The Spanish LaLiga returns after the international break with some intriguing games to look forward to.
Real Madrid remain the only LaLiga club with a 100 percent record as we enter the seventh round of fixtures and as a result sit top of the league, but with Barcelona hot on their heels.
In this weekly article, I will be previewing every fixture of the Gameweek and give my best bets.
Friday 30 September
9/20 Athletic Bilbao | Draw 7/2 | Almeria 6/1 (21:00)
We kick the gameweek off with a tie between Athletic Bilbao and Almeria. Bilbao picked up their fourth win in the league as they beat Rayo Vallecano 3-2 before the break. Ernesto Valverde will be confident his side can continue their winning ways against an Almeria side who have suffered three straight defeats. Back the home win.
Saturday 1 October
42/10 Cadiz | Draw 3/1 | Villarreal 13/20 (14:00)
Onto Saturday now and we kick things off with a clash between Cadiz and Villarreal. Before the break, Cadiz ended their five-game losing streak with a 1-0 win away at Real Valladolid, while Villarreal had to settle for a 1-1 draw at home to out-of-form Sevilla.
Unai Emery’s men will look to bounce back to winning ways, and against a Cadiz side languishing in 19th place, I fancy them to do just that. The Yellow Submarine are confidently tipped to win.
13/10 Getafe | Draw 43/20 | Valladolid 23/10 (16:15)
Getafe and Valladolid are next up, and we should expect a rather decent game of football here. Getafe will be eyeing a third straight victory to extend their winning streak and move up in the league table.
Valladolid, on the other hand, will be desperate to avoid a third straight defeat as they look to climb out of the relegation zone. The home win is tipped.
PREVIEW: Bayern Munich has had a torrid start to their campaign
22/10 Sevilla | Draw 43/20 | Atletico Madrid 27/20 (18:30)
Arguably the biggest game of the round sees Sevilla host Atletico Madrid in an intriguing clash at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan. Just one point separated these two last season as they finished third and fourth respectively. This time, however, Sevilla have endured a dreadful start to the new campaign, with just one win in six games leaving them 13 points behind Real Madrid at the top and eight behind Athletic Bilbao in fourth spot.
Atletico Madrid also haven’t had the best start to their campaign, but Diego Simeone’s men at least have a five-point cushion over the Andalusian club. A tight affair is expected, with the sides tipped to cancel each other out.
15/2 Mallorca | Draw 44/10 | Barcelona 1/3 (21:00)
Barcelona will be looking to pick up from their pre-international break form as they travel to Mallorca in the final game on Saturday.
Xavi’s side are on a five-game winning run in LaLiga and have scored a staggering 18 goals while conceding just once. With nine wins in a row against Mallorca, back the Catalan giants to come away with all three points.
Sunday 2 October
31/20 Espanyol | Draw 23/10 | Valencia 18/10 (14:00)
Valencia will aim to pick up where they left off before the break where they comfortably saw off Celta Vigo 3-0 at the Mestalla Stadium.
Gennaro Gattuso’s side have lost both of their games away from home this term, but will fancy taking all three points against an Espanyol side languishing just above the relegation zone. Diego Martinez’s side have lost four of their six league games. The away win is the way to go.
15/10 Celta Vigo | Draw 47/20 | Real Betis 37/20 (16:15)
Real Betis will be looking to continue their impressive start to the season when they travel to face Celta Vigo on Sunday. Manuel Pellegrini’s men sit third in the table having picked up 15 points from their opening six matches.
Celta, on the other hand, find themselves underperforming in 13th and looking to snap a two-game losing streak. The away win is tipped.
51/20 Girona | Draw 47/20 | Real Sociedad 11/10 (18:30)
Saturday’s penultimate game sees Girona and Real Sociedad square off at the Municipal de Montilivi Stadium. The hosts come into this one off a 2-1 loss away at Real Betis, while the visitors saw off Espanyol 2-1 in front of their home support. Having won three of their last four on the road, I’m going to back the away win.
1/3 Real Madrid | Draw 44/10 | Osasuna 15/2 (21:00)
Real Madrid will aim to keep their perfect record intact when they welcome Osasuna to the Santiago Bernabeu. Carlo Ancelotti’s side will enter this match full of confidence after beating their cross-city rivals Atletico Madrid before the break.
Osasuna, on the other hand, succumbed to a 2-0 home defeat against Getafe and will be looking to bounce back. Back the Spanish and European champions to maintain their 100 percent record in LaLiga. For more value, take Real Madrid and Over 2.5 Goals at 17/20.
Monday 3 October
8/10 Rayo Vallecano | Draw 26/10 | Elche 7/2 (21:00)
We close out the gameweek with a tie between Rayo Vallecano and Elche. After a bright start to the season, holding Barcelona to a goalless draw at the Camp Nou followed by victory away at Espanyol, Rayo have struggled for results, losing to Mallorca, Osasuna and Athletic Bilbao, though they beat Valencia in their last home game. Elche, on the other hand, lie rock bottom of the table having failed to win any of their opening six matches, picking up just one point in the process. Back the home win.
TREBLE @ 10/1
Villarreal Win 13/20
Getafe Win 13/10
Real Betis Win 37/20
