Back Leicester City, Athletic Bilbao, and Juventus in Coral’s 9/2 Treble

With the business end of the football season fast approaching, there are key matters to be resolved across Europe’s main leagues.

Reading v Leicester

Leicester may be promoted, though their 4-1 defeat to Brighton in the week will have hurt. And Nigel Pearson doesn’t suffer fools lightly. They lead Burnley by six points and it is all to play for. Encouragingly they travel to Reading with the best away record in the league having claimed 12 wins out of 20 on the road this season. The Foxes have a wide array of goal scorers in their squad, from the vast experience of David Nugent who is 9/2 to score first, to midfielder Andy King who is 11/2 to score at any time. Leicester will be encouraged knowing they have already defeated Reading 1-0 this term.

Udinese v Juventus

Juventus have won three out of their last four league games and are vying for the Serie A title. They are unlikely to take their trip to Udinese lightly. Juve go into this match buoyed by the fact that Fernando Llorente has rediscovered his scoring touch, and is 9/2 to net first. The Spaniard has struck 13 this campaign and will be keen to add to that before the season’s out. Old Lady have beaten Udinese in their last four attempts and are 8/13 favourites to notch another one. Antonio Conte’s outfit will be heartened after progressing to the Europa League semi-finals in midweek, and will be pursuing the Serie A with renewed vigour.

Athletic Bilbao v Malaga

The home team will be looking to consolidate a Champions League qualification place with a victory over Malaga. There is an old Basque proverb: “Burdina berotan jo behar da”, in other words, the iron must be hammered while it’s hot. In Bilbao’s case it is heating up, and momentum is on their side after a win at Levante last time out. Ernesto Valverde’s side have a formidable home record, and striker Aritz Aduriz has been a goal machine with 13 goals so far.