It feels like not too long ago we were welcoming the Bundesliga into our lives with open arms.
A month-and-a-half after the German top flight returned, it puts a bow on the 2020 season Saturday, and while Bayern Munich is already confirmed as champion, there is still plenty to play for.
The most intriguing parts of Saturday’s nine-game slate feature the battle for fourth place and the final UEFA Champions League qualification spot. Borussia Monchengladbach needs a win to secure that position, and even a draw gets it in on goal differential.
At the other end of the standings, Fortuna Dusseldorf needs a victory to avoid automatic relegation, while Werder Bremen has to win and needs Dusseldorf to slip up to finish in 16th place, which would land it a playoff with the third-best team from the second division for a spot in next season’s Bundesliga.
Over in England, plenty of drama is expected in the FA Cup quarterfinals, where Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal are still alive.
There are also a pair of Premier League games this weekend, and there is a certain trend I’m hoping to continue making bank on.
La Liga and Serie A have a full set of contests as well, so we have plenty of matchups to delve into.
As always, our odds come from the wonderful folks at DraftKings Sportsbook, where you can stream certain games with money in your account.
I'm on my own this week since Larry Henry Jr. is taking the weekend off.
To. The. Picks!!!
Record: 30-38 (3-4 midweek record)
Werder Bremen vs. FC Koln
As I mentioned above, Bremen needs a victory to hold any hope of finishing 16th.
Luckily for the 17th-placed side, it hosts a FC Koln team with two points from its last six contests.
A victory seems likely for Bremen, but it also has to score an abundance of goals, just in case it finishes with the same amount of points as Fortuna Dusseldorf. Currently, the gap in goal differential is four. Keep that in mind when you approach bets for this game.
Pick: Werder Bremen (-155)
Celta Vigo vs. Barcelona
Barcelona has not been overly powerful in its last three games, but it has dropped points once.
At some point, Lionel Messi and Co. are going to break out with a flurry of goals.
That could happen against Celta Vigo, who Barca has beaten in three of the last five meetings. At least two goals have been scored in the last six contests between the two sides.
Pick: Barcelona (-155); Over 2.5 (-125)
Premier League 1st-Half Unders
In the 22 games since the Premier League resumed play, 14 first-half goals have been scored. Nine of them were produced by the top five teams in the standings.
I cashed in on this trend during the week, and I’m taking a chance on the two Premier League games this weekend.
I’d suggest looking at the first-half unders on DraftKings and shopping around at other books to see if they have other first-half scoring props available if you try to take advantage of this trend.
Picks: Aston Villa vs. Wolves 1H Under 0.5 (+188); Watford vs. Southampton 1H Under 0.5 (+188)
Other Picks
Wolfsburg vs. Bayern Munich
I don’t care if Bayern already has the title wrapped up. Any time I can get it beneath -200 on the money line, I’m taking it.
Pick: Bayern Munich (-148)
Osasuna vs. Leganes
Osasuna comes into Saturday with momentum off a win over Alaves. Leganes, who is the worst team in La Liga, has a single win in its last six games and lost the last two games against Osasuna.
Pick: Osasuna (+130)
Leicester City vs. Chelsea
Chelsea has the best value of any FA Cup favorite. The Blues shined in a win over Manchester City Thursday and can overwhelm Leicester City with their attacking options.
Pick: Chelsea (+148)
Juventus vs. Lecce
Lecce’s defense has been horrendous in the last three games, as it conceded 15 goals.
That’s enough to convince me that Cristiano Ronaldo and Juventus will run rampant in the final third.
Pick: Over 3.5 (-103)