Borussia Monchengladbach to win at Verder Bremen
This writer doesn't know the German for "after the Lord Mayor's Show", but expects Borussia Monchengladbach to display a tacit understanding of the phenomenon a week on from the win over Bayer Leverkusen which put them on the fast track to next season's Champions League group phase.
The Foals have been the story of the Bundesliga campaign - one which is their most successful in 31 years - yet their sole win in six away to a top-eight rival came against a distracted Bayern Munich in March.
Only Wolfsburg and Bayern Munich have defeated resurgent Werder Bremen at the Weserstadion since the start of November, and they haven't conceded in three home matches.
Lay Torino to beat Chievo @ 1.82
This has been another laudable season for Torino, who are on course to earn a top-half finish despite losing Ciro Immobile and Alessio Cerci - who scored 60% of their goals in 2013/14 - last summer, having also reached the round-of-16 of the Europa League.
However, in the Serie A overachieving tradition (see Parma in 2013/14, Catania in 2012/13 and 2011/12 and Bologna in 2010/11), they have run out of gas in the final stretch, winning just one in six and losing their past two. Top scorer Fabio Quagliarella has been ruled out for the remainder too.
Chievo on the other hand have been sensational since February 11 under former Catania gravity-defier Rolando Maran, posting figures of P14 W6 D6 L2 and going six without defeat most recently, earning points at Lazio and Inter in the process to give themselves a shot at the top half.
Lay Deportivo to beat Levante @ 1.78
Levante's need for victory on La Liga's penultimate weekend isn't quite as severe as Deportivo's - they are five points clear of the drop zone whereas their hosts are only outside by virtue of a head-to-head tie-breaker - but desperation is the sole metric by which the favourites come out on top.
Deportivo have taken three points from their last five games, whereas Levante have scored eight, and the visitors have won one of their latest two away encounters, in contrast to their opponents being winless in 14 La Liga fixtures at any venue.
Levante have triumphed on successive league trips to the Estadio de Riazor too, so it is difficult to understand how Depor are odds-on to prevail.
This writer doesn't know the German for "after the Lord Mayor's Show", but expects Borussia Monchengladbach to display a tacit understanding of the phenomenon a week on from the win over Bayer Leverkusen which put them on the fast track to next season's Champions League group phase.
The Foals have been the story of the Bundesliga campaign - one which is their most successful in 31 years - yet their sole win in six away to a top-eight rival came against a distracted Bayern Munich in March.
Only Wolfsburg and Bayern Munich have defeated resurgent Werder Bremen at the Weserstadion since the start of November, and they haven't conceded in three home matches.
Lay Torino to beat Chievo @ 1.82
This has been another laudable season for Torino, who are on course to earn a top-half finish despite losing Ciro Immobile and Alessio Cerci - who scored 60% of their goals in 2013/14 - last summer, having also reached the round-of-16 of the Europa League.
However, in the Serie A overachieving tradition (see Parma in 2013/14, Catania in 2012/13 and 2011/12 and Bologna in 2010/11), they have run out of gas in the final stretch, winning just one in six and losing their past two. Top scorer Fabio Quagliarella has been ruled out for the remainder too.
Chievo on the other hand have been sensational since February 11 under former Catania gravity-defier Rolando Maran, posting figures of P14 W6 D6 L2 and going six without defeat most recently, earning points at Lazio and Inter in the process to give themselves a shot at the top half.
Lay Deportivo to beat Levante @ 1.78
Levante's need for victory on La Liga's penultimate weekend isn't quite as severe as Deportivo's - they are five points clear of the drop zone whereas their hosts are only outside by virtue of a head-to-head tie-breaker - but desperation is the sole metric by which the favourites come out on top.
Deportivo have taken three points from their last five games, whereas Levante have scored eight, and the visitors have won one of their latest two away encounters, in contrast to their opponents being winless in 14 La Liga fixtures at any venue.
Levante have triumphed on successive league trips to the Estadio de Riazor too, so it is difficult to understand how Depor are odds-on to prevail.
