Real Betis v Valencia
Saturday, 12:00
Live on Sky Sports 4
13th vs 16th does not look like much of a glamour tie on paper and indeed I wouldn't blame you if you elected not to find time for this in your Saturday schedule. But there looks to be value lurking in the outright odds, with hosts Real Betis a nice bet against struggling Valencia.
The hosts have had a handy two-week break because their game against Deportivo La Coruña was called off last week. That means they should be well rested and raring to go at the Benito Villamarín. They were held to a galling draw by Sporting Gijón in their penultimate game there, but made amends when Barcelona came to town, putting in a superb display that would have yielded three points rather than just one on another day.
They will be keen to replicate that display and if they can get anywhere near the same level, they should me more than a match for Valencia. The new-manager bounce under Voro appears to have worn off already and Los Che were abject last week, shipping four goals at home to Eibar. They're without Carlos Soler and Ezequiel Garay (both suspended) here, so you wouldn't fancy them to keep out Rubén Castro and co.
Betis have managed six clean sheets on home soil this term, have won each of the last four meetings between the sides in Andalusia are unbeaten in La Liga when they have scored the first goal (W6 D1). They're often businesslike rather than thrilling in attack, but against a side as fragile as Valencia, we like their chances of success.
Recommended Bet
Back Real Betis to win at 2.56
Saturday, 12:00
Live on Sky Sports 4
13th vs 16th does not look like much of a glamour tie on paper and indeed I wouldn't blame you if you elected not to find time for this in your Saturday schedule. But there looks to be value lurking in the outright odds, with hosts Real Betis a nice bet against struggling Valencia.
The hosts have had a handy two-week break because their game against Deportivo La Coruña was called off last week. That means they should be well rested and raring to go at the Benito Villamarín. They were held to a galling draw by Sporting Gijón in their penultimate game there, but made amends when Barcelona came to town, putting in a superb display that would have yielded three points rather than just one on another day.
They will be keen to replicate that display and if they can get anywhere near the same level, they should me more than a match for Valencia. The new-manager bounce under Voro appears to have worn off already and Los Che were abject last week, shipping four goals at home to Eibar. They're without Carlos Soler and Ezequiel Garay (both suspended) here, so you wouldn't fancy them to keep out Rubén Castro and co.
Betis have managed six clean sheets on home soil this term, have won each of the last four meetings between the sides in Andalusia are unbeaten in La Liga when they have scored the first goal (W6 D1). They're often businesslike rather than thrilling in attack, but against a side as fragile as Valencia, we like their chances of success.
Recommended Bet
Back Real Betis to win at 2.56
Deportivo Alavés v Barcelona
Saturday, 15:15
The fixture list writes its own punchlines and has produced a mildly diverting one for us on Saturday afternoon. Alavés and Barcelona both battled through Copa del Rey semi-finals this week and instantly meet in a dry run for the final, which will take place in late May.
It's probably not the fixture Alavés wanted. They have had 24 hours' less rest than their Catalan visitors and their victory over a Celta Vigo was fairly draining, both physically and emotionally. It took a late Edgar goal to get them over the line at the Estadio Mendizorroza and the celebrations at full-time underlined the magnitude of the achievement. It's only the second final in their history.
Barça didn't have it all their own way against Atlético Madrid either. Both Sergi Roberto and Luis Suárez were sent off at Camp Nou (their bans apply in the cup only, so both are available for this game), and there was some desperate defending on display after Kevin Gameiro levelled on the night. But they got the job done and can now put the Copa to the backs of their minds while they focus on more pressing matters: there is a league deficit to address and their Champions League campaign resumes on Tuesday against Paris Saint-Germain.
There is a change Luis Enrique will rotate a touch ahead of that game, which could impact the side's fluency. Certainly, we don't see much value in the 1.35 available for the straight away win, not least because Alavés have been so resolute on home soil: they have only trailed for 66 minutes all season on their own patch.
If Alavés' midweek exertions are to take their toll, it will likely be later in the game, when Barcelona tend to do most of their business on the road. Eight of Barça's last nine league away games have produced more goals in the second half than in the first, so we again like the look of 'Second Half' in the Half With Most Goals market.
We'll also throw in the 0-0 half-time score at bigger odds. This would have yielded profit in eight Alavés home matches this term (all competitions) and four of Barça's last five league away games.
Recommended Bets
Back 'Second Half' in Half With Most Goals at 2.00
Back 0-0 half-time score at 3.10
Osasuna v Real Madrid
Saturday, 19:45
Live on Sky Sports 2
The winds of Galicia brought bad news for Real Madrid last week: despite their protests, their game against Celta Vigo was called off, meaning they are now two matches in arrears, with no obvious spot in their calendar presenting itself to help them catch up. At some point, Los Merengues are going to have a nasty fixture pile-up on their hands.
Those concerns will have to wait, of course, and in the short term they can console themselves with a very winnable fixture against doomed Osasuna, a side 19 places and fully 36 points worse off than them in the standings. Osasuna are winless in 13 league games (their worst run ever in the top flight) and have yet to pick up a single victory at home. That, suffice to say, is relegation form.
To make matters worse, the side from Pamplona have players missing: key midfielder Roberto Torres serves a ban here, while Miguel Ángel de las Cuevas is likely to be absent again due to injury. There has been some spark up front in recent games, with the explosive Sergio Léon catching the eye, but the defence is far too frail, even with everyone fit.
Madrid play Napoli on Wednesday evening, but given they've just had a fortnight off, it's unlikely Zinedine Zidane will rotate for this one. They were impressive against Real Sociedad last time out and should have more than enough for this Osasuna side.
All of Madrid's away wins in La Liga have been by at least two clear goals. Osasuna have shipped three or more in four of their last five home games, so we're expecting Zidane's men to cruise to another victory here.
Recommended Bet
Back Real Madrid -1.5 & -2.0 at 1.80
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