In this weekend bulletin, we have selected thirteen matches from the Premier League, Bundesliga, Ligue 1, Eredivisie, LaLiga, and Süper Lig and shared our predictions along with detailed analysis.
Liverpool FC vs Nottingham Forest
Match Analysis
After making a decent start to the league season by drawing 2–2 away to Newcastle United, Liverpool will host Nottingham Forest in their first home match of the campaign. Forest, who spent last season fighting relegation and consistently struggled to translate their quality on paper into performances on the pitch, have once again made a poor start, losing both their opening league fixture and their EFL Cup match at home to Leeds United. They gave Leeds far too many opportunities and allowed too many shots in both matches, producing an unconvincing display.
The Reds, eager to claim their first three points of the league season, should defeat a Forest side that have made a poor and uninspiring start without too much difficulty and give their supporters something to celebrate.
Prediction
Home Win
SV 07 Elversberg vs Bayer 04 Leverkusen
Match Analysis
SV Elversberg, a club from a very small town, achieved a historic feat by earning promotion to the Bundesliga for the 2025/2026 season, reminding us once again why we love football. Naturally, they will make their historic Bundesliga debut by hosting one of the league’s strongest and most established clubs, Bayer Leverkusen, at the modest Ursapharm-Arena an der Kaiserlinde. Elversberg will want to attract everyone’s attention once again by producing a surprise result in this historic match, but the task looks extremely difficult. The home side do not appear particularly well equipped for the league in terms of squad quality, making an upset unlikely.
Leverkusen, meanwhile, made a positive start to the season by comfortably defeating SV Wehen Wiesbaden in the DFB-Pokal without making the kind of mistakes that could have caused problems. They will now want to begin their league campaign with three points. Although away matches at smaller clubs can sometimes prove difficult for major sides, Leverkusen’s vastly superior squad quality and experience should allow them to defeat Elversberg, who are currently living every note of football romanticism, and begin the season with a victory.
Prediction
Away Win
RC Strasbourg Alsace vs RC Lens
Match Analysis
Lens made a flying start to the season, defeating Paris Saint-Germain 1–0 to win the Trophée des Champions, with Luis Enrique’s excessive and unnecessary enthusiasm for rotation also contributing to the result, before following that up with a 5–2 home victory over AJ Auxerre in their opening league match. Strasbourg, meanwhile, made an unexpectedly poor start by suffering a heavy 4–0 defeat away to Olympique Marseille.
Although Lens will enter this match as the favorites, Strasbourg will want to make their supporters forget the heavy defeat in Marseille by producing a strong performance in their first home match of the season. Lens may have started the campaign brilliantly, but they have shown some defensive weaknesses. Conceding two goals at home to Auxerre is evidence of that. The situation becomes even clearer when we look at their unavailable players: Lens centre-backs Samson Baidoo, Nidal Celik, and Jonathan Gradit are injured, while Kyllian Antonio is suspended.
Taking all these factors into account, Strasbourg, who will take the field looking to earn points, could make life very difficult for a Lens side that have started the season in outstanding form and will enter as favorites. Rather than choosing a side, backing both teams to score appears to be the much more logical option.
Prediction
Both Teams to Score (Yes)
Borussia Dortmund vs Hamburger SV
Match Analysis
Although Dortmund lost to Bayern Munich in the DFL-Supercup, they avoided a heavy defeat and gave signs that they are ready for the season. With strong home support behind them in their opening league match, the Black and Yellows will take on Hamburg with an absolute determination to win. Although Hamburg have always had the potential to cause surprises, particularly with the difficulties they created for home sides in away matches toward the end of last season, it will be extremely difficult for them to make an impact against a motivated Dortmund side backed by a passionate home crowd.
Prediction
Home Win
AZ Alkmaar vs Go Ahead Eagles
Match Analysis
AZ Alkmaar began the season with a trophy by defeating PSV Eindhoven 4–0 in the Johan Cruijff Schaal and then followed that up by winning all three of their league matches. Lee-Roy Echteld’s side are playing with considerable desire and motivation. One of the clearest statistics demonstrating this is their +7 goal difference across those three league matches.
With the confidence provided by a four-match winning streak, AZ Alkmaar will take the field determined to win and, backed by their home supporters, should finally end their long wait for a home victory against Go Ahead Eagles that has continued since August 13, 2023. Although Go Ahead Eagles have made a good start to the league season, they are clearly inferior in squad quality to an AZ Alkmaar side that are in excellent form and should struggle to resist them.
Prediction
Home Win
Real Sociedad vs RCD Espanyol Barcelona
Match Analysis
Real Sociedad have made a very poor start to the season and are going through a difficult period. The heavy defeat away to Real Madrid has made matters even more difficult. Having gone a long time without a victory, the San Sebastián side will enter what could be one of the most important matches of their season against Espanyol with a clear determination to win.
However, things will not be easy against Manolo González’s side. Despite issues such as their limited squad depth, Espanyol have made a relatively positive start to the season. They eventually lost to Real Madrid after Carlos Espí scored in the final minutes, but they did not produce a particularly poor performance in that match.
Although Real Sociedad will take the field determined to end their terrible run, Espanyol, who have made a promising start to the season, could take points from this fixture. Taking all these factors into account, we could be in for a match in which both teams find the net.
Prediction
Both Teams to Score (Yes)
Galatasaray vs Göztepe
Match Analysis
Galatasaray, the strong Turkish side who have once again attracted attention with the signing of Rafael Leão, host Göztepe this week. After winning the title for four consecutive years, Galatasaray faced criticism for failing to make enough signings and entered a turbulent period after drawing their opening league match against Çorum FK, one of the league’s newly promoted and less highly regarded sides.
However, they breathed a sigh of relief last week with a convincing 4–0 away victory over another newly promoted side, Erzurumspor FK. The sensational signing of Rafael Leão that followed also produced a tremendous boost in morale throughout the club. With stars such as Victor Osimhen and Leroy Sané, Galatasaray should build on that renewed confidence, defeat a Göztepe side that have shown obvious defensive problems this season, and begin another winning streak.
Prediction
Home Win
Olympique Lyon vs Le Havre AC
Match Analysis
Things are not going particularly well at Lyon after they missed out on Champions League qualification following a chaotic and eventful 2–1 home defeat to Fenerbahçe. The disappointment of missing out on the Champions League, combined with the incident between Mattéo Guendouzi and Lyon supporters after the match, has further damaged morale at a club already dealing with numerous problems.
Nevertheless, Lyon began the season without incident by securing a convincing 2–0 away victory over FC Toulouse. This week, they host one of the weaker sides in the league, Le Havre. Lyon will approach this match with an absolute determination to win and will do everything they can to give their supporters a three-point victory capable of putting the midweek chaos behind them.
Prediction
Home Win
Sevilla FC vs Atlético de Madrid
Match Analysis
Sevilla have made an excellent start to the season, defeating Rayo Vallecano at home before securing a 3–1 victory away to Athletic Bilbao. Although they will host a very strong side this week, Luis García’s team are clearly in a positive mood and full of motivation.
Atlético, who have dominated the football headlines with the drama surrounding Julián Álvarez’s transfer situation, have also made a relatively positive start to the league season after defeating Málaga CF at home and drawing with Villarreal CF. Naturally, they will enter the trip to Sevilla as the favorites. However, the complete breakdown of the relationship with Julián Álvarez and Alexander Sørloth’s injury have highlighted a clear problem at centre-forward for Los Colchoneros.
Considering that issue against a highly motivated and in-form Sevilla side, Atlético could be facing a very difficult match. Rather than choosing a side, backing the home team to score at least once appears to be a much more sensible option.
Prediction
Home Team Over 0.5 Goals
Feyenoord Rotterdam vs ADO Den Haag
Match Analysis
Feyenoord, who have made an excellent start to the season, host ADO Den Haag, who have returned to the Eredivisie after a five-year absence. With Giovanni van Bronckhorst back in charge, Feyenoord have shown signs of returning to their former glory and delighted their supporters with a 5–2 away victory over SC Cambuur Leeuwarden.
ADO Den Haag, one of the newly promoted sides in the Eredivisie, have made a very poor start and are yet to pick up a single point. Unfortunately, their current squad still does not appear ready for the level of the league. Things look unlikely to improve against a highly motivated and confident Feyenoord side at home.
Prediction
Home Team Over 2.5 Goals
Real Madrid vs Málaga CF
Match Analysis
Real Madrid have made the José Mourinho effect felt by everyone watching them, particularly with their convincing midweek victory over Real Sociedad. The Whites, who had been making headlines for a long time largely because of ego battles and drama, now appear to have undergone significant changes. The players look hungry and determined, and almost everyone seems eager to prove themselves and contribute.
Starting the season with two victories, particularly the convincing win over Real Sociedad, has lifted morale considerably. However, some minor defensive issues remain, mainly because Vinicius Junior offers almost no defensive support and the new defensive signings have not yet fully settled and adapted. The determined and aggressive attack, however, appears capable of compensating for these small defensive shortcomings. We saw this clearly in both matches.
Málaga, meanwhile, returned to LaLiga after exactly eight years away. Although they picked up their first point by drawing with Deportivo A Coruña, they have not made a particularly strong start. Their squad also does not appear ready for the level of the league, making the task against Madrid extremely difficult. We should expect a match dominated by Real Madrid’s hungry and determined attacking line.
Prediction
Home Win (-1.5)
Manchester United vs Ipswich Town
Match Analysis
After making an unbelievably poor start to the season with a sensational defeat to Hull City, Man Utd have once again become the number one subject of football meme pages across social media. The defeat was so damaging that Michael Carrick was forced to make calming statements after the very first week, emphasizing that it was only one match and that nothing was over yet.
The Red Devils will now host Ipswich, another newly promoted side, at home. Ipswich began their Premier League campaign with a three-point victory over Sunderland AFC and then followed that up by defeating Leicester City in the EFL Cup, making an excellent start to the season.
Highly confident and motivated, Ipswich will look to take points from a Man Utd side that made a terrible start. However, when we consider the slight fatigue caused by their midweek EFL Cup fixture, as well as the fact that Man Utd are expected to take the field with an absolute determination to win and possess a considerably stronger squad, things will not be as easy for Ipswich as they might appear.
Man Utd will enter this match determined to partially make amends for the painful defeat away to Hull and restore some hope among their supporters, doing everything they can to secure the victory.
Prediction
Home Win
Beşiktaş JK vs Çorum FK
Match Analysis
After suffering defeat against Alanyaspor last week due to historically scandalous refereeing errors, Beşiktaş host Çorum FK, one of the newly promoted sides in the league. Beşiktaş had made an excellent start to the season with six consecutive victories before the Alanyaspor match. Although they were hit by the controversial refereeing decisions in that fixture, they secured Europa League qualification without any further problems despite losing 1–0 to FK Kauno Žalgiris in the second leg of their midweek tie.
Çorum FK, the newly promoted side who attracted attention by drawing 2–2 away to Galatasaray, could not prevent defeat against Kasımpaşa last week, who had also made a very strong start to the season. They may now approach this difficult trip to Beşiktaş looking to take points once again.
Beşiktaş will certainly take the field with an absolute desire to win, with Leandro Trossard and Dušan Vlahović expected to provide a reaction. However, Çorum FK are one of the league’s new and potentially dangerous sides—in every sense, an unknown quantity. Considering that Leandro Trossard and particularly Dušan Vlahović are likely to make an extra effort to prove themselves in this match, backing Beşiktaş to score rather than choosing a match result appears to be the more logical option.
Prediction
Home Team Over 1.5 Goals