This is the 38th and final round of the Spanish Primera Division for the season 2009-2010 and both Barcelona and Real have the chance to be crowned as this season's Champions.

Racing Santander – Sporting Gijon
Santander are in 19th position and want to break out of the relegation zone. They were defeated by Valladolid 2-1 in their last away game a week ago. Coach Miguel Angel has a team that underachieved last season. Their defence was solid, only conceding forty-eight goals but the two starting central defenders (Iván Marcano and Ezequiel Garay) are gone. Racing  have conceded 48 goals this season. The game against Sporting will be the most important game of the season for Racing. They definitely need all three points today.

Sporting had a solid start to La Liga. Gijon had one of the worst defences last season in the Primera Division, but this season it is different and they have conceded 49 goals. It is the main reason why they are in 14th place with 40 points. The visitors should be more conservative but their insistence on winning a match is refreshing when compared to other teams at their level.
Home win, home win with handicap (-1, -1.5)at 1.775 atBet365



FC Barcelona – Valladolid
The situation is clear. Barca is one point ahead of Real Madrid. If they win, they will get the Liga title. Barcelona have a first team of the highest quality and the youngsters to fill in when legs become tired. And they have Lionel Messi, the man who can change a game with a moment of brilliance. Barca took a somewhat different approach in their summer dealings to their opponents. They had the advantage of not needing to gel, as the team was virtually the same. Anything other than a convincing home victory will be a big surprise today.

Valladolid have 36 points and are in 16th place. But the 19th Racing have also 36.  So the visitors will be hoping to stay above the relegation zone. They beat Racing 2-1 in very a important match in a previous round. They will try to come out with more aggression but it will be a very hard task to take some points from Camp Nou. Ever since Valladolid returned to La Liga in the 2007/2008 season, they have narrowly escaped relegation both seasons. And they are fighting relegation once again.
Home win with handicap (-2.5) at 1.70 atBet365, over 3,5 at 1.70 atBet365 Barca to keep a clean sheet at 1.53 atBet365

Valencia – Tenerife
Valencia have kept most of the core of the team, with Raul Albiol being the only significant player to leave. David Silva has been much fitter after a frustrating last season due to chronic ankle problems, and the Three Brothers, Juan Mata on the right, Silva on the left, and David Villa in the middle, terrorized opposing defences with their speed and versatility. Los Che will finish in 3rd place behind Barca and Real. Their main goal was to qualify for the Champions League.

Tenerife returned to the Primera division after several years in the second and they are actually in 18th place and in the relegation zone. They have had problems in front of goal (scored 40 goals in 37 matches). Despite a few summer transactions, the fate of Tenerife falls on the two forwards Nino and Alfaro.  Tenerife must take some points because four teams on 16th – 19th place have 36 points.
It will be offensive football...over 2,5 at 1.50 at youwin.com, both teams to scoreat 1.50 atBet365
 

Osasuna – Xerez
Osasuna go into this match with eleven wins, nine draws and seventeen defeats. They were defeated by Espanyol 2-1 away from home last weekend. The hosts constantly had 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.

The visitors are still in 20th position and scored only 37 times in 33 rounds. Xerez had a difficult start in the Primera and have actually only 33 points. With nothing to lose, the newcomer entered La Liga capable of springing a few surprises. But Xerez are a team containing only a few players with top-level experience. Everyone expects them to go down, and they probably will.
I think the best choice is under 2,5 goals at 2.10 at youwin.com
 

Malaga – Real Madrid
The Andalucians finished last season on 8th place but the actual season is different and they are in 17th position. Malaga are another team who have 36 points in the table.  Along with manager Tapia, some of the important players from the previous season also left. Their main goal is to stay in the Primera.

Real Madrid go into this match with thirty-one wins, two draws and four defeats. Merengues thrashed Athletic 5-1 at Santiago Bernabeu last weekend. This is the last league game of the season and they are actually one point behind Barcelona  They will be highly motivated for the game against Malaga . They want to exert maximum pressure on their opponents  and take all three points.
Away win with handicap (-1.5 , -2) at 2.175 at Bet365, over 2,5 at 1.32 atBet365


 

Saturday Games:

Athletic Bilbao – Deportivo La Coruna
Athletic stay in 8th position after they were defeated by Real Madrid 5-1 last weekend. But the hosts will be confident and try to get all three points against Deportivo on Saturday evening. Bilbao have a competitive workforce and coach Caparros duty is to get the maximum performance out of his players. Led by forward Fernando Llorente and Bilbao legend Joseba Etxeberria, Los Leones will finish in 8th place this season.

Deportivo aim to keep their 10th place going against Athletic. La Coruna started this season very well, but their form has been slightly on the downturn. They have 47 points after 37 matches. Since the 2003-2004 season, they have been a consistent top ten team apart from an anomalous thirteenth in 2006-2007. Depor have some talented players in the squad. They want at least one point from San Mames but it will be hard task.
Home win @ 1.75 at youwin.com and over 2,5 @ 1.70 at youwin.com

 

Atletico Madrid – Getafe
Uruguay striker Diego Forlan scored both goals, including an extra-time winner, to give Atletico Madrid a 2-1 win over Fulham in the Europa League final and hand them their first trophy for 14 years. On the other hand, things haven‘t been going as they expected in the Primera Division. Los Colchoneros are the only team to defeat Barca in the league but they will finish only in 9th or 10th position. They must be more consistent in the next season.

Coach Michel hoped to take Getafe to a mid-table finish away from the relegation scrap. Pedro Leon has been brought in from Valladolid and striker Roberto Soldado underlines the quality. Also the signings of Daniel Parejo and Derek Boateng were very good. The visitors are actually in 6th place on 55 points and they want a Europa league spot. They beat Malaga 2-1 at home in the previous round.
I think the best pick is a draw @ 4.20 at youwin.com
 

Real Zaragoza – Villarreal
Zaragoza former La Liga players and stars are gone and the club is trying to build a new and capable team. Their main season’s goal was to find a place in the top half of the table. But are actually only sitting in 15th place on 40 points. The hosts were seeking redemption as they hoped to repay their loyal fans for the support they were given even when they were in the unfashionable Segunda division. With new players and the guidance of coach Jose Aurelio Gay, Zaragoza should be comfortable in mid-table another year.

Such a strong Villarreal squad was truly disappointing at the start of La Liga. They have actually 55 points after 37 rounds. What also hurt Villarreal’s defence are the matches Marco Senna missed due to injury. A rock in front of the back four, Senna’s ability and leadership are vital in Villarreal’s chances to reclaim a Europa league spot. Yellow Submarine are aiming to take all three points against Zaragoza after they defeated Valencia 2-0.
Villarreal to win @ 1.80 at youwin.com
 

Almeria – FC Sevilla
Almeria aren’t in form - they have won only one game in their last seven. They lie in 12th place in the table on 42 points after recording ten wins, twelve draws and fifteen defeats. The hosts drew with Tenerife 2-2 in the 37th round. The departure of Bruno, Mane and Carlos Garcia has left the defence in a little disarray. On the other hand, coach Hugo Sanchez has shown an ability to breed confidence in his team to avoid relegation to the second tier.

The visitors are actually in 4th position, one point over Mallorca.  The Rojiblancos were defeated by Barcelona 3-2 in their last home game a week ago. Sevilla have developed a reputation for being hard to break down in defence. They allowed only thirty-nine goals in their last campaign and forty-seven this season. The visitors want all three points and to stay in 4th place which means a Champions League spot.
Sevilla will take all three points...away win@ 1.44 at youwin.com

 

Mallorca – Espanyol
In the recent season, Mallorca have played like the team who finished with a flurry and fought their way into ninth place at the end of the campaign last season. Mallorca are in 5th place with 59 points. They won fourteen matches from eighteen at ONO Estadi with an impressive score of 40:15 and are the biggest surprise in the league. Another key element in Mallorca maintaining their winning mentality is the stability of the goalkeeper position.

Last season’s ending run showed that when Espanyol score, they can be a daunting team to play because of the defence led by Jarque and Pareja. Before the tragedy befalling Daniel Jarque, Espanyol looked like a team that would be able to contend with the likes of Valencia, Sevilla, Atletico, Villarreal and Deportivo for a top six finish. But the season 2009/10 wasn’t good for the visitors. They have scored only 29 goals, conceded 44 and are in 11th place on 44 points for eleven wins and eleven draws.
I believe it will be the 15th home victory for Mallorca as low as 1.29 at youwin.com