Home and Away: Ranieri's charges to extend lead at summit of Ligue 2

1Mar 2013

Betfair

Jonno Turner looks to action in France and Germany as he aims to select more winners to end the week in style.

We're off to France for our penultimate pick of the day - and turning our attentions to Ligue 2, as leaders Monaco travel to Ajaccio, looking to extend their five point gap at the summit of the division.

Claudio Ranieri's side have been formidable this campaign, and go into this one unbeaten in 10 outings - and having won their last four consecutive clashes.

Just one loss from nine games away from Stade Fontvieille suggests that the visitors are more than capable of taking three points from this one, and three clean sheets on the bounce suggests that Ranieri has his rearguard playing consistently of late.

But it's not just Les Rouges et Blancs defence which should take the plaudits. 46 goals scored this campaign makes the away side the most potent force in this division, and nine goals notched in their last four on the road suggests that they are likely to nick one or two this evening.

Home side Ajaccio are in the midst of some miserable form, and have lost their last six on the bounce.

Albert Emon's side sit second bottom of the division on just 20 points, and find themselves six points from safety with around a third of the campaign left to play.

Three consecutive losses at the Satde Francois Coty will have knocked confidence in the home camp, and half a dozen goals shipped in that time suggests that their free-scoring guests could have a field day here.

Bet 1: Monaco (AWAY) @ 1.86

Switching our focus to Germany now, and the Bundesliga, where Eintracht Frankfurt host Borussia Munchengladbach, aiming to pile the pressure on third placed Bayer Leverkusen.

The hosts line up for this clash in fourth place, and have been the German surprise package of the season, with most neutrals expecting them to be fighting the drop for much of the campaign.

But Frankfurt could reach the magical 40 point milestone (traditionally enough to avoid relegation) with a win tongiht, and that is largely down to the consistently positive results they have been churning out on their own patch. Indeed, Armin Veh's side have lost just one of their last 11 at the Commerzbank-Arena, and two wins from their last three in front of their own fans will have confidence high.

Twenty three goals scored in their last 10 at home suggests that the Eagles are on a hot attacking streak - and the likes of Alexander Meier and Stefan Aigner have been key contributors to that from midfield, with 12 and 7 goals this campaign respectively.

Both players are expected to start in this one, playing in behind forward Srdjan Lakic, who has notched two in two since signing on loan from Wolfsburg.

Visitors Borussia Munchengladbach have been slightly off-colour this campaign, and prepare for this tie without a win in half a dozen games.

Lucien Favre's charges have lost their last three away from the Stadion im Borussia Park, and that will have knocked confidence in the Foals camp - with just one goal scored in their last four on their travels pointing to a lack of firepower up top.

The away side welcome back top scorer Patrick Herrmann following absence - but the former wing backs' six goal haul says more about the state of the visitor's attack, which has managed just five goals between them this season.

That leaves the visitors in 10th place in the Bundesliga, and they will know that if their aspirations of European football are to be fulfilled, they need to start winning - and quick.

Bet 2: Eintracht Frankfurt (HOME) @ 2.12