The Spanish La Liga rolls into its fourth week, with Celta Vigo and Cadiz kicking us off this Friday evening, before a host of exciting fixtures take place across the weekend.
Here are our predictions for how we think the fixtures will play out.
Friday 2 September
15/20 Celta Vigo | Draw 26/10 | Cadiz 38/10 (21:00)
Celta Vigo look to pick up their second win of the campaign against rock-bottom Cadiz who have lost their opening three games. The Galacian side picked up their first win of the season with a 1-0 away victory at Girona last Friday. Take the home win here.
Saturday 3 September
12/10 Mallorca | Draw 23/10 | Girona 51/20 (14:00)
Mallorca picked up their first three points of the season with a 2-0 victory away to a Rayo Vallecano team who managed to shut out Barcelona at the Camp Nou on the opening weekend.
The Palma-based outfit will be looking to build on that win when they host a Girona side who come off a 1-0 home defeat against Celta Vigo. The newly-promoted side have lost their last six away games in La Liga, making the home win at 12/10 too good to pass up.
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5/10 Real Madrid | Draw 37/10 | Real Betis 48/10 (16:15)
Real Madrid and Real Betis will see their 100% La Liga records go on the line when they go head to head at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday afternoon.
Both sides have enjoyed victories in each of their three opening games, but the Spanish and European champions are strong favourites to pick up all three points. It’s usually a tight affair when these teams face off and I think that will be the case once again, therefore, I suggest taking Under 2.5 Goals at 15/10 – this betting market has come out in each of the last three meetings between the sides.
37/20 Real Sociedad | Draw 22/10 | Atletico Madrid 16/10 (18:30)
Real Sociedad got back to winning ways with a hard-fought 1-0 victory away to Elche last weekend. The win was much needed after a heavy 4-1 home defeat by Barcelona, coupled with the sale of Alexander Isak to Newcastle United.
Imanol Alguacil’s side will be hoping to continue their winning ways, but face a stern test against Atletico Madrid who have won on each of their last two trips to the Reale Arena. Diego Simeone’s men have also won their last four away games in La Liga. Back them to edge a tight affair at 16/10.
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26/10 Sevilla | Draw 24/10 | Barcelona 21/20 (21:00)
Barcelona are next in action on Saturday evening when they travel to the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan to take on Sevilla. Xavi Hernandez’s side followed up their 4-1 win at Real Sociedad with a 4-0 win over Real Valladolid at the Camp Nou to make it eight goals in two games, with Robert Lewandowski netting a brace in each match.
The Blaugrana will be confident of claiming all three points against Sevilla who are yet to register a win despite facing two newly-promoted sides. In their three games played, Julen Lopetegui’s side have lost to Osasuna and Almeria in between a draw at home to Valladolid. The away win is the way to go.
Sunday 4 September
11/10 Osasuna | Draw 9/4 | Rayo Vallecano 26/10 (14:00)
Osasuna failed to go the entire month of August with a 100 percent winning record. After back-to-back victories over Sevilla and Cadiz, the Pamplona-based side slumped to their first defeat of the season in a 1-0 loss away to Real Betis.
Osasuna will aim to get back on track against Rayo Vallecano on Sunday. The Madrid-based outfit come off a 2-0 home defeat against Mallorca. Jagoba Arrasate’s side beat Rayo home and away in La Liga last season and will fancy taking all three points. The home win is tipped.
5/10 Athletic Bilbao | Draw 32/10 | Espanyol 56/10 (16:15)
Athletic Bilbao will look to continue their unbeaten start to the season when they welcome Espanyol to San Mames on Sunday.
Ernesto Valverde’s side, who have picked up seven points from their first nine available, will be confident of claiming all three points against an Espanyol team who remain winless in the league. The home win is the way to go.
4/10 Villarreal | Draw 36/10 | Elche 13/2 (18:30)
Villarreal will be out to return to winning ways when they host Elche on Sunday. Unai Emery would have been disappointed with his side’s goalless draw away to Getafe last weekend, but the former Arsenal boss will be confident his men can see off the Valencian outfit who remain winless after three rounds. The Yellow Submarine won this fixture 4-1 last season and will be hoping for the same outcome. Back the home win.
12/10 Valencia | Draw 22/10 | Getafe 26/10 (21:00)
Gennaro Gattuso will be hoping to get Valencia’s season back on track when they host Getafe in the final game on Sunday. The Bats started the campaign on the right note with a 1-0 home victory against Girona, but back-to-back defeats against Athletic Bilbao and Atletico Madrid has raised concern.
The signing of Uruguayan striker Edinson Cavani however will give the Mestalla outfit a massive lift, and they’ll fancy taking all three points against the Azulones who remain winless after three rounds. Back the home win.
Monday 5 September
11/10 Real Valladolid | Draw 24/10 | Almeria 5/2 (21:00)
We close out the gameweek with a tie between the newly promoted sides as Real Valladolid welcome Almeria to the Jose Zorrilla Stadium on Monday night.
The two sides have had contrasting starts, with Valladolid yet to pick up their first three points of the campaign, while Almeria have taken four after three rounds. When the sides met in the Segunda Division last term, Almeria took four points from the two meetings. I’m backing the visitors on the Win/Draw Double Chance at 6/10.
TREBLE @ 5/1
Osasuna Win 11/10
Villarreal Win 4/10
Valencia Win 12/10
