B/R Experts: Big-Game Predictions, May 20-21
It's the final weekend of the season for the majority of leagues in Europe, and there are issues still to play out.
The La Liga title is between Real Madrid and Barcelona, while Liverpool, Manchester City and Arsenal are battling for two Champions League places in England.
Bleacher Report's Sam Tighe has his finger on the pulse of English football and gives his verdict on the Premier League, while Italian football guru Adam Digby weighs in on the big games in Serie A.
Spanish football expert Karl Matchett will look after La Liga, and German football authority Lars Pollmann will select his winners in the Bundesliga.
Bayern Munich vs. Freiburg
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It's the final matchday of the Bundesliga season but, more importantly for most Bayern Munich fans, it's also the final game in the career of Philipp Lahm—one of the best and most important players in the rich history of the German giants. Xabi Alonso also retires after these 90 minutes on Saturday.
The game against SC Freiburg will be an emotional goodbye to two legends of European football and serves as the backdrop for the crowning ceremony, as Lahm will hoist the Meisterschale for the fifth time in a row afterwards.
Sixth-placed Freiburg have a lot on the line at the Allianz Arena, as they will presumably need a shocking away win to qualify for the UEFA Europa League. Competitors FC Cologne will host Mainz, who are safe from relegation thanks to their superior goal difference in comparison to FC Augsburg, Wolfsburg and Hamburg.
Seventh place would only be enough to qualify for Europe if Borussia Dortmund win the DFB-Pokal against Eintracht Frankfurt on May 27.
Freiburg have a mountain to climb, though. They have never won in Munich and not scored in their last four visits.
Bayern have also not lost on the final matchday of the season since 2003, and striker Robert Lewandowski heads into the game with a one-goal lead over Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the chase for the top Bundesliga scorer award.
Prediction: 3-1
First goalscorer: Robert Lewandowski
Borussia Dortmund vs. Werder Bremen
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Unless something spectacular happens at TSG Hoffenheim on Saturday, Borussia Dortmund will clinch third place and a spot in the UEFA Champions League group stage with a home win against Werder Bremen.
Hoffenheim would need to obliterate Augsburg, beating the relegation battlers with five more goals than Dortmund's margin against Bremen to pip the Black and Yellows.
History is on BVB's side, seeing as they have beaten Werder nine times in a row in front of their own fans. Head coach Thomas Tuchel, who may well be in charge for his last Bundesliga match for Dortmund, has also not lost a league game at home since taking over from Jurgen Klopp in 2015.
Saturday's visitors were on a ridiculous run of form for much of the second half of the season, but two crushing defeats against Cologne and Hoffenheim have left any hopes of European football seem far-fetched. Bremen would need both Freiburg and Cologne to lose and beat Dortmund themselves.
Still, they are dangerous opponents, having scored at least twice in each of their last nine games. Of course, they have also conceded 16 goals over the same span, so fans can expect goals galore on Matchday 34.
Prediction: 3-2
First goalscorer: Fin Bartels
Arsenal vs. Everton
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With Champions League qualification set to be decided on the final day of the Premier League season, Arsenal's task is simple: win and hope Liverpool slip up.
Their end of the bargain comes first, and although Everton present a formidable test on paper, the truth is there are few better opponents for the Gunners to face on Sunday.
Ronald Koeman's men packed things in weeks ago, and although they overcame Watford last Friday, that was only because the Hornets were even less bothered than Everton about winning.
Arsenal have quietly shifted into top form—as they often do at season's end—and have won four straight in the league. Expect that to become five.
Prediction: 2-0
First goalscorer: Alexis Sanchez
Chelsea vs. Sunderland
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It's first vs. 20th, and there are an astonishing 66 points between these two sides in the Premier League table.
Chelsea's season has been superb; Sunderland's...well, there's just one more game to play before the horror officially ends.
It's impossible to project who Antonio Conte will hand starts to on Sunday, as he showed a commitment to giving the bit-part players a go against Watford on Monday with the title already secured.
It doesn't matter who the Chelsea manager fields, though; they'll probably make light work of David Moyes' men regardless.
Prediction: 3-0
First goalscorer: Willian
Liverpool vs. Middlesbrough
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A win and they're in: that's the situation facing Liverpool. Champions League football next season is theirs...if they can avoid an upset at home to already-relegated Middlesbrough.
Usually, this wouldn't be in doubt, but the Reds' form at home to weaker teams has been shocking of late.
Sure, they're fine away from home when teams don't blockade the goal (four straight wins), but they're winless at Anfield in their last three games. Those were against Bournemouth, Crystal Palace and Southampton.
The key is Philippe Coutinho. If he plays as he did against West Ham United and in the position he had, he'll win this game for the Reds. If he struggles, prepare for a tense afternoon.
Prediction: 2-0
First goalscorer: Daniel Sturridge
Manchester United vs. Crystal Palace
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"I hope you don't kill me when you see my team [against Palace]," Jose Mourinho told reporters after Manchester United's 0-0 draw with Southampton on Wednesday.
There's just one irritating and ill-timed Premier League game left on the Portuguese's schedule before he can switch his entire focus to the only thing he wants to think about—the Europa League final.
His comments suggest he'll be playing a horde of kids, and while the United youngsters are talented, you would expect Christian Benteke, Wilfried Zaha and Co. to get the better of them.
Prediction: 0-2
First goalscorer: Christian Benteke
Watford vs. Manchester City
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Manchester City need a win to wrap up third place and automatic Champions League football for next season—and Watford aren't expected to put up much of a fight.
Hornets manager Walter Mazzarri will leave the club at season's end after an uninspiring campaign. The Mirror's John Cross reported on Wednesday that a player revolt over methods and tactics, culminating in a stand-off before the Chelsea game on Monday, was the final straw.
Liverpool will be keeping on eye on what happens at Vicarage Road in the hope there's an upset, but it would be best not to bank on it happening.
Prediction: 1-3
First goalscorer: Gabriel Jesus
Atletico Madrid vs. Athletic Club Bilbao
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This is the final league game for Atletico Madrid at the Vicente Calderon, and they will want to end on a positive note after another campaign filled with more nearly moments and heartache than actual success.
Athletic Club Bilbao are always tremendously tough opposition for them, though, and it's Atleti's bad luck that the Basque side are still fighting for sixth place and a Europa League spot ahead of Real Sociedad—there will be no free passes on Sunday.
The romantic story would probably revolve around a late Fernando Torres winner; the reality is probably a scrappy game with more fight than flair, and a reminder of just why Atleti have fallen short this term.
Prediction: 1-1
First goalscorer: Saul
Barcelona vs. Eibar
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Barcelona have pushed Real Madrid all the way, and finishing the season with seven straight victories is a testament to their offensive quality. But it will not be enough, with a run of draws around November and December proving to be their undoing this season.
That period saw five draws in nine games for Barca, including two points dropped late on in El Clasico. Luis Enrique will be left wondering what might have been as he closes out his time at the Camp Nou.
It has been incredible to witness the attacking prowess of his team at times, but question marks will remain tactically. Barcelona will win on Sunday, but to no avail.
Eibar are already safe in the top half for this season and can’t rise higher than their current eighth-place berth.
Prediction: 3-0
First goalscorer: Lionel Messi
Malaga vs. Real Madrid
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After the midweek win at Celta Vigo, Real Madrid need only a point to clinch the league title, but it's more probable they will do it in style at La Rosaleda.
There are plenty of backdrop stories to this game, chief among them the in-form Isco attempting to win the title against his old team—and in so doing, landing Malaga a windfall as a result of the structure of his transfer.
It's crunch time for Real, both domestically and in Europe, and it would take a monumental slip-up for them to lose the title in La Liga from here. Their mental strength has been a huge asset this season, and it will see them home in the final game.
Prediction: 1-3
First goalscorer: Cristiano Ronaldo
Juventus vs. Crotone
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Having secured the Coppa Italia on Wednesday, Juventus will be looking to add a sixth consecutive Serie A title to their collection this weekend.
Standing in their way on Sunday will be a surprisingly in-form Crotone, who have 17 points from their last seven games—a run which has allowed them to dream of surviving in the top flight for another year.
However, as they showed against Lazio, last weekend's loss to AS Roma has reignited Juve, who will be without Sami Khedira, Daniele Rugani and Marko Pjaca for this clash.
Having not lost in their last 36 home league games, it is difficult to imagine the Bianconeri getting anything but the result they need.
Prediction: 3-0
First goalscorer: Juan Cuadrado
AC Milan vs. Bologna
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If they are to have any hope of securing a return to European football next season, AC Milan need to beat Bologna on Sunday.
The Rossoneri have failed to win any of their last five matches, though, dropping points against the likes of Empoli, Crotone and Atalanta to slip in their battle with Fiorentina and crosstown rivals Inter Milan for the final Europa League berth.
Coach Vincenzo Montella will need his players to deliver here, particularly as he will be forced to cope without the suspended Suso, while Ignazio Abate, Giacomo Bonaventura and Mattia De Sciglio are all out injured.
A high-scoring game could be on the cards, as there have been more than 2.5 goals scored in Bologna's last four Serie A games and in five of Milan's last six outings at San Siro.
Prediction: 2-1
First goalscorer: Carlos Bacca
