Today will be an abbreviated edition of the Bleeding Your Colors European Soccer Picks mostly because the outside of Chelsea/Arsenal in the English Premier League (a game that is already underway), tomorrow's schedule is much stronger than today's. Therefore, we'll flip the normal format with three picks for today and five for Sunday. At least one new league will make their debut tomorrow as well with some big rivalry fixtures happening across the European soccerscape. But enough about tomorrow, let's get to today's trio of games from across the pond. We'll start in Spain as a certain club in white looks to continue scoring goals in bulk.
SPANISH LA LIGA
Real Madrid CF vs Granada CF (10:00 AM ET/beIN Sports)
Are you a fan of goals? Are you a person who is turned off to the sport because of low scoring? Well, both of you should feast your eyes this morning on Real Madrid as they manhandle Granada. Through three games, Madrid has scored 11 and conceded none. That first number should grow considerably against a Granada side that many pundits believe is destined for the drop this season after narrowly escaping that fate last year. That escape was almost derailed when Los Blancos put a nine burger on them, with five of them coming from Cristiano Ronaldo. Now don't expect nine goals in this one, or another five goal master class from CR7 (even though he did just repeat the feat last weekend against Espanyol). However, do expect Real to outdo themselves from their Champions League performance from mid-week in which they blew out Shakhtar Donetsk 4-0. I'll say the trio of Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, and Mateo Kovacic get on the board today as Madrid barely break a sweat.
PREDICTION: Real Madrid 6 Granada 0
FRENCH LIGUE 1
Stade de Reims vs Paris Saint-Germain (11:30 AM ET/beIN Sports 4)
It is a battle of first versus third today in the French top division as surprising Stade de Reims host French behemoths Paris Saint-Germain. To the shock of no one, PSG sits atop Ligue 1 having yet to taste defeat through five games (four wins, one draw). Reims' start to the 2015-16 season is a bit more out of left field having already claimed the scalps of both Bordeaux and Marseille, two teams perennially at the top of the table. It will take something special to take points from PSG though, especially after how the Parisians looked in a 2-0 UCL victory against Zlatan's home team Malmo FF. They'll probably utilize their squad depth today following the mid-week game, but to be honest PSG's reserves could probably finish in the top half of the Ligue 1 table themselves. PSG has all the star power up front and in defense, but there are a couple names from Reims you may know and/or want to watch out for in the future. The name you may know is Liverpool flunkee David N'Gog, who spent the most of the interim at Bolton Wanderers before signing with Reims before last year. The player to know is 19 year old midfielder/forward Theoson Siebatcheu. The teenage Frenchman has come on as a substitute in four of five games this Ligue 1 season and has been a game changer in all of them. He scored the winner against Bordeaux, registered the dagger assist against Lorient, and sparked the comeback draw against Toulouse. He will probably be on the radar of bigger clubs come January or next summer. For now, he'll just be a part of a losing side against their division's best club bar none.
PREDICTION: Paris Saint-Germain 3 Stade de Reims 1
SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE
Dundee United FC vs Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC (10:00 AM ET)
You are probably asking yourself why would this idiot pick a game between two teams sitting near the bottom of the Scottish Premier League? What is so special about Dundee United versus Inverness Caledonian Thistle? Well first, to ask that second question you actually had to say the name Inverness Caledonian Thistle. The merger of Caledonian and Inverness Thistle in 1994 has provided us with an immensely wonderful team name. I challenge you to find a funner (not funnier) one to say in world football. Inverness also features a player that is personally interesting to me is midfielder Greg Tansey. You see, I have a friend who bears that same which leads to exchanges now and again such as "Great goal against Kilmarnock" which is usually met with awkward silence because I am probably (nope, only) person in my group of friends that follows the Scottish Premiership. I have no other reasons for picking this game. If you can find a stream of it though, watch as Greg Tansey scores a great goal against Dundee United to give ICT the victory.
PREDICTION: Inverness Caledonian Thistle 1 Dundee United 0
Enjoy today's crop of games, including 10 man Arsenal trying to find an equalizer in the last twenty minutes versus Chelsea. Be sure to check out tomorrow's picks as I stated in the open because there will be some real displays of football brilliance before your NFL fix. As always, you can follow me on Twitter @TREVORutley and the site @B3WHYC3. Crack open a morning beer and have at it!