The reigning champions have either suffered an early defeat or were forced to split points with weaker opponents in the opening rounds of the new season. This has provided their rivals with the perfect opportunity to claim the temporary lead in flagship European divisions. They now try to consolidate their position at the expense of the titleholders who play key matches on Saturday afternoon.
Manchester City Seek Redemption at Home against Watford
Manchester City were stunned by Norwich on the road and are now trailing Liverpool by five points after only five matches. They need to quickly turn the ship around if they are to win another Premier League trophy and the first challenge is to defeat Watford. This is the last-placed team in the league, so the odds of 3/20 offered by bet365 Sports on the home side to win are fully justified. In order to enjoy even odds, punters would have to back the host to cover the -2.5 goals handicap or bet on both teams to score.
Bayern Munich Make another Attempt at the 1st Place in Bundesliga
Bayern Munich have squandered multiple opportunities in the match played against Leipzig last weekend. There are still trailing the leaders by two points and will have the perfect opportunity to close the gap by defeating Koln. At 2:30 PM UK time they welcome the newly promoted team in a match they should be able to win comfortably, as reflected by the odds of 1/5. The visitors will defend with all lines for 90 minutes hoping to salvage a point, so punters who bet on the draw can be played at 9/1 by 888 Sports.
Juventus get Used to Chasing Leading Inter Milan
Juventus find themselves in the awkward position of trailing Inter Milan after starting the season with two victories and the draw. They can’t accept another inconclusive match at home against Verona, the newly promoted team whose objective is to avoid relegation. This should be an easy victory for the home side who gets odds of 3/20 at Winner Sports and a huge mountain to climb for the visitors who are priced at 20/1. Punters should take the odds of 1/2 on Juventus to lead at halftime or to cover the -1.5 goals spread.
Barcelona Aim for Key Points on the Road against Granada
This is not the first time that Barcelona start the season slowly, but this time, they can’t afford to fall behind too much. Picking up three points on the road against newly-promoted Granada is their objective for this weekend after a scoreless draw in the Champions League. Home pitch advantage won’t matter much in the series where the host will defend frantically, hence the odds of 7/20 on the visitors to win. A double chance wager on Granada enjoys odds of 23/10 at Intertops Sports which are worth considering.