WhoScored Tipster: El Clasico the Focus of this Weekend's Top Tips
It’s happening again as the calendars across Europe throw up a number of mouth-watering fixtures on the same weekend. Saturday evening’s offerings are ones you just can't miss.
Real Madrid vs Barcelona - Draw First Half @2.50
Lionel Messi will play, that’s for sure. Whether it’s from the start or in the last half hour, it remains to be seen, but his boots will touch the Bernabeu grass. Looking beyond this game, not only in the case of a Barcelona side without Messi, but this Clasico could be one of the last for Cristiano Ronaldo, who has definitely changed from a winger to the main striker. The three point gap in the table does not mirror the gap in confidence, though defeat for Madrid would see them fall six points behind their rivals.
Rafa Benitez is public enemy number one in Madrid, but there is a reason why. None of the Blancos stars are happy with him - as is usually the case with Benitez - and while the team is solid, it is also predictable. To a fanbase that craves entertainment, these credentials aren't enough to succeed as Real Madrid manager. Meanwhile, Luis Enrique has the full backing of the squad, more so than last year, evident by the team’s performances without Messi. This one might not be the best Barcelona side ever, but it is a version aware of its strength.
However, it must be stressed that Benitez knows how to stop opponents and to deal with tactical problems. He may deploy a 4-4-2 formation without Benzema, in which case Ronaldo will have fewer opportunities to drift across the final third, while Barcelona’s 4-3-3 formation will benefit Neymar, who can exploit Danilo’s questionable form. Three of Barcelona’s last five league games has seen the draw at half time and this could happen again, with Bet365 offering odds of 2.50.
Manchester City vs Liverpool - Draw @4.00
This Manchester City outfit is not as frightening as it was a month ago, while Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool will give their all until the end. The Reds are giving the impression that they are prepared for big games, but still struggling to remain focused in lesser matches. No Sergio Aguero or David Silva as of yet, so Manuel Pellegrini will have to rely on Kevin De Bruyne once more. Klopp, meanwhile, will look for quick transitions, stealing the ball from the opposition by constantly pressuring them and keeping the whole team behind the ball. This will put Philippe Coutinho in the best position to exploit the space in between the lines. It could be an even contest right up until the full time whistle.
Juventus vs Milan - Draw @3.60
One of biggest match ups in Italian football strangely never had the same drama of other rivalries between fans, but certainly produces fireworks on the pitch. This time around, a negative result could be decisive. Defeat would certainly kill off any remaining title chances for the loser.
Juventus have failed to show any signs of consistency this season, while Milan have been mercilessly punished for every single mistake they have committed. Sinisa Mihajlovic will look to keep things tight when not in possession as Juventus are struggling to open games without the key trio of Andrea Pirlo, Arturo Vidal and Carlos Tevez. Once again, the pressure is on Juan Cuadrado to make the difference for Juventus, while Milan might look to Alessio Cerci to exploit Patrice Evra's declining pace. There’s only one scoring scenario predicted in the WhoScored match forecast - Juventus are 'likely' to make a comeback if they go behind.
Schalke vs Bayern - Draw First Half/Bayern Second Half @4.00
A trip to Schalke is one of very few obstacles for Bayern in the Bundesliga, which presents a good opportunity to get good odds on Pep Guardiola’s team. Schalke have failed to win any of their six matches in all competitions over the last month, which should see them place even more emphasis on defence when they welcome the reigning Bundesliga champions. Bayern have reached half-time with the scores level in three of their last five away matches in the league, which makes the odds of the match being a draw by half-time and Bayern to win the second half the most appealing bet here.
Caen vs Angers - Caen win @1.80
This encounter brings together two of the biggest surprise packages in Ligue 1 thus far. Not many would have foreseen their incredible start to the season, let alone for them to be battling it out in the Champions League spots. The foundations to Angers’ early season success have been built on the road, but Caen are simply outstanding on home turf. In fact, only Paris Saint-Germain (16) have taken more points at home than Caen this season (15). While Caen continue to pick up points, Angers seem to have reached their limits and are now winless in their last four competitive games. The WhoScored.com Match Forecast predictions suggest Caen will dominate the game and this should prove too much for the visitors, who will make the trip without a number of key forward players.
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