Soccer Saturday--Miller has EFL: Sheffield v Ipswich, Norwich v Blackburn; Bundesliga: Dortmund v Schalke, Leipzig v Freiburg; Rennes v PSG
While so much of the focus on English football has gone to the Premier League, the EFL Championship race has been amazing.
Taking a look at the EFL Championship table, Norwich City needs just one point over its final two matches to clinch promotion to the Premier League next season. A win on Saturday over Blackburn Rovers would send the Canaries into the top flight in style.
Sheffield United occupies the second spot, and gets its chance to all but join the Canaries next season in the Premier League with a win over already-relegated Ipswich Town.
Ipswich Town has one win in 18 games since January 12, and could really boost the goal difference of Sheffield United. A win would give United a six-point lead over third place Leeds United, which plays Sunday against fellow playoff team Aston Villa.
PSG will look to win another domestic cup, as it takes on Rennes in the Coupe de France. PSG has won this tournament four straight years (and had won the League Cup five straight times until this season), and is the prohibitive favorite to win it Saturday.
Neymar is back and ready to roll, and along with Kylian Mbappe, should prove to be too much for Rennes. PSG beat Rennes 4-1 in January, and 3-1 on the road in September.
In Germany, Borussia Dortmund trails Bayern Munich by a point in the Bundesliga table. With a win over Schalke 04 Saturday, Dortmund can put the pressure back on Bayern Munich. But Dortmund has struggled with Schalke; Dortmund won 2-1 in December, but that was its first win over its opponent in six tries.
RB Leipzig can guarantee itself UEFA Champions League football for another season with a win over 13th place Freiburg. Leipzig has won six matches on the bounce, while Freiburg has just one win in its last seven contests.
ENGLAND EFL CHAMPIONSHIP
Sheffield United (-500) vs. Ipswich Town (+1500), draw (+550), 12:15 p.m. (ESPN+)
THE PICKS:
Sheffield United half time/full time (-135)
Sheffield United -1 (-160)
Norwich City (-230) vs. Blackburn (+630), draw (+375), 2:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
Norwich City ML (-230)
Norwich City -1 (+110)
FRANCE COUPE DE FRANCE
Rennes (+1100) vs. PSG (-500), draw (+550), 3 p.m. (beIN Sports and Fubo.tv )
THE PICKS:
PSG half time/full time (-150)
PSG -1 first half (+130)
PSG -1 (-190)
PSG -2 (+130)
GERMANY BUNDESLIGA
Borussia Dortmund (-300) vs. Schalke 04 (+800), draw (+425), 9:30 a.m. (FS2 and Fubo.tv )
THE PICKS:
Borussia Dortmund ML (-300)
Borussia Dortmund -1 (-111)
RB Leipzig (-400) vs. Freiburg (+1100), draw (+474, 9:30 a.m.
RB Leipzig -1 (-130)
RB Leipzig 2+ goals (-300)
RB Leipzig to win and both teams to score (+200)