High Profile Matches Scheduled for this Weekend in European Football
Published May 4, 2018 by Florin P
La Liga, Serie A, Premier League and Ligue 1 teams step into the spotlight in matches that can secure their presence in European tournaments.
At the end of the month all important European football championships will come to their inevitable conclusion. Until then, there are still a couple of interesting games to be played, including a few that could decide winners. Some of the most exciting matches are the ones involving teams trying to secure a Champions League and Europa League berth. 10bet Sportsbook and 888 Sport offer extensive coverage of all these matches and provide top odds for hundreds of markets.
Barcelona Welcomes Real Madrid in El Clasico
Barcelona has home pitch advantage against Real Madrid in the last El Clasico of the season. Their team is well rested and unlike the visitors, they don’t fight a war on two fronts. This explains why they are clear favorites to win the match and why 10bet Sportsbook gives them odds of 3/4. Punters who would rather bet on Real Madrid will enjoy even better odds of 3/1 and above.
Elsewhere, Villarreal takes on Valencia in a match they must win to secure their Europa League presence. Sevilla plays on Friday against Real Sociedad, trying to end the winless streak and overtake Getafe for the 7th place. At the bottom of the standings everything has already been decided, with Malaga, La Coruna and Las Palmas being relegated.
Ligue 1 Prepares for the Derby of the South
PSG played one of their worst games this season in front of their fans on Sunday. They will try to make that high-scoring draw forgotten by crushing Amiens on the road. Lyon and Monaco are expected to defeat Troyes and Caen and consolidate their position on the podium. This would guarantee their presence in the Champions League groups next season. They play against teams fighting hard to avoid relegation.
Arguably the most exciting match of this weekend in the French championship is the one between Nice and Marseille. The latter have home pitch advantage and are justly credited with the first chance and odds of 7/10 by 888 Sport. They come after a disappointing draw on the road against Angers and play against a team trying to reach the Europa League groups. 10bet Sportsbook offers odds of 4/1 on Nice to win.
Chelsea and Liverpool Fight for Champions League Glory
Manchester City has won the Premier League and Manchester United have secured second place. Chelsea and Liverpool are fighting for direct qualification to the Champions League groups next season. Chelsea is in fifth place but has a game in hand, while Liverpool could win the Champions League this season and secure direct qualification. Meanwhile, Tottenham is likely to pick up all three points against West Brom.
This makes this outcome of this match particularly important and a draw is not going to help too much either team. Chelsea to win at home is priced at 6/5 by 888 Sport while a bet on Liverpool benefits from odds of 5/2 at the same bookmaker. In other matches, Arsenal plays against Burnley at home, while Southampton and Swansea play a critical match in their quest to avoid relegation.
No Room for Draws in the Serie A
Napoli squandered an excellent opportunity of closing the gap separating them from Juventus. By losing on the road at Fiorentina they have once again slipped four points behind the leaders. They are expected to pick up all three points against Torino, but the same goes for Juventus who plays against Bologna. Betting on an accumulator featuring these games, AC Milan and AS Roma has odds of 6/5 at 888 Sport.
Lazio plays the most exciting game of the weekend in Serie A against Atalanta at Stadio Olimpico in Rome. They need victory against the team in the sixth place to consolidate their Champions League eligible position. Inter Milan makes a last-ditch effort to stay within striking distance of the leading pack, by defeating Udinese on the road. The hosts won’t give up easily, as they try to avoid relegation.
