Kevin Hatchard's European Tips: Bayern to be pushed all the way | OneFootball

Stuttgart v Bayern Munich - Hosts to hold their own

Saturday 06 December, 14:30

While Bayern are on course to win yet another Bundesliga title, it doesn't mean they'll always have things their own way, and they are currently on a run of games where they haven't been able to sparkle for the full 90 minutes. Vincent Kompany's men were pushed hard by Union Berlin in a 3-2 DFB Pokal win on Wednesday, they needed two goals in stoppage time to beat St Pauli in the league last weekend, they lost 3-1 at Arsenal in the Champions League. The German champions were also recently held to a 2-2 draw at Union Berlin in the Bundesliga.

The schedule doesn't get easier, with a trip to Stuttgart one of the toughest on the calendar. Stuttgart have won their last seven competitive home matches, and they have held or beaten Bayern in three of the clubs' last eight meetings in league and cup. In the Franz Beckenbauer Supercup at the start of the season, Bayern won 2-1, but didn't steamroller Sebastian Hoeness' side.

Stuttgart are full of confidence on home soil, and in Deniz Undav they have one of the most in-form strikers in German football. Undav has scored nine goals in his last nine games in all competitions, including a goal in Tuesday's comfortable 2-0 win at Bochum in the DFB Pokal.

Stuttgart have had an extra day of rest, they are almost flawless at home and they can at least put up a fight here. If we back them +1.0 on the Asian Handicap at 2.22, we get a winner if Bayern fail to win, and our stake is returned if Bayern only win by one goal.

Nice v Angers - Chaos club must be opposed

Sunday 07 December, 14:00Live on Ligue 1 Pass

These are dark times for INEOS-owned Nice, with many supporters feeling that Sir Jim Ratcliffe and company have sidelined the southern club to concentrate on Manchester United. There's certainly an argument to support that, but nothing could excuse the grim scenes last weekend that saw players and sporting director Florian Maurice attacked and abused by angry ultras at the club's training ground.

Jeremie Boga and Terem Moffi  were attacked and allegedly racially abused, and have been placed on sick leave. A number of other shaken players are reported to be looking for January transfers.

After the weekend's dismal 3-1 loss at Lorient, Nice's sixth defeat on the bounce, coach Frank Haise offered his resignation. That offer was refused, and Haise must now find a way of knitting together a group of players that, in Haise's words, "fall apart as soon as there is a gust of wind."

Angers are a modest side punching above their weight, five points clear of the dropzone. Coach Alexandre Dujeux has made a mockery of having a miniscule budget, and SCO have lost just two of their last seven games.

Nice are 1.98 to win this, and given the crisis they are in, I have to lay them at that price.

Napoli v Juventus - Match of reunions to go the hosts' way

Sunday 07 December, 19:45Live on TNT Sports

Sunday's fascinating primetime game at the Maradona brings together two ex-Italy coaches who are facing their old clubs. Napoli's Antonio Conte won titles galore as a player and a coach with Juventus, while current Juve boss Luciano Spalletti led Napoli to their first league title in 33 years when he lifted the trophy in 2023.

Having matched Spalletti's achievement with Napoli last season, Conte is once again mounting a charge for the Scudetto, and after last weekend's impressive 1-0 win at title rivals Roma, the Partenopei were only separated from top spot by goal difference going into the weekend. On home soil this term, Napoli are unbeaten, and have won seven of their 10 competitive matches. In midweek, they edged out Cagliari on penalties in the Coppa Italia after a 1-1 draw.

Spalletti is trying to steer Juventus back towards the summit after his predecessors Thiago Motta and Igor Tudor proved to be ill-judged appointments, although there's an argument to suggest that an unconventional coach like Motta needed more time. Juve have won three straight games across the league and the Champions League, and they are now unbeaten in eight matches.

However, Juventus have hated trips to the Maradona in recent years, and they have lost on their last six league visits to Napoli. Although the Bianconeri have plenty of quality in attack, they aren't always able to get the best out of players like Kenan Yildiz, Lois Openda and Jonathan David.