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In La Liga this week there is lots to enjoy beyond the big three. Girona need a win to stay in touch with those outside the drop zone, Athletic travel to face Celta (the league’s second-worst home side), and for fans of ‘champagne football’, Getafe and Espanyol meet at the Coliseum in a showdown between this season’s surprise packages.
Get your pen and paper ready for the best predictions and bets for Matchday 16 of La Liga EA Sports.
Real Sociedad v Girona: Friday, 20:00 GMT
Real Sociedad will approach this match as a true final, knowing that defeat against a direct rival would seriously worsen their situation. With recent struggles for consistency and two straight league losses, the San Sebastián head back to home turf, where they are most reliable, with three of their four La Liga wins coming at Anoeta.
They still tend to struggle in the first half but grow into games after the break, with 14 of their 19 league goals scored in the second half—a key stat against a Girona side that often sits back as matches progress. The head-to-head record is also firmly in their favour since Girona have never beaten Real Sociedad in La Liga.
Girona, while performing better than their league position suggests, continue to struggle away from home. They are yet to win on the road this season (D3, L4) and have just one win in their last 16 away league games—a worrying trend for a team in the relegation zone. They’re also one of the league’s least prolific sides in front of goal, which limits their ability to punish a Real Sociedad team that, even with key absences like Oyarzabal, usually manages these home fixtures well. With the pressure of the table, home advantage and a strong record in this fixture, backing Real Sociedad to win at odds of 8/11 looks a logical and valuable choice.
Tip: Real Sociedad to win – 8/11 @ bet365
Bet Explanation: This bet wins if Real Sociedad take all three points.
Atlético Madrid v Valencia: Saturday, 13:00 GMT
Atlético Madrid come into this fixture needing to bounce back after two consecutive away defeats. There is no better time for them to return to the Metropolitano, where adversity brings out the best in them. In La Liga, their home form is outstanding: 20 goals in eight matches, with an intense, dominant style that usually sets the tone from the start. The recent head-to-head record against Valencia is also very positive, with several emphatic wins both home and away, and a clean sheet in five of the last six meetings between the sides.
Valencia, meanwhile, struggle badly away from the Mestalla. They’ve scored just four goals in seven away games - the second-worst record in the league - with only three points earned from draws. Baraja’s side find it hard to create danger on the road and often surrender the initiative, which is especially risky against an Atlético team that manages games well when ahead. Against the big teams, their record is a 6-0 loss at Barcelona, a 4-0 loss in Madrid and a 2-0 loss against Villarreal.
Tip: Atlético de Madrid to win to nil – 10/11 @ bet365
Bet Explanation: This bet wins if Atlético win and Valencia fails to score.
Barcelona v Osasuna: Saturday, 17:30 GMT
Barcelona head into this match in excellent attacking form, stringing together several big league wins and showing impressive consistency in front of goal. At home, the Blaugrana have been especially ruthless: 26 goals in eight La Liga matches stem from their ability to set a high tempo from the start and keep up the pressure for the full 90 minutes. This makes it likely we’ll see Barça scoring in both halves, a trend that’s occurred in six of their last nine home games against Osasuna.
Osasuna, meanwhile, struggle badly away from El Sadar and come into this as the league’s worst away side, with just two points from eight trips. The Rojillos tend to leave gaps on the road and find it hard to defend against dominant opponents. Against a Barcelona side that attack relentlessly and rarely sit on a lead, it’s likely they’ll keep up their scoring in both halves.
This bet has landed in Barça’s last six home games.
Tip: Barcelona to score in both halves – 8/15 @ bet365
Bet Explanation: This bet wins if Barça score in both the first and second half.
Getafe v Espanyol: Saturday, 20:00 GMT
Getafe come into this match with a very familiar approach at the Coliseum, tight games, slow tempo and a strong defensive focus. Bordalás’ side are always cautious at home, which shows in their low-scoring matches and the difficulty in creating clear chances in the first 45 minutes. Recent league games, especially against similar opponents, reinforce the idea of very even first halves, where the main aim is to avoid mistakes before the break.
Espanyol are enjoying a good run of results, but maintain a pragmatic, risk-averse style away from home, as seen in Vigo. Their away wins have come in tightly controlled matches, where defensive organisation is the priority before looking for an advantage. Head-to-head meetings between these sides confirm this trend, with very close games decided by fine margins (four wins by a single goal in the last five meetings).
Tip: Draw at half-time – 5/6 @ bet365
Bet Explanation: This bet wins if the score is level at half-time, regardless of the final result.
Celta Vigo v Athletic Club: Sunday, 15:15 GMT
Celta Vigo come into this match with mixed feelings. Despite some impressive away results, like wins at the Bernabéu and against Alavés, they’ve struggled badly at Balaídos, as shown by the recent defeat to Espanyol. You sense a vulnerability when they have to take the initiative. While competitive, their performance is highly context-dependent, and they find it tough against intense, well-organised opponents.
Athletic Club, on the other hand, are more reliable in these situations. Despite inconsistency against the top sides, they’ve shown notable solidity against teams in their own bracket, with important wins over Atlético Madrid and Levante. The recent head-to-head record also favours the Basques, who have dominated this fixture in recent seasons, avoiding defeat in six of their last 10 visits to Balaídos.
Tip: Draw or Athletic Club – 1/2 @ bet365
Bet Explanation: This bet wins if Athletic avoid defeat. The final score doesn’t matter.
Levante v Villarreal: Sunday, 17:30 GMT
Levante are in a tough spot, having lost five league games in a row and looking shaky both in defence and attack. The Granota side are still searching for stability and, against stronger opponents, are often clearly outclassed, as seen against Athletic Club and Atlético Madrid. Their inability to create chances and maintain their level for 90 minutes is costing them dearly, even at home.
Villarreal, by contrast, are on a clear upward trajectory in La Liga, with six straight league wins and impressive attacking form. Despite a European setback against Dortmund, the Yellow Submarine have kept their focus domestically, where they’re efficient and competitive. They also have a strong record in this fixture, winning five of the last six meetings with Levante.
Tip: Villarreal to win – 7/10 @ bet365
Bet Explanation: This bet wins if Villarreal take all three points.
Alavés v Real Madrid: Sunday, 20:00 GMT
Alavés usually play with high intensity at the Mendizorroza, pressing hard, playing direct and attacking down the flanks—a style that typically leads to plenty of corners. Even when they’re not ahead, the Vitoria side pushes forward with crosses and second balls, especially at home. Against a top side like Real Madrid, expect Alavés to spend long spells attacking by sheer numbers rather than clear chances, which is a recipe for lots of corners.
Real Madrid also arrive with a very depleted defence due to numerous injuries, especially at full-back. With Carvajal and Trent out on the right, and Carreras, Fran García and Mendy missing on the left, Los Blancos will have to improvise at the back, which usually means more space down the flanks and more forced clearances. While Madrid will look to win and have spells of attacking dominance—which also adds corners for them—their defensive frailty suggests an open game, with plenty of action in both boxes.
Tip: Over 9.5 corners - 4/5 @ bet365
Bet Explanation: This bet wins if there are 10 or more corners in the match.
Rayo Vallecano v Real Betis: Monday, 20:00 GMT
Rayo Vallecano are usually strong at Vallecas, but that doesn’t always mean tight games. They’ve lost just once in their last 13 home matches and play with courage, pressing high and keeping the tempo up, which leads to open games at both ends. Recent results also show some defensive frailty (four consecutive games conceding) against sides with attacking quality, something that could be exposed by a confident Betis side with good scoring stats.
Real Betis, meanwhile, have been very reliable going forward, especially away from the Villamarín, where they’ve scored 11 goals in seven league games. The Verdiblancos don’t hold back on the road and often raise the tempo, as seen in recent matches against Barcelona, Sevilla and Girona. The head-to-head record also points to goals at both ends (13 goals in their last five meetings).
Tip: Over 2.5 goals – 10/11 @ bet365
Bet Explanation: This bet wins if there are three or more goals, regardless of the final score.
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Odds were correct at the time of publication and may change.