This weekend’s European fixtures are the last before Christmas Day. Those challenging for titles will be desperate to reach the milestone of ‘top at Christmas’. And those at the bottom will be desperate to avoid the ignominy and curse of sitting rock bottom on Christmas Day.
Latest 2up and win betting predictions: our picks
Festive fixtures often throw up some wacky scorelines. So here are our picks for sides who will go two goals up and earn you an early payout this weekend.
Atletico Madrid vs Sevilla
First up is Atletico Madrid vs Sevilla. Los Rojiblancos have been imperious this season at the Metropolitano, winning all eight fixtures hosted there. They welcome a downtrodden and injury-wracked Sevilla on Saturday afternoon.
Sevilla’s hopes of bouncing back from a dire 2022/23 La Liga campaign look to have evaporated. They are on their third head coach of the season, Quique Sanchez Flores, having sacked both Diego Alonso and Jose Luis Mendilibar in the space of four months. They travel to Madrid without Nyland, Nianzou, Diaz, Acuna, Jordan, Bade, Navas. Fernando, Lamela, Lukebakio, Sow and Pastor, a complete starting XI worth of players. Sevilla have no wins away this season, and have only scored seven goals on their travels in La Liga.
There are few sides worse to travel to than Atleti. Diego Simeone’s side are propelled onward by their vociferous supporters, and this season only Aston Villa can match their 100% home record in Europe’s top five leagues.
Antoine Griezmann is back to his scintillating best, with Alvaro Morata and a fit-again Memphis Depay providing yet more attacking threat. At the other end, Jan Oblak is one of Europe’s very best shot stoppers, if you can negotiate a stoic defence that includes Jose Maria Gimenez and World Cup winner Nahuel Molina. All signs here point to a comfortable Atletico Madrid win.
Inter vs Lecce
San Siro plays host to league leaders Inter as they take on mid-table Lecce on Saturday evening. The Nerazzurri have had a strong start to 2023/24. They sit four points clear of Juventus, and Lautaro Martinez has led the way. The Argentinian number nine is running away with Capocannoniere, with 15 goals in 16 Serie A games this season.
Martinez’ prodigious scoring has allowed Inter’s superb defensive record to go under the radar. They have only conceded seven league goals, the lowest in Europe’s top five leagues. Bastoni, Acerbi and co have not felt the absence of Milan Skriniar in the slightest.
Lecce will travel to Milan content with their season so far. The side from Puglia are a comfortable 12th place in Serie A and look likely to secure their third successive season in Italy’s top flight. Zambian left winger Lameck Banda is their danger man, with four goals and two assists. Lecce are also unbeaten in five, including an impressive 2-2 draw with Inter’s eternal rival, AC Milan.
Still, Inter will almost certainly have too much for Lecce: as they often have. The Puglians have only managed a single win against Inter in the last 20 years.
Leicester City vs Rotherham United
Finally, in the EFL Championship, a top vs bottom clash between Leicester City and Rotherham looks destined to produce only one outcome.
Leicester have not suffered any adaptation period to playing back in England’s second tier. Foxes mainstays such as Ricardo Pereira, Kelechi Iheanacho, Wilfred Ndidi and, of course, Jamie Vardy have remained at the King Power Stadium. Along with shrewd new arrivals such as Stephy Mavididi, Conor Coady and Harry Winks, Leicester look the best side in the league under the tutelage of new boss Enzo Maresca.
They play host to a Rotherham side staring down the barrel of relegation to League One, who are currently managerless after the departure of Wayne Carlisle.
The Millers are already nine points adrift of safety. But even more concerning are their underlying numbers. The Championship is always a tightly contested league, but Rotherham’s expected goal difference per 90 of -1.15 is truly dire. The next lowest side is Huddersfield on 0.47. As such, they look unlikely to turn things around, particularly against the league leaders. Expect a big Foxes win.
