French Ligue 1
Fixture: Grenoble 1-2 Lens
Venue: Stade des Alpes (Grenoble home)
Kick-off: 4pm BST (Sun)
Verdict: It was a tough season for Grenoble, but ultimately successful as a side built on a granite-like defence in a tough Alpine venue staved off what for many was a surefire relegation.
They may not be so lucky this time as a small squad has had little of any note added to it in the close season and will struggle in a league that is bringing in more and more attacking talent as the newly-laid TV rights money makes its mark.
Lens have started the season well enough. We can forgive them a 4-1 battering at the home of the champions Bordeaux on the first weekend of the season and that was forgotten in their first game at home, a 2-0 win against the reasonably useful Auxerre.
It is no surprise that the bookies have gone very short on less than 2.5 goals in this game, but Lens should have enough to knock the stuffing out of Grenoble's rearguard.
Betting Advice: 1pt Lens to win at 11/5 (3.2 at bet365 and Stan James)
Fixture: Rennes 1-1 Marseille
Venue: Route de Lorient (Rennes home)
Kick-off: 8pm BST (Sat)
Verdict: I'm sticking with Marseille who have been reasonably impressive so far this season, but I believe there is more to come.
The corresponding fixture last season finished 4-4 way back in August 2008, but perhaps more telling is the 4-0 victory that Marseille inflicted on Les Rouges et Noires at the end of last season.
Rennes finished sixth last season, but look a weaker outfit this year, perhaps epitomised by failing to beat a Nice side they did the double over last season.
Betting Advice: 2pts Marseille to win at 8/5 (2.6 at BlueSq and 888sport)
German Bundesliga
Fixture: Freiburg 0-5 Bayer Leverkusen
Venue: Badenova-Stadion (Freiburg home)
Kick-off: 2.30pm BST (Sat)
Verdict: It is going to be a tough season for Freiburg this year, something which they found out when Stuttgart put four past them last week.
Granted they were away and managed two in reply, but this Bayer Leverkusen side is a much more organised proposition than Stuttgart this season particularly as they are now under the steady gaze of Jupp Heynckes.
Betting Advice: 2pts Bayer Leverkusen to win at 6/5 (2.2 generally)
Italian Serie A
Fixture: Udinese 2-2 Parma
Venue: Stadio Friuli (Udinese home)
Kick-off: 2pm BST (Sun)
Verdict: I'm expecting big things of Udinese this season after they did an excellent job of keeping together the squad that finished last season's Serie A at a sprint.
They have lost influential midfielder Fabio Quagliarella to his hometown club Napoli in the close season, but have kept the likes of Antonio Di Natale and Gaetano D'Agostino who was rumoured to be a target for Liverpool.
Parma finished second in Serie B last season but this is a tough start for them and they may have to wait until the second week to taste success.
Betting Advice: 4pts Udinese to win at 5/6 (1.83 generally)
