Hot & Cold Streaks

Benfica versus Moreirense (18.00 Sunday)

Nurnberg top the score streak table, but don’t play until Monday, so Primeira League leaders Benfica, who are only second in the score streak table, despite scoring in 31 consecutive matches, look the logical place to start this weekend. The Eagles are unbeaten in the Primeira League, winning eight of their 10 matches and scoring 23 goals, while conceding just five. Indeed, Benfica have conceded just two goals in four games at the Estádio da Luz, so it’s hard to enthuse about the chances of struggling Moreirense, who’ve failed to win their last five home matches and conceded at least one goal in their last eight matches. The bookmakers certainly think so, with the home side no longer than 1/5 to record their fourth win from five matches at home. If, by some strange twist of fate, Benfica do fail to score, Moreirense are available at 17/1, in a place, while a 0-0 draw is 18/1.

Genoa versus Juventus (14.00 Sunday)

Juventus lead Serie A by 7 points thanks, in part, to 100% home record, but two away defeats, both in Milan, have demonstrated that the Old Lady can still have her frailties on the road and the current streak of 25 matches without a draw may be in danger of coming to an end in Genoa on Sunday. The Red and Blues are unbeaten at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris this season, having won two and drawn four of their six home games, so 3/1 the draw could represent fair value.

Real Madrid versus Sporting Gijon (15.15 Saturday)

Real Madrid are unbeaten in 24 matches in all and, coincidentally, have also scored in all 24, so they’re justifiably unbackable at 1/14 for the visit of Sporting Gijon on Saturday. The Red and Whites have managed just two points from a possible 18 away from El Molinón Stadium this season and have the second worst away record in La Liga, but 54/1, in a place, will surely attract some takers in what is effectively a three-horse race.

SV Hamburg versus Werder Bremen (14.30 Saturday)

Werder Bremen may have lost their last four matches in a row, but they certainly haven’t lost their appeal for Over 2.5 Goals or BTS punters, running up sequences of 11 and 10, respectively. However, the River Islanders have the second worst away record in the Bundesliga and now contest the Nordderby with a Hamburg side that has the worst home record. Leaky defences appear to be the main problem, though, with Hamburg having conceded 14 goals in five home games and Bremen having conceded 13 goals in five away games. Neither side is prolific at the other end of the pitch, but odds of 81/100 Over 2.5 Goals and 11/17 BTS suggest that, win or lose, Werder Bremen could keep their streaks going.

Aberdeen versus Celtic (15.00 Sunday)

Elsewhere, Celtic may be out of the Champions and out of Europe, but they’ve done their level best to feature in as many of our streak tables as possible, based on their form in the Scottish Premier League and are worth an honourable mention ahead of their Scottish League Cup Final with Aberdeen at Hampden Park on Sunday. In descending order, the Bhoys are on a scored streak of 18, a no defeat streak of 13, a win streak of 7, a no conceded streak of 6 and a no BTS streak of 6, all of which seems to suggest that Celtic to win to nil in 90 minutes at 17/10 might not be a bad bet.