Leaders of Top European Leagues Seek to Break Free with Wins over Runners Up
Published November 24, 2017 by Florin P
The unbeaten runs of the best European teams are challenged this weekend by ambitious rivals and resurgent clubs.
The playoffs for the World Cup are nothing, but a distant memory and just one full round of the Champions League group stage is yet to be played. This means that the most successful European teams are trying to consolidate their position in the domestic championship. Many of them have already secured swift passage to the elimination round in Europe and even won their group with relative ease. That’s why they can focus their undivided attention on the high profile matches played this weekend.
Classic Derby Lights up the Premier League
Manchester United and their city rivals are flying high after back-to-back victories and both are expected to claim all three points this weekend. They take on teams that have just promoted to the Premier League, which are unlikely to cause them any serious problems. Punters seeking big odds should check out the match between Chelsea and Liverpool covered extensively by 10bet Sportsbook and 888 Sport.
In this classic Derby, Liverpool has home pitch advantage so it comes as no surprise that both bookmakers credited him with the first chance to win. Odds of 13/10 on the home side are especially good if we consider the team’s great performance in derbies this year. By comparison, Chelsea is a force to be reckoned with when playing on the road, where it has the second-best record in the Premier League.
A Potentially Ligue 1 Winner Deciding Match
Over the last couple of years it became obvious for every punter betting routinely on the French first division that there’s a single match that truly matters. PSG and Monaco are once again fighting for the trophy and this time the Parisians are overwhelming favorites. They already have a six point advantage and another victory over their bitter rivals could prove to be insurmountable.
PSG plays on the road, but the team is so good at the moment that 10bet Sportsbook feels comfortable offering odds of only 8/13. 888 Sport offers similar value on the visitors to win, while pricing the home side and a spectacular 23/5. The two teams have already met four times in 2017 and PSG won three matches, while one fixture ended undecided. Overall, Monaco has a strong home to head record, so it’s worth backing them to win or draw at even odds.
The Final Hurdle for Barcelona
The Catalans have a 10 point lead over Real Madrid and nothing short of a miracle can help their rivals close the gap. Surprisingly enough, Valencia is the closest competitor, after a dismal season last year. The two teams go head to head in the most exciting match of this weekend in La Liga and recent encounters were all high-scoring matches.
Barcelona plays on the road and that’s why 10bet Sportsbook is willing to go as high with the odds as to offer even value. Valencia has played amazing football over the last couple of weeks and it is yet to lose a match both at home and on the road. Punters who are willing to take 888 Sport on its offer and bet at odds of 40/17 can score a big win if Valencia wins. Risk-averse players would be better off taking odds half that amount for the double chance bet.
Easy Weekend for Serie A Top Teams
The top Italian teams enjoy the moment of respite this weekend, as they are all pit against weaker opponents. Napoli can consolidate its lead with a victory over Udinese, while Juventus and AS Roma are expected to stay within striking distance by winning their fixtures. Punters who fancy accumulator bets can take advantage of this opportunity and add several matches from Serie A on their betting slip.
There are quite few games that are really difficult to predict, such as the one between AC Milan and Torino and the clash between Lazio and Fiorentina. Given the importance of home pitch advantage in the Italian championship, siding with the hosts is a pretty safe approach and the odds are reasonable.
