Sunday's Bundesliga and Serie A predictions and free football tips

Best bets

Bayer Leverkusen -1 goal on handicap v Union Berlin Live on Sky Sports Mix, 2.30pm Sunday
2pts 4-5 general

Bologna or draw double chance v Fiorentina Live on TNT Sports 2, 2pm Sunday
2pts 4-5 bet365

Sunday's European football predictions

While Bayer Leverkusen are showing no signs of relenting at the top of the Bundesliga with 28 points collected from a possible 30, Union Berlin are a shadow of their former selves and they went into this weekend with only Cologne below them in the table.

That is little short of astounding given that Union finished fourth last term and are in this season’s Champions League, but that is the effect a European campaign can have on a relatively small squad.

The visitors clinched a 1-1 draw away at Napoli in the Champions League on Wednesday but they have suffered eight straight defeats in the Bundesliga, failing to score on six occasions.

Union have conceded three or more in four of those losses, including clashes against Dortmund, Leipzig and Stuttgart, three sides who, like Leverkusen, are in title contention.

So with Leverkusen having won nine of their opening ten games, and dropping points only in a 2-2 draw with Bayern Munich, they should defeat Union cosily and can prevail by two goals or more.

Another team struggling to balance domestic duties with European commitments are Fiorentina in Serie A and they could suffer another setback at home to Bologna.

La Viola are top of Group F in the Europa Conference League after Thursday’s 1-0 win at Cukaricki, but that has come at a cost with three straight defeats to nil in Serie A.

That poor run includes back-to-back home reverses against Empoli and Juventus. And with Bologna flying, Sunday's test looks another tricky one.

Thiago Motta’s visitors were 1-0 winners at home to Lazio last weekend, which stretched their league unbeaten run to ten.

Bologna haven't lost since going down against Milan at San Siro on the opening weekend of the season and they have held Juventus, Napoli and Inter to draws this season.

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