French Ligue 1 Orange
Nice 1-0 Lorient
KO: 6pm (GMT)
Venue: Municipal du Ray
Verdict: I think the last thing you want to see if you are a manager under severe pressure is Lorient appearing over the horizon.
Nice boss Didier Olle-Nicolle has presided over a side that has not won since November and, with the return of injured players, key acquisitions in the transfer window and the end of the African Cup of Nations, he is running out of excuses.
Lorient went to Paris St-Germain in similar circumstances and promptly beat them 3-1.
What they have an ability to do is hit teams on the break, which could make for a highscoring encounter as Nice's board have said that if the side do not win at the weekend - the manager is out.
So, no holding on for a draw here, then.
Advice: 5pts more than 2.5 goals at 13/10 (2.3 generally)

Spanish La Liga

Mallorca 1-3 Sevilla
KO: 9pm (GMT)
Venue: Ono Estadi
Verdict: Mallorca's hugely impressive home record in La Liga (P10 W10 D0 L0 F25 A3) this season is enough to sway this race for Champions League qualification towards the home side.
The Mallorcans had a shocker in losing to Tenerife last weekend, but that was a one-off and they should be far more motivated for this trip.
In their favour is the fact that Sevilla are still fighting on three fronts with the league cup still a possibility on top of a potentially tricky trip to CSKA Moscow in the Champions League next Wednesday in a competition many experts consider them as a dark horse behind Man Utd, Real Madrid and Barcelona.
Advice: 2pts Mallorca to win at 6/4 (2.5 generally)

Sunday February 21, 2010

German Bundesliga
Werder Bremen 2-2 Bayer Leverkusen
KO: 4.30pm (GMT)
Venue: Weserstadion
Verdict: German football fans who like a bet are finding it very difficult to work out why the bookies have been so generous to Bayer Leverkusen this weekend.
After all, Leverkusen are the form team in the Bundesliga at the moment.
The home team have certainly underachieved this season and have begun to show some potential in Europe, but still do they really justify favouritism.
Sami Hyypia is out for the visitors, but they are disciplined enough to at the very least maintain parity away from home - particularly considering they are unbeaten away from home this season.
Advice: 4pts Bayer Leverkusen (+0.25 on asian handicap) at 940/1000 (1.94 at Ladbrokes)

Italian Serie A

Palermo 3-1 Lazio
KO: 2pm (GMT)
Venue: Renzo Barbera
Verdict: Well, that's frustrating. When you predict a team to turn their form around - and then only back them for an away draw when they go and win 3-1. Serves me right
I still believe that Lazio are good enough on paper to be a lot higher than they are, and this time I'm going to back them to get all three points against a Palermo side that were atrocious in defeat last weekend against Roma.
Advice: 1pt Lazio to win at 7/2 (4.5 at Skybet and Victor Chandler)