 Hoffenheim are unbeaten in 8 on the road, even taking a point at FC Bayern in December and I fancy them to score and given the home side’s form, particularly in front of their own support, BTTS seems likely @3/4. BTTS and over 2.5 has a chance as well in a match that should be well contested with the unbeaten visitors sure to cause their own problems for the title chasing new-boys. 14:30 Werder Bremen vs Bayern Munich Prediction - 1.3 Best Bets – BTTS @19/20, BTTS and over 2.5 goals @6/5 Key Facts * Werder have seen BTTS in a remarkable 20 of their last 21 home league fixtures * 16 of those 20 games also saw over 2.5 goals scored * Werder scored in all 21 of those games with their sole clean-sheet coming at home to Frankfurt 7 months ago * Werder have seen BTTS in 15 of their last 16 league games (home and away) * 13 of those 15 games also saw over 2.5 goals scored * Exactly 3 goals have been scored in 7 of Werder's last 9 home league fixtures. * Bayern have seen BTTS and over 2.5 goals scored in 4 of their last 6 away league fixtures * Bayern have scored 2 goals or more in 8 of their last 11 away league fixtures * Bayern have kept only 1 clean-sheet in their last 9 away competitive fixtures (league and CL) * Bayern have won each of their last 14 (fourteen!) meetings with Werder * Bayern scored 55 goals and conceded only 7 in those 14 wins * Bayern have kept a clean-sheet in each of their last 6 wins over Werder! * Bayern have scored 5 goals or more in 5 of their last 9 wins over Werder * Bayern have scored 2 goals or more in 7 of their last 8 trips to Bremen. Final Verdict While some of the historical stats suggest a slam-dunk win for Bayern, I expect Werder to put up a better fight than they usually do against the Bavarian champions and they can score to bring up the BTTS and over 2.5 goals selection @1/1. The hosts have improved their form in recent weeks, and put up a brave performance with 10 men in their 2.1 home defeat to Dortmund last weekend, their first loss in 6 and while we can't expect them to take anything from this game, they have the ability to score against a Bayern side that have not been as strong defensively as in recent years. Werder almost always score at home, with each of their last 21 home games giving their fans at least a goal to cheer and while Bayern will be their toughest opponents of the season, I fancy them to break their long goal-scoring duck against the champions and while it won't be enough to take the points, it should be enough to bring up my selection here with Bayern unlikely to score less than 2. Best Bets Red Bull v Hoffenheim – BTTS @3/4 - NAP Werder v Bayern – BTTS and over 2.5 goals @6/5 - NB Red Bull v Hoffenheim –- BTTS and over 2.5 goals @5/4 Motherwell v Rangers - BTTS @7/10 Motherwell v Rangers –- BTTS and over 2.5 goals @21/20 Selected others Darmstadt v Koln Prediction – 0.0 Best Bets – Draw @ 12/5 Key Facts * Koln have drawn 12 of their last 20 away league fixtures * Koln have won only 2 of their last 11 away league fixtures * Koln have only scored 3 goals in their last 6 league fixtures * Koln have drawn 5 of their last 6 league fixtures including each of the last 4 * Darmstadt have drawn 7 of their last 20 home league fixtures * Darmstadt ended a run of 8 successive Bundesliga defeats in their last outing, a 0.0 home draw with Moenchengladbach. * Despite a dismal run of form, Darmstadt have only conceded 6 goals in their last 5 home league outings. 17:30 Eibar vs Deportivo La Coruna Prediction - 1.1 Best Bets – Draw @ 9/4, 1.1 draw @5/1 Key Facts * Deportivo have drawn each of their last 5 league fixtures * Deportivo have drawn 13 of their last 25 away league fixtures. * Deportivo have won only 2 of their last 22 away league fixtures * Deportivo have seen BTTS in 9 of their last 11 league fixtures * Deportivo have seen BTTS in their last 6 away league fixtures * Deportivo have drawn 1.1 in 6 of their last 14 away league fixtures, including 3 of the last 5 * Last season’s corresponding fixture finished in a 1.1 draw. 15.00 - Inverness v Partick – BTTS @3/4 19.45 - Heracles v PSV – BTTS @19/20 Comments are closed.
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