GERMAN BUNDESLIGA
Bayern Munich vs FSV Mainz 05 (9:30 AM ET/Fox Sports 2)
Bayern Munich have ruthlessly ruled over the Bundesliga by winning three straight titles on the trot. They have dominated each of those seasons usually locking up the title with a month or so to spare. With that being said, this current iteration of Bayern may be the best of the bunch. In their midweek contest against title challengers Wolfsburg, Robert Lewandowski came off the bench to score 5 goals in 9 minutes. It was a display that put the rest of the league on notice that this Bayern Munich squad is not to be trifled with. As if the 20 goals scored to just 3 conceded over six games wasn't enough of a sign. Today Mainz takes aim at ending the winning streak of the three-time defending champions. Mainz is a much different team at home than they are away. They've registered two of their three wins at home and shown much more organization in both attack and defense. They won't be able to shut out Bayern so they'll rely heavily on midfielder Yunus Malli to keep up his recent run of form. The German international is one game removed from his own goal barrage, a hat trick against Hoffenheim. All in all, I think Mainz will be able to at least get a goal past Manuel Neuer. They are just too potent of an attack at their home Coface Arena. But, Bayern will just be too much for them as they have been for every other team in the Bundesliga and in Europe in 2015.
PREDICTION: Bayern Munich 3 Mainz 1
FRENCH LIGUE 1
FC Nantes vs Paris Saint-Germain (11:30 AM ET/beIn Sports 3)
Like Bayern Munich in Germany, Paris Saint-Germain have won three consecutive Ligue 1 titles. They haven't quite dominated Ligue 1 as Bayern have the Bundesliga, but PSG are still unbeaten (5 win, 2 draws) and sit perched atop the Ligue 1 table heading into this morning's game with Nantes. Nantes sits on the edge of the relegation zone heading into this home game at La Beaujoire, but they have one thing that has held true in all their games thus far in 2015. At least one team is getting shut out. Through six games (seven if you count their one preseason friendly against Bournemouth), the first team to score whether it be Nantes or their opponent wins by shutout. Both of the times Nantes has been on the good end of that trend have been at home. While PSG will look to score first with waves of pressure from Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Edinson Cavani, and Angel Di Maria, Nantes has to be more methodical in their pressing forward with young midfielders Valentin Rongier and Adrien Thomasson. It won't be a blowout in either direction, but I just think that poor Nantes is going to be on the wrong end of another shutout, even though the game is at home.
PREDICTION: Paris Saint-Germain 2 Nantes 0
ITALIAN SERIE A
SSC Napoli vs Juventus FC (2:45 PM ET/beIn Sports)
Before the start of the season if you asked which teams would compete for the Scudetto, Juventus and Napoli would more than likely be at the top of that list. Instead, both clubs sit smack dab in the middle of the Serie A table with just two wins between them through five matchweeks. It is a huge game for both sides today at the San Paolo. The troubles for both sides have been strange. Napoli is a true Jekyll & Hyde squad. They looked like giants in a 5-0 demolition of Lazio last weekend. They more resembled Lilliputians in a 0-0 draw to minnows Carpi midweek. Gonzalo Higuain is in top form for Napoli (4 goals), but manager Maurizio Sarri would rather have Pepe Reina keep his string of clean sheets together so Higuain may be alone up top. Though they looked great against City in the Champions League, Juve's attack has been rather pedestrian in Italy. They'll need Alvaro Morata and Paul Pogba to recreate their European brilliance to boost them up the Serie A table. I am leaning towards the home side in this one even though I think it is just a matter of time before Juventus turns it on and rattles off nine or ten wins in a row in Serie A.
PREDICTION: Napoli 2 Juventus 1
SPANISH LA LIGA
Celta Vigo vs SD Eibar (4:05 PM ET/beIn Sports 8)
No two teams have been bigger surprises in the Spanish Primera Division this season than Celta Vigo and Eibar. Eibar is currently sitting just below the Europa League places a season after being relegated, only to have Elche's financial woes give them a rebirth in the top tier. They have already beaten Athletic Bilbao and showed no fear in going punch for punch with Atletico Madrid in a losing effort. What Eibar has done thus far pales in comparison to the start that Celta Vigo is currently enjoying. They are second in the table behind Real Madrid (on goal difference) and are fresh off an obliteration of Barcelona in the midweek 4-1. Iago Aspas, who never really got the chance he deserved at Liverpool, scored a brace in the game against the reigning La Liga and Champions League holders. Aspas and fellow forward Nolito have combined to be the second most potent strike force (8 goals) in La Liga behind Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema of Real Madrid (10 goals). I'd love to pick the underdog, but I can't see Eibar being able to slow down a team like Celta who has scored at least two goals in every game this year.
PREDICTION: Celta Vigo 3 Eibar 1
ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE
Arsenal FC vs Leicester City FC (10:00 AM ET/USA Network)
As per the usual we end the day's pick in the English Premier League. The Premiership seemed to be fairly set coming into the year but has been absolutely turned on its head with recent events. As of this typing, Spurs lead Manchester City 4-1. If they hang on it would be City's second consecutive loss after starting the season looking unbeatable. The last team to go a season unbeaten, Arsenal, have been on a roller coaster ride all season across all competitions. Leicester City on the other hand have been thriving with a never say die attitude under new manager Claudio Ranieri. I have applauded the Foxes all season long, especially Algerian midfielder Riyad Mahrez. Normally I would feel a bit of trepidation picking against Arsenal in a matchup like this because they usually lose the big games and take care of the lesser sides. If form holds true though, Leicester has been the better team. Even though they are employing lesser known talents like Mahrez, Jamie Vardy, and Marc Albrighton instead of Mesut Ozil, Olivier Giroud, or Theo Walcott, Leicester never looks dead in a game while Arsenal often looks disinterested from front to back once they go down. I'm going with the upset here as Leicester continues their dream start at the King Power Stadium.
PREDICTION: Leicester City 2 Arsenal 1
Enjoy the day's games wherever you are and be sure to come back tomorrow for my picks to supplement your NFL football with some European football. Crack open a beer and have at it. Except for you Spurs fans, you're probably drunk already and should more than likely slow down at this point.