The upcoming weekend will pass without English Premier League matches, but that doesn’t make it any less interesting. In Saudi Arabia, we’re awaiting the second El Clásico of the season, while Italy and Germany continue their domestic league action. What to bet on in the matches of January 10 and 11? The TipsGG analysts team will help you figure it out in our traditional preview.
Villarreal vs Alavés
At Estadio de la Cerámica in the 19th round of La Liga, Villarreal will face Alavés. For the hosts, this is a chance to solidify their position in the Champions League zone, while the guests aim to distance themselves from the danger zone.
The “Yellow Submarine” under Marcelino is having one of their best seasons in recent years. The team consistently holds a top-3 spot, with all three league defeats coming against the giants — Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Atlético. Despite struggles in Europe (second-to-last place in the Champions League group), in La Liga Villarreal feels completely in control.
Alavés sits in 13th place with 19 points. Unlike their opponent, Los Gloriosos are still fighting in the Copa del Rey (round of 16 match already on January 14), which may scatter their focus and energy. Their last game against Real Oviedo (1:1) was a disappointment for the fans: the outsiders not only took a point at Mendizorroza but also outplayed the hosts in terms of game content.
The previous head-to-head ended in an heroic Alavés victory while playing with 10 men from the 58th minute. However, right now Villarreal is maximally focused on the domestic championship.
The hosts have no intention of giving up third place to Atlético Madrid. Home crowd and player quality should secure a confident three points for Marcelino’s team.
Bet on the match: Villarreal to win (odds 1.51)
Atalanta vs Torino
In Bergamo, Atalanta — who are fighting for a European competition spot — will host Torino, a traditionally solid mid-table side that relies on organized defense and discipline.
Before Raffaele Palladino took over, Atalanta was one of the most “draw-prone” teams in Serie A with 7 draws. In 11 matches under the new head coach, La Dea shows complete ruthlessness in results: 8 wins and 3 losses across all competitions. Notably, only 4 of those games saw both teams scoring — a clear sign of a much more pragmatic approach in decisive moments.
Torino traditionally sits in mid-table, alternating good performances with poor ones. Against the current top-6 teams above Atalanta, both teams scored in just two matches. At the same time, Torino’s defense is among the worst in the league (30 goals conceded), which doesn’t inspire much confidence against the Goddess.
The style of both teams suggests a low-scoring affair. Atalanta is the clear favorite and has every reason to take another victory, most likely by a minimal margin. Also worth considering is the slightly riskier option of one team to score only.
Main bet: Atalanta to win (odds 1.66)
Alternative bet: Both teams to score — No (odds 1.90)
Bayern Munich vs Wolfsburg
After a short winter break, the Bundesliga returns with a match featuring the reigning champions and long-time hegemon — Bayern Munich — against Wolfsburg, who are still searching for their best form.
It’s hard to say anything new about Bayern in the German championship context. The Rekordmeister once again leads the table with a comfortable gap while preserving energy for European competitions. This season they remain unbeaten in the Bundesliga, and the recent draw against Mainz looks more like an unfortunate coincidence than a systemic issue. The only team that truly shook Vincent Kompany’s side was Arsenal, who beat Bayern 3:1 in the Champions League.
The hosts come into the game as overwhelming favorites — bookmakers don’t believe in a guest comeback even with a +2 handicap.
Wolfsburg is currently fighting for survival: 15 points after 15 rounds and just 3 points above the relegation zone. However, their pre-break results look promising (2 wins in 5 games). Interestingly, the Wolves play significantly better away than at home, and their matches average over 2.7 goals.
Head-to-head matches between these teams are usually high-scoring. Despite Bayern’s dominance, Wolfsburg regularly finds chances. Considering player freshness and the attacking style of both sides, a goal fest is quite probable.
Bet on the match: Total goals Over 3.5 (odds 1.60)
Hellas Verona vs Lazio
At Stadio Marc’Antonio Bentegodi, two teams with opposite objectives will meet: Verona is in a fierce relegation battle, while Lazio is trying to stay in the European qualification race.
Verona is only one point ahead of bottom-placed Pisa and stays above Fiorentina solely due to a better head-to-head record. Paolo Zanetti’s men remain extremely inconsistent: they can trouble top teams (Juventus, Napoli, Atalanta, Inter), but at the same time often drop points against direct rivals. Notably, in games against top-6 sides, Hellas has seen both teams score in four out of four cases.
Lazio has not won in their last four matches (three draws and one loss). So the game against one of Serie A’s main outsiders looks like a perfect chance to end the winless run. However, things are not so clear-cut: against other bottom-half teams, Lazio also struggled (draws against Fiorentina 2:2 and Pisa 0:0).
In the first leg, Maurizio Sarri’s men comfortably won 4:0, but such a scenario is unlikely to repeat now. Verona often “switches on” a completely different mode against higher-profile opponents and has surprised many times already. Both teams feel huge tournament pressure.
In this situation, both teams to score looks like the most logical choice.
Bet on the match: Both teams to score — Yes (odds 2.05)
Barcelona vs Real Madrid
The January air in Jeddah is charged with electricity that only these two clubs can generate. The world changes, but some things remain constant — the planet freezes in anticipation of El Clásico, and time itself stops.
Barcelona dismantled Athletic Bilbao in their semi-final without breaking a sweat, scoring five unanswered goals. The game was completely dictated by the Catalans, allowing Hansi Flick to start rotation as early as the 64th minute to preserve energy for the final. Main star Lamine Yamal played just 20 minutes, while Barcelona’s dominance was evident — 79% possession. Moreover, Barça had an extra day of recovery as they played a day earlier.
Real Madrid beat their eternal rivals Atlético in a fierce derby. Federico Valverde’s stunning free-kick laid the foundation for Los Blancos’ control. Los Colchoneros tried to get back into the game before halftime but failed to create real danger. Valverde’s penetrating pass to Rodrygo and clinical finish seemed to put the game to bed — until Atlético pulled one back and laid siege to Real’s goal until the final whistle. Xabi Alonso’s team spent enormous energy, which may tell in the final.
Last season Barcelona completely dominated the head-to-heads, but the first game of this campaign changed the balance: Real convincingly won at the Santiago Bernabéu in La Liga round 10.
Both teams play attractive, attacking football. The last 12 El Clásicos in regular time have all seen Over 2.5 goals. Despite it being a cup final, neither side is likely to abandon their footballing identity.
Bet on the match: Total goals Over 2.5 (odds 1.62)