The battle in national tournaments continues. Among the key clashes of December 6 and 7, Arsenal face a serious test of their title ambitions, while Betis can do Real Madrid a favour and return the meringues to the top of La Liga. What else to watch this weekend and which bets are the most interesting? Find out in the traditional weekend digest from the experienced analysts at TipsGG.
Aston Villa vs Arsenal
Determining the favourite is not easy — Villa play at home and the hosts have looked very strong lately. The Birmingham side have won six in a row across all competitions and have climbed significantly in the Premier League table. However, the midweek match against Brighton showed that Unai Emery’s team are not flawless — a hard-fought 4:3 win. In addition, Villa’s head-to-head record against Arsenal is not in their favour — eight defeats in the last 12 home games against this opponent.
The Gunners may have stumbled in recent weeks, but they maintain a consistently high level of quality. Despite squad problems, the Londoners are quite capable of taking points, as shown by the midweek match against Brentford — Arsenal played far from their optimal defensive line but won to nil (2:0). Moreover, Mikel Arteta’s side look very confident away — six wins and two draws in the last eight away matches.
All things being equal, the edge goes to the visitors. I think the Gunners will take all three points, albeit in a tough game.
Bet: Arsenal to Win (odds 1.93)
Betis vs Barcelona
At Estadio La Cartuja, the La Liga leaders will face Betis, who last season managed to take points from the Catalans at home.
Betis approach the game in great spirits — eight matches unbeaten across all competitions. Since the start of the season, the Verdiblancos have lost only twice, and notably — both defeats came at the very arena where the upcoming match will take place. The squad situation for the Andalusians is complicated: Isco and Bellerín are definitely out, while the participation of Antony, Amrabat and Lo Celso remains in doubt.
Barcelona are currently one point ahead of Real Madrid. At home, the Catalans are flawless — 8 wins in 8 matches with a +21 goal difference. But away games are a completely different story: 1 draw, 2 defeats, and one of them was also in Seville. Araújo, Gavi, Olmo, Fermín and ter Stegen will miss the game. De Jong and Pedri are questionable, which significantly affects game organisation.
Given the guests’ injury problems and Barcelona’s uncomfortable trip to Seville, it is quite believable that Betis can take points again.
Bet: Betis Double Chance (1X) (odds 2.05)
Leeds vs Liverpool
At Elland Road, Leeds, just above the relegation zone, host the reigning English champions. The Peacocks beat Chelsea last round and are in high spirits. Liverpool drew with surprise package Sunderland.
The win over Chelsea was only Leeds’ fourth this season but ended a four-game losing streak. Notably, almost all of the Whites’ points (except an away win over hopeless underdogs Wolves) were earned at home. Exactly half of the opponents Leeds have faced are teams playing in Europe, which only underlines the importance of the points already gained.
Liverpool are struggling. 10 defeats across all competitions (including the penalty shootout in the Super Cup) — more than in the entire previous season. A tough away Champions League trip to Milan is ahead, so it wouldn’t be surprising if Slot opts for rotation. The Merseysiders’ defence currently offers no confidence.
In 12 matches at Elland Road, both teams failed to score in only two. Given Liverpool’s current form and Leeds’ style, both teams to score looks logical. You can even risk adding the more prestigious guests not losing.
Bet: Both Teams to Score – Yes (odds 1.64)
Alternative Bet: Liverpool Double Chance (X2) + Both Teams to Score – Yes (odds 1.99)
Kudrivka vs Dynamo Kyiv
The UPL newcomer will host the reigning champions, who are going through a terrible period — already four defeats in a row across all competitions.
Kudrivka sit just above the relegation-playoff zone and show quite bright home play: six of seven home matches ended with both teams scoring. The team are the second-best at home after Shakhtar, even though they formally play at a neutral stadium — Obolon Arena.
Dynamo’s play this season, with rare exceptions, only upsets the blue-and-white fans. Therefore, Shovkovskyi’s dismissal looked like a logical consequence. True, interim head coach Ihor Kostyuk started with a failure against the worst team in the Ukrainian Premier League — SK Poltava (1:2 defeat). Kyiv’s defence is far from exemplary — 7 championship teams have conceded more. Though the attack works — 30 goals, the second-best indicator in the league.
Given Kudrivka’s frequent goal exchanges and the chaotic play of current Dynamo — betting on both teams scoring looks quite promising.
Bet: Both Teams to Score – Yes (odds 2.0)
Athletic Bilbao vs Atlético Madrid
Athletic approach the game after a 0:3 home defeat to Real Madrid and four defeats in their last six league matches. The team rarely earned points in recent home games, winning only twice in six rounds, and in six of seven matches did not score more than one goal. In this situation, Oihan Sancet’s return becomes important: most of his goals came in home matches, and his presence can liven up the team’s attacking combinations.
Atlético ended their seven-match winning streak with a 1:3 defeat to Barcelona and now aim to avoid a second consecutive away league defeat. Their current away statistics show fluctuations where control depends on the opening minutes. Injuries complicate the guests’ preparation and reduce rotation depth, increasing the importance of the early stages and physical resource distribution.
Given recent head-to-heads where both teams scoring was rare, control at the start can define the game’s development and increase Atlético’s chances of a positive result.
Bet: Total Under 2.5 + Atlético Madrid Double Chance (X2) (odds 2.05)
Valencia vs Sevilla
At Mestalla, two clubs with big historical names but very dim current results meet. Both teams are in the lower part of the table: Sevilla thirteenth, Valencia fifteenth. Fighting for European spots is unlikely — survival is more realistic.
Predicting a clear result is extremely difficult — the teams are inconsistent, and their meetings are often nervous and even. Therefore, corners are worth attention. Both teams actively attack through the flanks and show high corner numbers. In the last five La Liga matches, the Bats averaged 5.4 corners per game. Sevilla averaged 7.4 corners per game over the same period.
Both teams need points — this usually leads to a large number of set pieces. This meeting should be no exception.
Bet: Total Corners Over 10 (odds 2.03)
Borussia Dortmund vs Hoffenheim
Borussia are confidently holding in the top three of the Bundesliga. They have the second-best defence after the champions, to whom they lost in a head-to-head clash. In Munich, Kovač was predictably greeted with thunderous applause, but no one allowed Borussia to take points — 1:2.
In the Champions League, the Bumblebees are also doing well. In the game against the Spaniards from Villarreal, much was decided by a goal just before halftime and a red card for the opponents — 4:0. If we go through all successes, earning points in 25 matches in a row, losing only to Kompany’s team — a good result (not counting the cup setback).
Hoffenheim have found good pace this season. Before the trip to Dortmund, the team climbed into the Bundesliga top-6, and their strong streak continues (the blue-and-whites are still unbeaten away in the league). In the last round, they beat Augsburg 3:0.
In autumn, both teams score a lot. Obviously everything is working for the guests, I think in this match we will see attacks from both sides — I bet on shots.
Bet: Total Shots Over 25.5 (odds 1.72)
Napoli vs Juventus
Napoli are not in great form right now, there is no aggressive play we are used to from the Partenopei: individual actions, pressing and constant pressure that brought the team more than one championship.
At Juventus, Yıldız has come alive — he decides a lot on the pitch, scores and brings points. In my opinion, Juventus have more chances despite facing a tough opponent. There is a certain crisis inside Napoli, which even Conte confirmed. In the cup they won on penalties, but the match was very strange. This was not the Napoli we are used to seeing: fast and explosive.
Juventus have every chance of victory. I repeat, the Zebras have a quite cohesive, balanced team that can play confidently from the opponent. Napoli are still the home team, the fans will motivate them to at least score a goal. But something tells me Juventus will not lose, and may even take all three points.
Bet: Both Teams to Score – Yes + Juventus Double Chance (X2) (odds 2.90)