The upcoming LaLiga fixtures promise goals, excitement and interesting tactical situations to analyse. Some teams will be looking to reaffirm their good form, while others will be trying to break a negative streak. These factors make each match a unique scenario for betting.
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This week's LaLiga calendar is packed with interesting fixtures, with teams in varied form and some fixtures with eye-catching histories. From Athletic Club's need to react to Real Madrid's solidity, every game presents clear betting opportunities. In addition, matches between historic rivals such as Espanyol and Valencia or Atlético and Rayo stand out for their competitiveness and potential surprises. Here are our predictions for each matchday.
Athletic Club v Girona: Tuesday, 18:00 BST
Athletic Club arrives at a tough time after three straight defeats, although at home against Girona, they are usually very dependable. At San Mamés, Athletic have won their last two head-to-head matches convincingly (3-0 and 3-2), showing their dominance at home and their attacking strength. Furthermore, despite their recent poor form, the Red and Whites have powerful forwards capable of breaking down opposition defences at home.
Meanwhile, Girona are experiencing a deeper slump. They have endured four defeats in five league games, with big scorelines in those, such as the 5-0 loss at Villarreal or the 4-0 home defeat to Levante. Their defensive issues away from home have been persistent, which supports the expectation that Athletic will respond positively in front of their fans. With the positive, direct style of play Bilbao employs, combined with Girona’s poor form, the most sensible prediction is a victory for Athletic Club and more than 1.5 goals.
Tip: Athletic Club win and more than 1.5 goals (3/4 at bet365)
Bet Explanation: Athletic Club must win and two or more goals must be scored in the match.
Espanyol v Valencia: Tuesday, 18:00 BST
Espanyol head into this gameweek in good form despite the defeat against Real Madrid. Before that defeat, they had strung together three straight wins, with one draw away from home against Real Sociedad. Their reliability up top allows them to score regularly, while defensively, they tend to manage games well. Against an opponent like Valencia, whom they have drawn in their last five league encounters, Los Pericos have a good chance of getting back to winning ways.
Valencia, despite their recent win against Athletic Club at the Mestalla, have had a mixed run of results, showing their defensive fragility in the heavy defeat at the Johan Cruyff Arena. Moreover, their recent record against Espanyol shows a clear pattern: close games, with one to three goals. Given the inconsistent form of the two teams, plus the history of their head-to-head encounters, the smart bet is on Espanyol to draw or win, and for there to be between one and three goals in the match.
Tip: Draw or Espanyol to win, and there will be between 1 and 3 goals in the match (21/20 at bet365)
Bet Explanation: Espanyol should not lose and there should be between 1 and 3 goals between the two teams, no more and no less.
Levante v Real Madrid: Tuesday, 20:30 BST
Real Madrid come into this game on the back of five consecutive wins in La Liga and the Champions League, showing great defensive solidity and an attack that wins games with authority. In three of the five matches, Real won by two goals or more, which supports the bet on the Asian handicap -1. Moreover, in their last two away games, they were reliable, winning in San Sebastian and Oviedo comfortably, imposing their current and historical dominance.
Levante, despite beating Girona, have made a very dubious start to the season. That was their only victory in five games, with defeats against demanding opponents such as Barcelona and Alavés. Their record against Madrid also reflects the difficulty of their task. The last meeting ended in a resounding 6-0 win to Madrid, and in recent years, they have only been able to scrape a draw at home from time to time. With the current dynamic and the difference in level, the most likely scenario is that Real Madrid will win by at least one goal, with a high probability of winning by two or more, justifying the prediction of Real Madrid with an -1 Asian Handicap.
Tip: Real Madrid Asian Handicap -1.0 (1.525 at bet365)
Bet Explanation: Real Madrid must win by two goals or more. If they win by one, you get your money back.
Sevilla v Villarreal: Tuesday, 20:30 BST
Sevilla arrive with a clear tendency for open games. In their last five La Liga encounters, four of them featured goals from both teams. Defensive fragility remains one of their main problems, conceding frequently even when they win, as was the case in their recent 2-1 win at Alaves. On the other hand, they maintain a good attacking capacity, with in-form players who allow them to score regularly.
Villarreal, for their part, also have a similar pattern. They have scored and conceded in three of their last five official matches, and when they play at La Cerámica, they tend to generate a lot of chances. Moreover, the head-to-head record reinforces this line. In the last three league meetings between the two sides, the scores have been 4-2, 2-1 and 3-2, with both sides scoring. With both defences conceding and attacks able to exploit space, the strongest prediction is to expect goals at both ends of the pitch.
Tip: Both teams to score (7/10 at bet365)
Bet Explanation: Both Sevilla and Villarreal must score, regardless of the result.
Atletico Madrid v Rayo Vallecano: Wednesday, 20:30 BST
Atletico Madrid arrive in indifferent form, combining good results in La Liga with a demanding defeat in the Champions League against Liverpool. At the Metropolitano, they have maintained their usual strength, getting important victories such as the 2-0 win against Villarreal. In addition, Atletico have a great head-to-head record against Rayo at home, with three wins in a row and a clean sheet in two of them. Simeone's team continues to show defensive solidity and the ability to win tight games, which makes them clear favourites.
Rayo Vallecano, on the other hand, are not at their best in La Liga. They lost in Pamplona and Bilbao without scoring and only managed a point at home against Barça. Their away games against top-of-the-table opponents tend to be very difficult for them, as reflected in recent defeats at the Metropolitano. In addition, the head-to-head record shows a clear superiority of Atletico, with consecutive victories in the last few games. Against this backdrop, everything points to another Atletico win, supported by their reliability at home and the offensive fragility of a Rayo side whose levels drop when being the visitors.
Tip: Atletico Madrid to win (8/15 at bet365)
Bet Explanation: Atletico Madrid must win.
Real Sociedad v Mallorca: Wednesday, 20:30 BST
Real Sociedad are going through a very delicate moment, having not won in the first five rounds of La Liga, with three defeats in a row and a clear lack of attacking punch. Their defensive fragility is also taking its toll, as they have conceded in every game they have played, even against mid-table opponents such as Betis and Oviedo. In addition, previous matches against Mallorca have been very evenly matched and, in several cases, with unexpected results that complicate any reliable prediction.
Mallorca do not offer any guarantees either, losing three of their first four league games and only managing a draw at home against Celta. Their form away from the Son Moix is even worse, with narrow but consistent defeats against top teams such as Real Madrid and Espanyol. The recent history between the two is unpredictable, alternating between home and away wins, which reinforces the feeling that this is a very open game with a high risk of surprise.
Tip: Don't bet
Real Oviedo v Barcelona: Thursday, 20:30 BST
Barcelona are enjoying a blistering start to the season, with their attack averaging more than three goals per game and their defence looking very solid on each matchday. In three of their last five league games, they have kept three clean sheets, confirming that, as well as their attacking prowess, they know how to control opponents with less attacking quality. Against an Oviedo side that struggled to score against Real Madrid and Villarreal, and who have struggled a lot in their games against big teams, it is likely that Barca will once again keep a clean sheet.
Real Oviedo, who try to be brave at home, struggle to create chances against elite defences. They have scored just one goal in their first four league games and have been very dependent on mistakes by their opponents or one-offs. In this scenario, it is logical that Barca will create the main chances and end up imposing their superiority without conceding. Therefore, the most consistent prediction is that both teams will NOT score.
Tip: Both teams NOT to score (1/1 at Bet365)
Bet Explanation: Both teams cannot score. Either Oviedo or Barcelona must keep a clean sheet.
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Odds, correct at time of publication, are subject to change.