La Liga Betting: Barcelona to warm up for Chelsea with easy win at Málaga

Eibar v Real Madrid
Saturday, 12:00
Live on Sky Sports Football and Betfair Live Video

If Real Madrid have been playing possum in La Liga in order to lure continental opponents into a false sense of security, it appears to be working: Los Merengues were magnificent against Paris Saint-Germain in midweek, putting a performance to strike fear into the hearts of every other side in the competition.

True, PSG were without Neymar, and Marco Verratti's idiocy didn't help their cause much, but Madrid's game management was excellent and Zinedine Zidane got his tactics spot-on. There may have been some eyebrows raised in France at the selection of Lucas Vásquez, but the winger proved his value to the side once again with a performance of great commitment and poise.

Eibar will be tricky this opponents this weekend: the Basques are enjoying another fine season and have turned over Sevilla and Villarreal on home soil in recent weeks. They will be their usual, bullish selves, taking shots aplenty and rattling the Madrid defence. But the visitors are likely to have a spring in their step and should shade an entertaining game, as they did last season in a 4-1 win.

Recommended Bet
Real Madrid to win and both teams to score at 13/8

Getafe safe bets at home

Getafe v Levante
Saturday, 17:30
Live on Sky Sports Red Button and Betfair Live Video

Getafe's hopes of miraculously sneaking into Europe are being dented by their away form: they've only won one game on their travels all season. But they are a reliable proposition on home soil - only Sevilla, Barcelona and Real Madrid have won at the Coliseum - and we like their chances of beating Levante on Saturday.

The Frogs started the season in quietly impressive fashion but their form has dropped off a cliff - six points from the last 45 available - and they are now locked in a four-way race for the safety of 17th. Juan Ramón López Muñiz was sacked after the draw against Espanyol, and while new manager Paco López has promised a bold approach, he will find it tough to get off to a positive start against streetwise opponents.

Recommended Bet
2pts Getafe at 1.75

Málaga no match for Barça

Málaga v Barcelona
Saturday, 19:45
Live on Sky Sports Football and Betfair Live Video

It's always reassuring when you start any game with a trump card, and there are none quite as all-conquering as Lionel Messi. There wasn't much between Barcelona and Atlético Madrid in their pseudo title showdown last weekend, but for one minor detail: the best player in the world was wearing the Blaugrana shirt.

Messi's stunning free-kick - his third in his last three games - should have put all talk of an Atleti title tilt to bed, and thoughts will soon turn back to the Champions League, with Chelsea arriving in town on Tuesday night. All of which makes the trip to Málaga something of a necessary hurdle to clear for Ernesto Valverde and his players.

They should not have much trouble beating the seasiders, who are winless in 12 and have only scored three goals in that period. Yes, they've tightened up a bit at the back since José González arrived, but that's not much use when you're so blunt at the other end, and this could be another tough night for them.

Recommended Bet
Back Barcelona -1.5 & -2.0 at 2.02