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

Best bets

Bayer Leverkusen -1 goal on handicap (5pm)
1pt 6-4 Betfair, Paddy Power

Mainz draw no bet (2.30pm)
1pt 4-6 general

Atletico Madrid (1pm)
1pt 13-10 Betfair, Hills

Match previews

Only one place separated Bayer Leverkusen and Schalke in the Bundesliga standings when the season was postponed but their fortunes have differed greatly since the resumption.

While Leverkusen have booked their place in the German Cup final and are on course for a Champions League berth, Schalke have plummeted down the standings after four defeats in their last five assignments.

They collected their first point since the restart against minnows Union Berlin last time out and have shown a striking shortage of attacking quality, firing blanks against Borussia Dortmund, Augsburg and Werder Bremen.

With their European hopes all but dashed by their recent run of form, Schalke could struggle for incentive against Leverkusen and may be set for a club-record 13th straight game without a win.

Leverkusen, on the other hand, are enjoying a run of 11 wins in their last 14 assignments and, despite defeat, they managed to score twice against Bayern Munich in their last league game.

They did so without star man Kai Havertz in that contest and the return of the 11-goal midfielder should see them make light work of the Royal Blues.

Neither Mainz nor Augsburg are guaranteed safety in the Bundesliga yet and punters should anticipate a cagey contest at the Opel Arena.

Mainz have not exactly made their Rhineland home a fortress this season but recent form suggests they could be the team to side with - they have lost only two of their previous seven fixtures.

The most recent of those was a shock 2-0 win away to Eintracht Frankfurt and they have performed well against other sides languishing in the bottom half, drawing with Union Berlin, Fortuna Dusseldorf and Cologne and winning to nil against Paderborn.

Both sides are reliant on individual talent, with Robin Quaison shouldering the goal-scoring burden for Mainz and Florian Niederlechner doing so for Augsburg, and a low-scoring contest is expected.

But given that Augsburg have failed to net in their last five away defeats at sides such as Union Berlin and Eintracht Frankfurt, they are worth opposing but punters should opt for an insurance Mainz draw-no-bet punt.

In Spain, the highlight of Sunday’s La Liga action pits Atletico Madrid against Athletic Bilbao and the capital outfit should come out on top.

Bilbao have made themselves tough to beat at the San Mames this season, shipping only seven goals in their 13 home matches, and look to win the physical battle.

Unfortunately for them that could play into the hands of Atletico, who have lost only two of their previous 12 fixtures and beat Liverpool in a euphoric Champions League encounter in their final game before the break.

They will be missing Joao Felix for this one but an imposing front two of Alvaro Morata and Diego Costa should be able to ruffle Bilbao feathers and help Atletico edge a narrow win.

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