Sevilla Closing Gap in La Liga
There are only three teams in La Liga that haven’t lost in their last three games. Believe it or not, Real Madrid and Barcelona aren’t among those teams. We’re talking about Sevilla, Granada and Getafe.
Real Madrid is still in the lead, but it has played one more game than the rest of the top five. If Sevilla wins its pending game against visiting Getafe, the gap between them and first place would narrow to two points. If you’re a soccer betting enthusiast, you should pay close attention to La Liga’s next fixture.
Spanish La Liga Breakdown
Bump in the Road
Real Madrid started the new year visiting Getafe and lost 1-0. That was their first defeat in their last 12 domestic games and second overall. Curiously enough, both losses have been on the road. Getafe was offering a +550 price, so it was a huge upset.
Getafe scored nine minutes into the game, leaving plenty of time for Madrid to turn things around. They won possession with 74 percent and finished with more shots on target but had no luck getting the equalizer.
Los Blancos will try to bounce back by beating Valencia at Santiago Bernabéu, where they own a 6-3-0 record. They come in as huge betting online favorites at -300, but watch out, Valencia always puts up a fight in the Spanish capital.
Sevilla took advantage of Madrid losing to reduce the gap between the two to five points. They did it by beating Cadiz 1-0 thanks to a goal from Lucas Ocampos. Cadiz isn’t a powerhouse, but they recently managed to draw with Madrid at Santiago Bernabéu.
On Sunday, Sevilla will play host to Getafe. We’re talking about two of the most motivated teams across Europe, so you can expect quite a show. The home side controls the betting lines thanks to a -170 price.
Turning Things Around
Barcelona hasn’t had a good season, but they’re starting to turn things around. Los Azulgranas haven’t lost in their last four games, allowing them to move up to fifth place. In fact, they’re one victory away from potentially climbing to third place.
Most recently, they beat Mallorca 1-0 despite having 17 players out due to COVID-19/injury. Xavi Hernandez has done a great job establishing a winning mentality, no matter who plays.
Fortunately for Barca, most of the absent players will be back this weekend. They also come in as the -140 favorites to win at Granada. The bad news is that Pedri and Ferran Torres tested positive, so they won’t be available.
Don’t forget that Granada is one of the teams that hasn’t lost in their last three games. It won’t be an easy game, that’s why I recommend you include the draw at +300 in your soccer picks.
Hot Competition at Bottom
That’s right, not only the top is on fire. There are only four points between 15th and 18th place. Deportivo Alaves, Cadiz and Levante are currently in the relegation zone, but a lot could change this weekend.
Levante will remain in the relegation zone no matter what, but Cadiz and Alves could get out with a victory. Levante comes in as the slight favorite to beat Mallorca on Saturday at +115. I’m not so sure about that one.
Alaves and Cadiz come in as underdogs against Athletic Bilbao and Cadiz. If you’re looking for an underdog to include in your online gambling ticket, go with Cadiz at +480. Osasuna hasn’t won in its last five games.
Top Scorers
Real Madrid lost its last game, but that didn’t prevent Karim Benzema from remaining at the top of the league’s scoring chart. The French striker has scored 15 goals, four more than Juanmi Jimenez (Real Betis), who sits in second place.
Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior is among the top five scorers with 10 goals. He didn’t play last week due to COVID-19, but he’s expected to return this weekend. He’ll be eager to prove that he can make a huge difference on the field.
Last but not least, we’ve Iago Aspas (Celta de Vigo) and Joselu (Deportivo Alaves) with 10 goals. They deserve a lot of praise because both teams aren’t even in the top 10.
