After Sevilla’s 2-0 win over Friday on Elche, Real Madrid’s lead is down to three points but they can restore their advantage on Saturday at Villarreal, while Sunday’s action is completed by the always exciting Barcelona derby.
Resurgent Villarreal Can Test Real
Real sit top of the standings and are in the driving seat to defend their La Liga title, the first time they will have achieved that feat since 2007/08.
They head to the Ceramica at 15:15 and face a team that have won their last two games to zero.
El Submarino Amarillo are also excellent at home, losing just twice on their own patch this term and are 8/5 to beat Real at home for the first time since 2015.
Los Blancos have the best away record in La Liga, winning eight of their 11 games and are 7/4 to make it nine. However, history could be the key to this one.
The duo drew 0-0 at the Bernabeu in September, while the last four renewals of this game have finished as score draws. A tie on its own is 11/5, while the score draw is 12/5.
Only a Win Will Do for Atletico
Last Sunday’s 4-2 defeat at Barcelona was Atletico Madrid’s sixth of the season and ended their three-game unbeaten run in the league.
That result left them two points behind the Blaugrana in the battle for the top four but they can leapfrog Xavi’s men, albeit temporarily, by beating Madrid rivals Getafe on Saturday at 20:00.
Los Azulones have been magnificent in recent months, rising from the foot of the table since Quique Sanchez Flores took over from Michel for his third spell in charge in October and the former Los Colchoneros boss would love to turn his former club over.
Getafe have lost just one of their last 10 La Liga games but have a miserable record when travelling to Atleti, with them not beating their neighbours on the road since 2010.
In fact, they have not scored away against Atletico since that fixture and a ‘No’ in both teams to score is just 1/2.
A home victory to zero could well be the outcome at 11/10, while a 1-0 home win for the third straight season is 3/1.
Brilliant Betis Unlikely to Suffer Levante Lapse
Manuel Pellegrini may have a mixed reputation in England but he is a master in La Liga and currently has his Real Betis side sitting third in the table.
Sunday sees them travel to bottom club Levante, a team who have won just once at home all season. They are 12/5 to improve that run but Betis are the value at 11/10 in the 15:15 kick-off.
Los Beticos have the second-best away record in the division behind only Real Madrid, losing just one of their last five on the road in La Liga.
After losing at home to Villarreal last time out, Pellegrini will be urging his side to bounce back and Borja Iglesias could be vital. The 29-year-old netted twice in his side’s last away league game, a 4-1 win at Espanyol, and is 6/5 in the anytime market.
New Look Barca to Continue Improvement
Finally to a potential Catalan classic, as Barcelona cross the city to take on Espanyol at the RCDE Stadium at 20:00.
The Parakeets have failed to win any of their last five in all competitions, while Barca are back on the bike, winning their last two. The most recent of those was a 4-2 victory over Atletico Madrid, a result that boosted their top-four hopes.
They begin the weekend in the Champions League places and Xavi will look to kick on, with his team 5/9 to still be in the leading quartet in La Liga come the end of the season.
The Blaugrana won the reverse fixture 1-0, in what was Xavi’s first game in charge. That result in their favour is 21/4 but Barca’s new-look side has an air of flamboyance.
With Over 3.5 goals occurring in this fixture last term (a 2-2 draw) another Derbi Barceloni featuring Over 3.5 is 19/10.
*All odds correct at time writing.