Betting previews & free tips for Saturday's La Liga & Bundesliga matches

Best bets

Cologne (2.30pm)
1pt 21-20 general

Over 3.5 goals in Hertha Berlin v Eintracht Frankfurt (2.30pm)
1pt 31-20 Betfair

Espanyol (1pm)
1pt 11-10 general

Cologne v Union Berlin

Cologne have all but secured survival in their first season back in the Bundesliga but fans will surely be left feeling a touch disappointed if the Billy Goats fail to achieve a top-half finish.

At the start of the Ruckrunde - the second half of the season after the winter break - they were in fine fettle with five wins in seven contests but they are yet to win since the league restarted in May.

Quality in the final third has, however, not been a problem. Anthony Modeste has enjoyed a resurgence up top and they have netted at least two goals in three of their five games since the restart.

They should therefore be fancied to see off a brittle Union Berlin outfit, who have lost ten of their 15 away matches in this term's Bundesliga.

Playing behind closed doors has held back Union - their home crowd have helped them keep out of the danger zone this season - and they too are winless since the restart.

The potential absence of veteran defender Neven Subotic will do them no favours while Cologne, in contrast, can welcome back a key defender in Sebastiaan Bornauw, who is a real danger from set -pieces. They are overpriced to claim maximum points.

Hertha Berlin v Frankfurt

Union's city rivals Hertha Berlin have been the league's surprise package since the restart, taking ten out of a possible 15 points and pushing Borussia Dortmund close in a 1-0 defeat last time out.

That was the first time they failed to score in a league assignment since the end of February and their clash with a volatile Eintracht Frankfurt outfit could be lively.

Eight of Frankfurt's last nine games have featured at least three goals while five of those have seen four or more, and over 3.5 goals could be the best bet for their clash at the Olympiastadion.

Hertha's cause is hindered by the potential absence of star January signing Matheus Cunha but they still have veteran Vedad Ibisevic to call on and, with faint European aspirations, can be expected to operate on the front foot.

Espanyol v Alaves

This time last year in Spain, Espanyol supporters were celebrating their qualification for the Europa League but as La Liga restarts this weekend, the Catalan club are instead locked in a relegation battle.

They have been the worst team in the division this season, winning only four of their 27 matches, but were showing signs of promise before La Liga's postponement.

After investing in the likes of Raul de Thomas, who already has four league goals in six games, Leandro Cabrera and Adri Embarba in January, they enjoyed wins over Mallorca and Wolves as well as draws with Athletic Bilbao, Sevilla and Atletico Madrid.

And lowly Alaves, who have lost eight of their 13 matches on the road this term, represent a great opportunity for maximum points upon Espanyol's return to La Liga action.

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