The big guns are in action across the continent Sunday, with top spot in the various leagues on the line.
In Germany, Bayern Munich must try to keep pace with Borussia Dortmund, which took a three point lead atop the Bundesliga yesterday. Bayern has to pick itself up after it was dumped out of the UEFA Champions League in midweek, but has the perfect chance here against a Mainz team that has won just three times on its travels, racking up a -12 goal differential. Bayern Munich has won four in a row against Mainz, and five of six, with the other a draw.
Eintracht Frankfurt has contrasting emotions to Bayern Munich heading into Sunday, after it went to Italy on Thursday and knocked Inter Milan out of the UEFA Europa League. Frankfurt comes home to face Nurnberg, which sits dead last in the Bundesliga table and has not won a match on the road this season in 12 tries. Nurnberg has also been outscored 35-8 as the visiting team.
PSG will look to continue to heal after its exit from the Champions League with a home contest against Marseille in Ligue 1 action. The Parisian side has not lost in seven tries against Marseille, with five wins and two draws, while outscoring its rival 19-4.
Barcelona is used to thumping Real Betis each time the two sides play, but in November, Betis pulled off a shock 4-3 win over the Blaugrana. Lionel Messi and company will remember that, as it was one of just two league losses this campaign for the La Liga leaders. Barcelona has a habit of scoring multiple goals against Betis; four of the last seven the two teams have played, Barcelona has posted three or more tallies.
Ajax has won six of seven against Az Alkmaar in the Eredivisie, with the other a draw. Ajax won 5-0 in October, and will look to go back to the top of the league on goal differential with a victory Sunday.
The picks: (Home teams always listed first)
GERMANY BUNDESLIGA
Bayern Munich (-800) vs. Mainz 05 (+2000), draw (+750), 1 p.m. (FS2 and Fubo.tv)
Bayern Munich first half -1 (+163)
Bayern Munich -1 (-275)
Eintracht Frankfurt (-286) vs. Nürnberg (+800), draw (+500), 10:30 a.m. (FS1 and Fubo.tv)
Eintracht Frankfurt ML ( -286)
FRANCE LIGUE 1
PSG (-350) vs. Marseille (+900), draw (+450), 4 p.m. (beIN Sports Connect and Fubo.tv)
PSG -1 first half (+260)
PSG -1 game (-133)
SPAIN LA LIGA
Real Betis (+500) vs. Barcelona (-200), draw +350), 3:45 p.m. (beIN Sports and Fubo.tv)
Barcelona -1 (-200)
NETHERLANDS EREDIVISIE
AZ Alkmaar (+370) vs. Ajax (-162), draw (+333)
Ajax ML (-162)