La Liga Tips: Barca will bounce back against Cadiz

La Liga Tips: Barca will bounce back against Cadiz

Barcelona are reeling after being thumped by PSG in midweek but Dan Fitch expects them to claim three points against Cadiz, as he previews the pick of the weekend's La Liga action...

Atletico have chance for swift revenge

Atletico Madrid 1.58 v Levante 7.6; The Draw 4.1
Saturday 20 February, 15:15
Live on LaLigaTV and Betfair Live Video

Atletico Madrid face Levante for the second this this week and they will be looking to pick up a better result than they managed in the reverse fixture.

Levante hosted Atletico on Wednesday and took an early lead. Atletico equalised through Marcos Llorente before half-time, but could not add another goal. The 1-1 draw was the second stalemate for Atletico in their last three games (W1).

Dropping points is somewhat inevitable considering that Atletico have started leaking goals. They've now conceded in six consecutive games (W4 D2) and though they still have a relatively healthy lead over second placed Real Madrid of six points with a game in hand, Atletico are now in a weaker position than they were a couple of weeks ago.

With the last game between the clubs being so recent, Levante should be confident and there's every reason to think that Atletico could concede again. A home win and both teams to score is 3.8.

Benzema starting to find form

Valladolid 7.4 v Real Madrid 1.54; The Draw 4.5
Saturday 20 February, 20:00
Live on LaLigaTV and Betfair Live Video

Real Madrid have now won three games in a row and will expect a fourth victory when they travel to struggling Valladolid.

The hosts are 18th in La Liga and have lost three of their last four games (D1). Valladolid's home record also makes for bleak reading, losing four of their last five matches on their own turf (D1).

Madrid's hopes of retaining the title that they won last year, have been boosted by Atletico's recent draws. Somehow they need to reproduce the sort of consistency that they found in the title run-in last summer, but it seems unlikely in a campaign in which Real have never been far away from a temporary slump in form.

Karim Benzema was a key figure for Madrid when they won the title and he's now scored in each of his last two games. With the potential there for Real to score a few goals against weak opposition, back Benzema to score at 1.96.

Barca can crush Cadiz

Barcelona 1.18 v Cadiz 20.0; The Draw 9.2
Sunday 21 February, 13:00
Live on LaLigaTV and Betfair Live Video

Barcelona will be looking to bolster their confidence when they host Cadiz on Sunday afternoon.

After a period in which Barca produced their most consistent run of results under Ronald Koeman, they have been dealt a couple of painful reminders, which have shown exactly how far they've fallen. Just over a week ago they were beaten 2-0 at Sevilla in the first-leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final and then in midweek, they were thrashed 4-1 at home by PSG in the last-16 of the Champions League.

The pressure is mounting upon Ronald Koeman, but when you consider that Barcelona sacked two managers last season, getting rid of another seems unlikely to solve their issues. A poor result in this match might push Koeman closer to an exit, but we have to expect Barca to get back to winning ways.

At home, Barcelona are now unbeaten in eight games (W6 D2), while 15th placed Cadiz have lost each of their last four matches. Barcelona are 2.2 to win both halves, which has been a successful bet in each of Cadiz's last four games.