Bayern Munich v Bochum, Saturday 2.30pm
Bayern are just starting to crank into top gear now after the relative shock of them not winning their opening Bundesliga game of the season — with their 3-0 Champions League cruise over Barcelona proving that point in style.
The Bavarians are still two points off leaders Wolfsburg but should bag another three points on Saturday against a Bochum side they’ve lost to just once in 27 meetings. At home it’s 34 unbeaten against them and overall the Allianz Arena hasn’t seen an away win in the last 29 Bundesliga games.
Julian Nagelsmann’s side are joint-top scorers with Dortmund on 13 goals and Robert Lewandowski scored another two against Barca to make it an incredible 18 games on the spin where he’s found the net, scoring 29 goals in those games.
Just Robert Lewandowski scoring in his 18th game in a row for Bayern 🤯
So quick to react. Always one step ahead.#UCL pic.twitter.com/6UbluhgolW
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) September 14, 2021
It’s all a frightening prospect for newly-promoted Bochum who have won one and lost three so far and scored just four goals — with Simon Zoller involved in all of them with two goals and two assists, so if they are to get anything then he’ll be involved.
Bayern have scored at least three in each of their last six games and it’s just 8/11 that they get four or more against Bochum, but throwing in the inevitable Lewandowski goal for a 6/5 double seems a reasonable way to go.
Atletico Madrid v Athletic Bilbao, Saturday 3.15pm
Spanish champions Atletico welcome unbeaten Bilbao to Madrid on Saturday with Diego Simeone’s side scrapping for results rather than looking too classy at the moment — including a 0-0 Champions League draw against 10-man Porto.
That result followed two incredibly dramatic results in La Liga when they scored a 95th-minute equaliser against Villarreal and then went one better with a 99th-minute winner at Espanyol. Simeone’s teams just don’t give up.
✅ Late goals.
✅ Comeback win.🔴⚪️🎬⚽️ @atletienglish are looking very much like the team that won #LaLigaSantander last season!#LaLigaTV | #EspanyolAtleti pic.twitter.com/gwnnkyNHqA
— LALIGA TV (@LaLigaTV) September 12, 2021
Bilbao have been acting like Atletico of late, drawing their first two games before winning their last two games with clean sheets to make it three for the season. They beat Atletico in their last meeting but haven’t won away at a Madrid side in their last seven trips to the capital.
Both teams have scored the last three times these sides have met and it’s 11/10 that that happens again, with Atletico strangely struggling to keep the ball out of their own net.
That could be music to Inaki Williams’ ears as he’s scored in his last two league games and is 3/1 to make it three in a row on what will be his 200th consecutive league game.
Juventus v AC Milan, Sunday 7.45pm
A huge meeting between these two old Italian giants on Sunday which is the oldest and most played derby game still played today, with these two first meeting way back in 1901.
Juventus beat Malmo 3-0 in the Champions League on Tuesday while AC Milan lost 3-2 at Liverpool, but it is Milan who have started stronger in the league with three wins out of three while Juve have won just a point.
It’s been a disastrous start for returning manager Max Allegri and although they’re at home, Milan won 3-0 in Turin last season and have won two of the last three meetings. No team has beaten Juve more times in Serie A than Milan (51).
#GoalOfTheDay vintage!#Gori 🆚 Milan, 1975 pic.twitter.com/4GN0Ly3ccK
— JuventusFC (@juventusfc) November 16, 2018
We should get a winner, as there’s not been a draw in the last 24 Serie A meetings, and we should get goals judging by the fact Juve have conceded in their last 17 consecutive league games — that’s the worst record in any of Europe’s top five leagues.
Although they conceded three at Anfield, Milan have in fact kept seven clean sheets in their last eight games and they’ve been excellent away in the league with eight wins in their last nine. At 5/2 for another away win they’re a great price for victory.
PSG v Lyon, Sunday 7.45pm
Five wins out of five already sees PSG with a four-point lead at the top of Ligue 1 and seemingly cruising towards yet another French title, but improving Lyon will hope to at least slow them down on Sunday.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side did have a stuttering 1-1 Champions League draw with Club Brugge, but Lyon having to play on Thursday and Lionel Messi set to make his belated home debut all make this an even harder trip than usual.
Lyon do have more wins over PSG (five) than any other French side since the Qatar investment came flowing into the club, and although they’ve won just once in their last 13 trips to Paris that win did come in the last away game in December.
Leo Messi plays in his 1️⃣5️⃣0️⃣th @ChampionsLeague game 👏#UCL | #CLUPSG pic.twitter.com/mOLDnPSSqq
— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) September 15, 2021
With just two defeats in 21 away league games, Lyon have the best record on the road in terms of defeats, but at the Parc des Princes recently PSG have been rampant — scoring four goals in each of their last three games at home, while Lyon have just one clean sheet in the last 11 league outings.
It’s set up for goals and for Kylian Mbappe in particular, who has scored more goals against Lyon than any other French team (eight) and with Messi also on the field it should be a tough evening for the visitors.
6/4 on Messi and Mbappe both to score here looks to be the bet for the game.
