Soccer: Miller picks from a light slate - Hoffenheim v Bayer Leverkusen, West Bromwich Albion v Birmingham City, and Morelia v Leon

What a week!

After a momentous international break, with three record days, club football returns Friday with a light slate of matches, before going full blast Saturday.

There are some tough matches to pick today, but there are a few bets that look promising.

We will start in Germany, with two teams fighting for UEFA spots near the top of the Bundesliga. Neither Hoffenheim nor Bayer Leverkusen are in particularly stellar form heading into the battle, but there are two things that both teams have done over their last 12 matches: score and concede goals.

Hoffenheim has seven games in that span where the combined goal total was at least three, and five with four or more. Bayer Leverkusen has the exact same breakdown, with three of its last four matches having four or more goals (and two of them with five). Both meetings between the teams in 2018 were 4-1 wins for the away side, while the August 2017 meeting was a 2-2 draw.

Lots of goals.

Derby matches are always tough to call. The passion from both sides, spurred on by the fans in the crowd, usually makes for an electric atmosphere at the ground. Friday night under the lights at the Hawthorns, almost 27,000 people will be crammed in to watch West Bromwich Albion take on Birmingham City in a West Midlands rivalry contest. While the match does not have the same spice as the game with Aston Villa, another Birmingham side, there is still a level of animosity between the two sets of fans.

This week, Birmingham City was ht with a nine-point deduction for breaching the Football League’s profitability and sustainability rules. The Blues now sit 18th, just five points outside the relegation zone. West Bromwich is solidly inside the top six playoff spots, sitting in fourth (67 points) 10 points ahead of seventh place Preston North End. But the Baggies will want to make a charge over the final eight matches to try to jump into the top two automatic promotion spots. A win on Friday could cut the gap to Sheffield United to just four points.

Six of the last seven times the teams have played (dating back to 2006) have seen both teams score, with the most recent meeting a 1-1 draw in September.

Finally, we go to Mexico, where first place Club Leon hits the road to take on Monarcas Morelia. The two sides come in on completely opposite runs of form. Leon is unbeaten since January 20, a run of 12 matches (nine wins and three draws.) Morelia has not won since February 19, and has one win in nine.  In the Clausura matches, Leon has been on fire, with 26 points from 11 matches. All signs point to a Leon win.

GERMANY BUNDESLIGA
Hoffenheim (+135) vs. Bayer Leverkusen (+170), draw (+290), 3:30 p.m. (FS2 and Fubo.tv)
The Picks:
Both teams to score yes (-300)
Over 3 goals (-150)
First half total goals 2+ (-105)
Second half total goals 2+ (-188)

ENGLAND EFL CHAMPIONSHIP
West Bromwich Albion (-118) vs. Birmingham City (+320), draw (+250), 3 p.m. (ESPN+)
The Picks:
Both teams to score yes (-125)
West Brom ML (-118)
Over 2.5 goals (-105)

MEXICO LIGA MX
Morelia (+250) vs. Leon (-105), draw (+245), 9 p..m. (Univison Deportes and Fubo.tv)
The Pick: Leon ML (-105)