This has been a very difficult week for Barcelona who tried their best but did not manage to win qualification to the Champions League final. On Saturday night, they are called to win Villarreal if they want to keep their dreams for the Primera Division title alive!

 
FC Sevilla – Atletico Madrid

Sevilla are actually in 5th position with 54 points.  The Rojiblancos were defetaed 2-1 by Valladolid, beat Sporting Gijon 3-0 and after that lost 4-3 to Getafe away from home last weekend. Atletico aren’t in good league form and the hosts want to take advantage of this to push on at this time. There is enough potential in Sevilla’s squad. They want all three points and want to stay at the top of the table.

Los Colchoneros defeated Tenerife 3-1  at Vicente Calderon but  they have won only two games from their last six in Primera. Their performances are unstable. They must be more consistent and have to go game by game without looking at the opponents. The players need the support of the fans at this time. If they can be successful in this match, they will get themselves into a more comfortable situation.
I believe it will be offensive football and more goals. Over 2,5 goals. Both teams to score.

Real Madrid – Osasuna

It's all change at Santiago Bernabeu: a new president, coach, general manager and eight players have all come in - including the biggest stars from the Premier League, Serie A and Ligue 1. But it isn't going as they expected. Madrid definitely want to win back the Liga title because they were knocked out from the CL and from Copa del Rey. But it will be a hard task - Real are actually in 2nd place on 86 points, one point behind Barcelona. Last round they beat Zaragoza 2-1  away from home.

Osasuna go into this match with ten wins, nine draws and fifteen defeats. They drew 0-0 with Athletic Bilbao at home last weekend. The visitors were constantly in problems a few years ago and spent many rounds of the season in the relegation zone. This year is different and they are at the end of the season in mid-table. Osasuna will depend on their strong defence today.
Anything other than a convincing home victory will be a big surprise. Home win with hcp and over 2,5 goals.


Athletic Bilbao - Mallorca

Athletic still put their faith in a Basque-born squad which fights for the cause. Bilbao stay in 8th position after they drew 0-0 with Osasuna last weekend. They will try to get all three points against Mallorca on Sunday. Coach Caparros will look to get as much as he can out of his team in this season, as he did so successfully last year when they reached the Copa Del Rey final. There is real talent in Athletic’s squad and they are really strong at San Mames.

Safety has always been the main aim for the Islanders in the last years because Mallorca rebuild the team almost every season. A few important players like playmaker Arango and Jurado left the island club in the summer. But despite this they play very well and are in 4th place with 56 points . They won fourteen matches at ONO Estadi but their away form is not so impressive. Mallorca picked up only 13 points away from home.
There are valuable odds on Athletic’s victory...home win
 

Saturday Previews

Malaga – Sporting Gijon

The Andalucians were thought likely to be one of the candidates for relegation at the start of last season, but instead they stayed in mid-table territory and had a solid season. But this year things are different and they are actually in 17th position only two points above the relegation zone. Their main goal will be to stay in Primera. Today they definitely want all three points.

Sporting had very good start to La Liga. they had one of the worst defences last season in Primera Division, but this season is different and they have conceded 46 goals in 34 rounds. They are actually in 14th place with 37 points. The visitors have some fast players and are good on the counter-attack. The key to the game is going to be in defence, because both teams will have chances.
I think it will be convincing home win



Valladolid – Getafe

Valladolid are still hoping to break out of the relegation zone. They will try to come out with more aggression at home but it will be a hard task to take all three points against Getafe. In the previous round the hosts beat Sporting Gijon 2-0 away from home. Last year, Valladolid managed to secure survival in the last round. They have serious problems this year once again.

Getafe are actually in 7th place on 50 points. In 34th round they defeated FC Sevilla 4-3 at home. The game against Valladolid will be tough, but Getafe have good tactics in away games and can play very well on counter-attacks. The visitors will hope to be aggressive enough to create and profit from their chances today.
The best pick is under 2,5 goals

Tenerife – Racing Santander

Tenerife return to Primera division after several years in the second and they are actually in 19th place and in the relegation zone. In the summer only a few players arrived on loans or with free transfer because the club had no funds in their budgets. They have problems in front of goal but Tenerife are dangerous at Heliodoro Rodriguez Stadium. On the other hand, their away form is poor and they picked up only six points away from home.

Santander are in 15th position and they want to break out of the bottom part of the table.  They lost 2-1 to Villarreal in their last home match. It is a different Racing in the recent season because some important players from all positions left the squad in the summer. I think Santander will finish the league in the middle of the table, some places above the relegation zone.
I believe Tenerife will win this game.



Xerez – Almeria

The hosts are still in 20th position and scored only 31 times in 34 rounds. Xerez had a difficult start in Primera. They have actually only 27 points. Xerez’s key players must stay healthy and must play much better to stay in the league but it will be a very hard task because they are 7 points behind Malaga who are in 17th place.

Almeria have won only once in the last eight games. They lie in 13th place in the table on 38 points after recording nine wins, eleven draws and fourteen defeats. They were defeated 1-0 by Espanyol at home last weekend. The visitors must be more consistent and have to go game by game without looking at the opponents. Almeria want to finish in a mid-table position and avoid the relegation battle.
Hard to predict. No bet



Deportivo La Coruna – Real Zaragoza

Deportivo started this season very well. They have actually 44 points. La Coruna have dangerous players, great defence and may trouble every team in Primera Division. Forward Riki has been the club’s main striking option in the first half of the season. This game against Zaragoza won’t be easy, but Deportivo play very well at Riazor.

Zaragoza’s former La Liga players and stars are gone and the club are trying to build a new and better team. Their main season’s goal is standing in the top half of the table. But Real are actually sitting in 16th place on 34 points. Los Blanquillos must play in this match with order, concentration and try to get into positions to cause danger. They believe that they will be able to use any mistake of the rivals who are ahead of them on the standings.
Most probably a draw.

Espanyol – Valencia

Espanyol are in 11th place on 41 points for ten wins and eleven draws. Coach Pochetino is facing dilemmas about which tactics he should use against Valencia. Espanyol won’t field a completely defensive line-up but they also must take care not to rush forward. They have still problems in front of goal and must be more effective. Los Perequitos scored only 27 goals in 34 games. The midfield will be the key to success today.

The visitors have had a good start to the season and they were always in the top four. Los Che are actually in 3rd place and suffered eight defeats. They have had no problems scoring goals, netting 53 in 34 matches. They are a talented team who have good players, capable of deciding a game with individual actions. Valencia are one of the most organized teams in the league. They want to stay at the top of the table. Season‘s goal was to be in the top-four position.
I think it will be a draw and under 2,5 goals



Villarreal – FC Barcelona

Villarreal are hoping for their sixteenth La Liga victory today. The hosts are playing much better as they did at the beginning of the season. They have great players especially in the offense. Despite the bad start, the main goal for the club is still to qualify for the Champions League. Villarreal have definitely the quality and the experience in the squad. They will go there with the same mentality as in the previous home games and they will be trying to win.

Barcelona stay in 1st place after they won 3-1 against Xerez at Camp Nou. The visitors are a team that strike fear into the hearts of all because they still produce spectacular football. They rarely give up a game as lost. When a team wins every competition they enter, the tendency is to want to be the same team the next season. Although they were knocked out from Copa del Rey and from Champions League, they will be highly motivated today.
It will be offensive football...both teams to score, over 2,5 goals or over 3,5 goals.