European Football Pointers: Malaga the big movers as winter break approaches

A winter of discontent for Donadoni at Parma

As Europe's big leagues prepare for their final games before the winter break, Louis Massarella looks at some of the stories of the season so far, with talk of relegation and Champions League places to the fore...

From 9th to nowhere for Bastia

Last season's surprise packages, Bastia now find themselves battling relegation after a few months to forget. The man who got them up to Ligue Un in 2013 then led them to 9th, Frederic Hantz, failed to agree a new contract in the summer and his replacement Claude Makelele (remember him?) lasted less than six months, not helped by striker Brandao being sentenced to a month in prison for an off-the-ball headbutt.

The appointment from within of Ghislain Printant until the end of the season has done little to increase stability, but the Corsicans do have a chance to head into the winter break with a win when they visit bottom side - and fellow yo-yo club - Caen. With Bastia awful on the road and Caen equally bad at home, it's a tough result to call, so the draw at 3.45n/a is tempting, as is Under 2.5 Goals at 1.715/7.

Former champions fighting for their lives in Bundesliga

While Bayern Munich streak away at the top of the Bundesliga, things are a lot tighter at the bottom, with title winners from the past decade occupying each of the three relegation places. While Dortmund have understandably chosen to stick with Jurgen Klopp (for now), 2004 champions Werder Bremen and 2007 table-toppers Stuttgart have both changed managers this season.

All face tough midweek fixtures but Dortmund's visit to Bremen next weekend really catches the eye. Werder, who failed to win in the league until November but have won three of their last six, are good value for the win at 6.611/2, with Dortmund still struggling to find any sort of consistency.

Leverkusen and Frankfurt to serve up a goal fest

At the other end of the table, the race for the third and fourth Champions League places is wide open, with half a dozen teams within striking distance. Next weekend, one of these teams, Bayer Leverkusen, host Eintracht Frankfurt, who themselves have an outside chance of finishing in the top four, having nearly reached last season's points total of 36 already.

Leverkusen started with a bang but have dropped into the pack of late, while the visitors' attacking approach under Thomas Schaaf - who until this season had spent his entire playing and coaching career at Werder Bremen - has seen them score 29 goals and concede the same number in just 15 games. Given Leverkusen average more than two goals themselves at home, Over 3.5 Goals at 2.3211/8 might tempt you.

Parma fans cheesed off after poor start

It's game on in Serie A as we head into the break with Roma finally taking advantage of a Juventus slip-up to close the gap to one point. Rudi Garcia's men remain excellent value at 3.02/1; expect them to prioritise a title tilt over the Europa League in the new year. But perhaps the biggest story this season has been the demise of Parma, who have faltered under Roberto Donadoni after finishing sixth last season.

Rock bottom after being docked a point (and banned from Europe) for financial irregularities, amid fan unrest over a potential takeover not to mention an injury crisis, the Crusaders face a tough trip to Napoli at the weekend. That said, Rafa Benitez's men haven't won for four games. After a hard-earnt point against Cagliari this weekend, Parma are excellent value at 5.04/1 to repeat the trick and, incredibly, 10.09/1 to win. Their Houdini act needs to start now.

Malaga set for Champions League charge?

And so to La Liga, where Atletico Madrid's slip-up against Villarreal leaves the champions seven points behind Real Madrid and seemingly out of reach of their cross-city rivals unless the European champions - who have won 20 matches in a row, remember - are knocked out of their stride by this week's World Club Cup.

Further down, there's intrigue in the race for the fourth Champions League place with Malaga coming up on the rails after seven wins in the last nine games. The Anchovies spent big for a couple of seasons following their Qatari takeover in 2010, before Financial Fair Play forced them to balance the books.

A visit to bottom club Elche gives them a great chance to gain further ground going into the winter break. Don't expect a drubbing, though. Try 1-0 or 2-1 once the Correct Score market materialises, the scorelines by which Malaga have secured all but one of their wins this season.