After a week filled with European fixtures, we’re straight back to the betting board and supplementing your betting needs for this weekend’s elite-level soccer fixtures across Europe’s top-flight leagues.
Continue reading our betting previews and soccer odds from the Spanish La Liga and the German Bundesliga fixtures involving Stuttgart vs. Hoffenheim, Barcelona vs. Real Madrid, and some extra best bets across both leagues for good measure.
Picks Summary
- Stuttgart-Hoffenheim Draw (+320) at Unibet
- Barcelona-Real Madrid Draw (+260) at Bet365
- West Ham ML (+120) at Bet365
- Bayer Leverkusen-Freiburg Over 3.5 Goals (+125) at Caesars Sportsbook
VfB Stuttgart vs. TSG Hoffenheim
Saturday, October 28, 2023 – 09:30 AM EDT at Mercedes-Benz-Arena
Stuttgart
After narrowly escaping relegation through a playoff victory over Hamburger SV in June, the team experienced a significant performance improvement. This comes after narrowly avoiding relegation last season by a mere point.
The team’s sudden turnaround has attracted considerable interest in Guirassy, with rumors of a £15m release clause in his contract causing excitement across the continent. However, a significant portion of the credit should be given to Hoeness, who will eagerly seek victory against his former club on Saturday.
Hoffenheim
Similar to his upcoming counterpart, Matarazzo faced a challenging situation with Die Kraichgauer being in the relegation zone. However, it took him a longer period to reverse the situation. Nonetheless, they secured five victories in their last ten matches, ensuring their comfortable continuation in the Bundesliga for the 16th consecutive season.
Matarazzo will be highly motivated to get back on track and burst his former club’s rising momentum this weekend. A win would propel them to fifth place in the standings, although it may be temporary as RB Leipzig will host FC Koln later in the day.
Bundesliga Matchday 9 Prediction, Odds, & Trends
Both teams will likely have reduced offensive capabilities due to their star strikers being absent due to injuries. Stuttgart will especially feel the absence of Guirassy, considering his impressive performance at the beginning of the season. Inevitably, their winning streak will eventually be halted, and we are confident that Hoffenheim has the necessary qualities to avoid a loss on Saturday.
Both managers will be eager to triumph over their previous clubs, making the stalemate an appealing wager at a huge +320 pricing, according to the latest Bundesliga odds.
Score Prediction: Stuttgart 1 – Hoffenheim 1
Supporting Trends
- This exact fixture last term ended 2-2
- The top strikers from both squads will miss Saturday’s game
Soccer Pick: Draw (+320) at Unibet
FC Barcelona vs. Real Madrid
Saturday, October 28, 2023 – 10:15 AM EDT at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys
FC Barcelona
Xavi’s team has not been flawless in the league this season, drawing with Getafe, Mallorca, and Granada. However, they have managed to win their other seven games, accumulating 24 points. As a result, they currently sit in third place, just one point behind both Girona in second place and league leaders Real Madrid after playing 10 matches.
Barcelona has emerged victorious in two of their last three league matches against Real Madrid. This includes a 2-1 win in the corresponding fixture last season. However, this match will not occur at Camp Nou due to ongoing renovation work. This could level the playing field in terms of home advantage.
In their recent encounters with Real Madrid across all competitions, Barcelona has emerged as the victor in four out of the last six meetings. Although the outcome of this match will not determine the fate of the title, securing a positive result in these matches is always crucial.
Real Madrid
Real Madrid did not perform at their peak against Sevilla in the previous weekend’s domestic meeting. Nonetheless, they were able to secure a point after initially falling behind. Their recent narrow victory over Braga in Portugal sets them up for El Clasico on the back of a win, instilling high confidence within the team behind a strong start to the season.
In their last encounter with Barcelona in the second leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final back in March, Los Blancos convincingly defeated their rivals with a 4-0 scoreline. Additionally, their most recent away triumph against Barcelona in the league dates back to October 2021.
Real Madrid has the best defensive record in La Liga this season, having only conceded seven goals. In contrast, Barcelona has let in ten goals. However, Xavi’s team has outscored the Madrid side, netting 22 goals compared to Real Madrid’s 21.
La Liga Prediction, Odds, & Trends
Predicting the El Classico is among the most difficult in professional soccer. In this matchup specifically, Real Madrid will have had a slightly extended period to recuperate, although they were in Portugal on Tuesday evening, whereas Barcelona played at home on Wednesday.
The match’s outcome will largely hinge on the performance of individual players, but we anticipate a shared point in a low-scoring draw. Both managers would probably be content with this outcome if it were presented before kickoff.
With two of the best defenses in La Liga, tired legs from midweek European outings, and the nature of this derby battle, backing a tie fixture at +260 holds the betting value we cannot ignore, given the current La Liga odds available.
Score Prediction: Barcelona 0 – Real Madrid 0
Soccer Pick: Draw (+260) at Bet365 (check our Bet365 Review)
Extra European Soccer Best Bets
West Ham United FC vs. Everton FC
Sunday, October 29 – 09:30 AM EDT
- West Ham ML (+120) at Bet365
Bayer Leverkusen vs. Freiburg
Sunday, October 29 – 12:30 PM EDT
- Over 3.5 Goals (+125) at Caesars Sportsbook (check our Caesars Sportsbook Review)
The line and/or odds referenced in this article might have changed since the content was published. For the latest information on line movements, visit OddsTrader’s free betting odds tool.
