Bundesliga and La Liga predictions: betting preview and free football tips

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for the weekend's Bundesliga and La Liga matches

Best European bets

Schalke or draw double chance
1pt 6-5bet365, Betway
Getafe
1pt 21-20 Betway
Levante or draw double chance
1pt 5-4Hills

Weekend preview

Hertha Berlin v Schalke

5.30pm Saturday

Schalke have rolled the dice once more in a bid to extricate themselves from the mother of all messes in the Bundesliga, and there are good grounds for believing that Christian Gross's reign can begin well.

That would mean avoiding defeat at Hertha Berlin, where a lay of the hosts is definitely a consideration.

Let's not pretend that the Royal Blues are anything other than in desperate trouble and that 66-year-old Gross, long-term at least, probably isn't the solution.

But there are a few reasons to be positive and grounds for believing that Gross can avoid defeat in his opener.

Firstly, the former Tottenham boss did a decent job picking Stuttgart up by the scruff of their necks on his last sortie into the Bundesliga so he's got something about him.

Secondly, this is a fixture Schalke like. Hertha have won just three of their last 23 league games against them.

Thirdly, a 3-1 win at fourth-tier Ulm before Christmas in the Cup might not seem great but that was a banana skin and they passed the test. They've also lost only one of their last five away matches.

And finally, Hertha aren't going well with only one win in six, two wins in 12, and they are missing injured skipper Dedryck Boyata.

Getafe v Valladolid

FreeSports & LaLigaTV, 5.30pm Saturday

After back-to-back challenges for top-six honours in La Liga it's all gone a bit sour for Getafe but they can get back on an upward trajectory by seeing off Valladolid in the capital.

Jose Bordalas will have a stronger group at his disposal than he could summon for Wednesday's 1-0 defeat at Atletico where they competed pretty well.

Damian Suarez and Allan Nyom will be reunited on the Getafe right after bans and a third bad boy, centre-back Erick Cabaco, is back from suspension in defence.

Getafe have beaten Barcelona at home this season so are more than capable and there is nothing wrong with them defensively.

As for Valladolid, they've picked up just six points out of a possible 24 on their travels and have been camped in the bottom six all season long. They have a few missing – three-goal top scorer Maranhao among them – and Getafe have to fancy this one.