European Football Betting Pointers: Time for PSG to put pedal to the metal

Ibrahimovic: human, after all

After Lyon's loss at the top of Ligue Un this weekend, Louis Massarella wonders whether their nearest challengers can take advantage. While in Serie A, the race for Champions League places intensifies...

Crunch time for Atletico in title defence

After singing the praises of Valencia's manager last week, we now turn the spotlight on the man in the dugout of their next opponents, Diego Simeone. The aggro Argentine hit out at critics of Atletico Madrid's recent form this week, claiming his team are merely victims of their own success. That may be true - indeed, they've remained remarkably consistent this season - but they'll need to go on some run to overhaul Barcelona and Real Madrid and retain their title.

In fact, they're now only a point ahead of Valencia, who visit the Calderon this week with their sights set on third place - at least. Atletico have been among the goals at home in recent weeks, and with the visitors, who have won their last two away games, also needing three points rather than one, over 3.5 goals is tempting at 3.8514/5 By far the most eye-catching bet, though, is for a Valencia win at 5.95/1. Atletico have only lost once at home in the league this season, true, but if anybody can dent that record, it's La Liga's form team.

Time for PSG to push the accelerator

Just what has happened to Paris Saint-Germain? It seems a strange question to ask given they're still very much in the Champions League and a point off top spot in Ligue Un, but this is not the dominant, free-flowing PSG of last season. Too many draws, a host of injuries and rumours of dressing room unrest have undermined their title defence, but it's the influence - or otherwise - of Zlatan Ibrahimovic that determines the Parisians' fortunes above all else.

At 33, the niggling injuries are perhaps inevitable, so too the occasional suspension for such a combative player. Even when fit and firing, though, the Swede was never likely to repeat last season, when his prolific form drew comparisons with Messi and Ronaldo. But after a two-match ban, Ibrahimovic will be looking to warm up for the return leg with Chelsea by making hay at home against doomed Lens. Go for over 4.5 goals at 54/1.

Bielsa to go for broke in title bid

While PSG have rarely found top gear this season, title rivals Marseille got off to a flyer but have stuttered badly recently, with Marcelo Bielsa's gung-ho approach coming under attack thanks to no wins in four games and four defeats in their last ten.

Next, El Loco's team face a tricky trip west to Toulouse, who are one of several teams fighting to avoid the third relegation spot. They're in decent form at home, too, where they've earned more than two thirds of their points and are unbeaten since the beginning of December.

Bielsa insists he won't curb his attacking instincts and with Lyon and PSG now four and three points clear of Marseille respectively, he probably can't afford to. A win but no clean sheet for the visitors is a decent shout, then. Take your pick from 2-1 10.5n/a, 3-1 2423/1 and 3-2 4241/1.

All to play for in the Bundesliga basement

It's fiendishly tight at the bottom of the Bundesliga, with Dortmund's resurgence leaving two points separating five teams in and above the drop zone. The most interesting of these is Hertha Berlin who, having sacked their manager in February, handed the reins to former midfielder Pal Dardai, also coach of his native Hungary, who have the small matter of a crucial Euro 2016 qualifier coming up at the end of March.

The capital's only top-flight club have long been touted as the Bundesliga's sleeping giant, with a top-class stadium and potentially huge support to match. But they've not been helped recently by the absence of Salomon Kalou, who returned from the Africa Cup of Nations to score the winner against Champions League hopefuls Augsburg last week.

That was at home, though, where Hertha have claimed five of their seven Bundesliga wins this season. The long trip to rock-bottom Stuttgart will be a different proposition entirely. Under wily Dutchman Huub Stevens, VfB have reached 'win or bust' time in their season, but two leaky defences and two goal-shy forward lines suggest a low-scoring draw. 1-1 is 76/1.

A three-way fight for third in Serie A

And so to the race for Italy's final Champions League spot, which just got more interesting thanks to Napoli's defeat to Torino this weekend. This leaves Rafa Benitez's team looking over their shoulders at Lazio and Fiorentina, who meet in Rome next Monday.

Buoyed by their midweek Europa League win against Spurs, the Viola made it eight Serie A games without defeat by winning 1-0 at Inter. Lazio, too, are in excellent form, winning their last three games. A tough one to call, then, and everything to play for.

Fiorentina are one of Serie A's draw specialists this season, with nine stalemates, a result 3.45n/a that would normally suit both sides (Lazio are a point ahead), but may not be enough if they want to close the gap further on Napoli. Expect a cagey affair either way, with under 2.5 goals tempting at 1.845/6.