Saturday's Serie A and La Liga predictions and free football tips: Giroud to strike for Rossoneri

Best bets

Athletic Bilbao to beat Valencia
5.30pm Saturday
1pt 5-4 bet365, Coral

Over 2.5 goals in Udinese v Milan
7.45pm Saturday
2pts 20-23 Betfair

Olivier Giroud to score v Udinese
7.45pm Saturday
1pt 17-10 Betfair, Paddy Power

Saturday European football predictions

Athletic Bilbao have now gone ten matches without defeat in La Liga, making them one of the most in-form sides in Europe, and they should continue that run against Valencia. 

Los Che have been in good form themselves, drawing with Barcelona before winning three consecutive league games. However, those victories came against bottom-half sides whilst Bilbao have been holding their own against some of the best teams in the division, drawing with league leaders Girona and beating both Atletico Madrid and Basque rivals Real Sociedad in their impressive unbeaten run. 

That, along with the fact Athletic are unbeaten in the last five meetings between the pair, would suggest Ernesto Valverde’s men can put an end to Valencia's run whilst extending their own when the teams meet at the Mestalla. 

Milan have won six of their last eight games, in a run that has included victories over strong sides Fiorentina and Roma, and that form has kept the Rossoneri in touch with Inter and Juventus, the top two in Serie A. 

They will be hopeful of keeping up that form against Udinese, who have won just one of their last nine matches and look set to be embroiled in a relegation scrap for the remainder of the season, although they did beat Milan in the reverse fixture and could shock Stefan Pioli's men once more. 

Goals could prove to be a more profitable avenue to investigate, therefore, with seven of Udinese’s last eight games going over 2.5 goals, as have Milan’s last seven in all competitions, suggesting it will be worth backing that outcome when these sides meet in Udine. 

Rossoneri forward Olivier Giroud is likely to contribute to that total after netting five goals in his last five Serie A away games and he scored and assisted in Milan's 3-1 win over Roma last Sunday. 

He is in fine form and is expected to lead the line once again after missing training earlier this weak with a minor fever. France's all-time leading scorer should be backed to net against Udinese. 

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