Soccer: Light schedule brings Miller to Germany and Portugal

The schedule is very light Friday, with few first division matches around Europe.

But even with the slim pickings, there are two games that stand out: one in Germany, and one in Portugal.

Borussia Monchengladbach is even on points (46) with RB Leipzig, with both teams inside the top four places. The Bundesliga is one of the leagues that get four automatic UEFA Champions League group stage places, so a top four finish is crucial.

Monchengladbach will take on 12th place Freiburg, which looks to be safe from the relegation fight, but 12 points out of a potential European spot. Monchengladbach can open up a six-point lead on Eintracht Frankfurt, before Frankfurt plays Sunday.

Neither team comes into the match in great form, but there is a trend when the two teams meet that goes back to February 2015. The two teams have alternated wins and losses the last six times they have played, with the home team winning each contest. Freiberg won the matchup in December 3-1, so the trend would see Monchengladbach victory Friday.

In Portugal, Sporting Lisbon will host Santa Clara. Sporting won the first contest this season 2-1 on the road, and is the top team in the Primeira League at home, with 11 wins and a draw from 13 matches. Santa Clara has been decent on its travels (five wins and three draw from 12), but Sporting, with 31 goals scored at the Jose Alvalade, should be too much.

(Home team always listed first)

GERMANY BUNDESLIGA
Borussia Monchengladbach (-175) vs. Freiburg (+475), draw (+310), 3:30 p.m. (FS2 and Fubo.tv)
The pick: Borussia Monchengladbach ML (-175)

PORTUGAL PRIMEIRA
Sporting CP (-400) vs. Santa Clara (+1000), draw (+450), 4:30 p.m. (Gol TV and Fubo.tv)
The picks:
Sporting first half -1 (+310)
Sporting -1 (-133)