Current Leaders of Top European Football Leagues Play on Saturday
Published January 9, 2021 by Florin P
AC Milan and Atletico Madrid expect easy home games against Torino and Bilbao, teams struggling on the road and with a horrible head to head record.
It’s a busy Saturday for the most in-form teams in major European football leagues, as they are scheduled to play in the afternoon and evening. Some enjoy home pitch advantage against teams they defeated on multiple occasions, while others will have to face difficult opponents on the road. Splitting points is not an option for either of them, as the runners-up are within striking distance and likely to win this weekend.
Rennes Try to End Home Drought against Lyon
Lyon has emerged as the hottest team in the French first division, with nine victories in the last 14 matches and no defeat whatsoever. These include a win over the reigning champions, which propelled them to the first place of the Ligue 1. PSG are two points behind but they have a game in hand, so Lyon need to defeat Rennes on the road and capitalize on the odds of 13/10 at bet365 Sports. The hosts are riding a four-game winning streak and will not give up without a fight, while being priced at 2/1 to win.
Leipzig and Dortmund Play the Bundesliga Derby
The most exciting match of the day is played in the German first division, where Leipzig welcomes Dortmund. Both teams are hungry for points as they hope to overtake Bayern, but this match doesn’t have a clear favorite. Leipzig have a slight edge, as reflected by the odds of 13/10 offered by bet365 Sports, as they haven’t lost a Bundesliga match in the last three months. Dortmund alternated victories with defeats, but they have an advantage in direct matches, so the odds of 2/1 are quite tempting.
Torino Try to Defeat AC Milan at San Siro for the First Time Ever
AC Milan are once again in pole position after capitalizing on Juventus’ struggles in 2020. They are likely to extend their lead in Serie A on Saturday evening in the match scheduled for 7:45 PM UK time. They are priced at 1/2 by 888 Sport, as they welcome their favorite opponent, a team that never defeated them at San Siro. Torino traveled to this venue for dozens of times but will be still looking for their first victory against AC Milan. Their awful performance on the road and dubious form explains the odds of 6/1.
Atletico Madrid to Capitalize on Bilbao’s Awful Road Record
When the best home team in the Spanish first division meets the worst traveling squad, the outcome seems easy to predict. Atletico Madrid will have home pitch advantage against Athletic Bilbao, a team they have comprehensively dominated in the nation’s capital. The last time the Basques won in Madrid was exactly 10 years ago, with Atletico winning 90% of the games so far. Under these circumstances, odds of 1/2 for the hosts and 6/1 for the visitors make perfect sense and a home win is to be expected.
Disclaimer:
The odds mentioned here were accurate at the featured bookmakers at the hour the article was written, respectively on Tuesday, January 5 at 8 am UK time.
