5 Players to Watch Across Europe This Weekend

Andrej Kramaric is currently on the best run of form in front of goal in the Bundesliga. In his last six competitive matches for Hoffenheim, he has scored an astonishing 13 goals, and during the international break, he came off the bench to score the winner for Croatia against Sweden in Zagreb.

Kramaric also has a sensational recent record against his next opponents, Borussia Dortmund, where the striker scored all four in Hoffenheim's 4-0 demolition of BVB. Prior to this, Kramaric also scored a late winner in a 2-1 victory in the reverse fixture last season.

Dortmund are often fragile in defence, especially against Hoffenheim, a side they have conceded 13 against in their last five meetings.

Kramaric to score anytime is priced at 2/1, but after doing the double over Dortmund last season, while also being unbeaten against them since 2017, Kramaric to score and Hoffenheim to win is at 9/2.

No team in Europe’s top five leagues are currently in a worse state than Schalke in a shambolic run of form which has seen them winless in 19 league games, dating back to mid-January.

Their next opponents, Union Berlin, have been relatively solid for their standards with one win, one draw and a defeat, with their sole win coming last time out, an impressive 4-0 success over Mainz, in which Max Kruse got off the mark for his new club.

The 32-year-old is back in his native Germany after a spell in Turkey with Fenerbahce last season and he is experienced and consistent at this level, reaching double figures for goals in five of his seven full seasons in the Bundesliga.

No clean sheets in Schalke’s last 16 outings should mean Union will fancy their chances of finding the net here, and with Kruse a regular scorer at this level, he is 4/1 to score with a Union Berlin win.

It has been a memorable week for Sassuolo and Italy striker Francesco Caputo. The striker's spectacular form at club level earned him his international debut for Italy, where he scored inside 23 minutes in the 6-0 win over Moldova.

Caputo's clinical club form has seen Sassuolo become one of the best attacking forces in Serie A, after scoring an excellent 69 goals in the league last season. Only Atalanta’s Papu Gomez has scored more than Caputo so far and fresh off the back of an international goal, Caputo will be confident in adding to his early season goal tally.

The Italian has scored 129 league goals since the 2012/13 season, averaging over 16 goals a season, whilst he notched 21 times in his debut Sassuolo season last time around, as well as scoring 16 for relegated Empoli the year before.

Caputo is 7/5 to score anytime and 4/1 to score first.

Andrea Pirlo’s first match in three weeks will come against Crotone, who currently prop up the Serie A table after three defeats from three. The newly-promoted outfit are also the only side to have conceded a double-figure number of goals this season.

Juventus however, will be without Cristiano Ronaldo and Paulo Dybala is still a doubt having not kicked a ball so far this season. With the two superstars of the team missing, the mantle may need to be passed on to Dejan Kulusevski.

The Swedish attacker scored on his Juventus debut against Sampdoria and he may be moved back into a striking role with Ronaldo forward missing, alongside Alvaro Morata.

Kulusevski is boosted from 2/1 to 5/2 to score and win with his new club.

The first match of the weekend across Europe’s top five leagues sees bottom-side Dijon host league leaders Stade Rennes in Ligue 1 on Friday evening.

Sehrou Guirassy has already scored for two different clubs in Ligue 1 this season, finding the net for Amiens on the opening day before making the switch to Rennes, where he has already added another three to his collection.

Guirassy and another new signing in the form of Jeremy Doku will hope to fill the void left by Raphinha who has left for Leeds United. Dijon, on the other hand, have made an awful start, with just a sole point to their name, and only Angers have conceded more than them this season.

Guirassy to score and Rennes to win is priced at 2/1.

By Andrew Delaney