La Liga: Real Madrid will bounce back and end Sevilla's title hopes

La Liga Tips: Real Madrid will bounce back and end Sevilla's title hopes

Dan Fitch is backing Real Madrid to beat Sevilla on Sunday, as he previews the best games of the weekend from Spain...

The top four in La Liga play each other this weekend, with only six points separating first and fourth.

On Saturday, the La Liga leaders Atletico Madrid visit third placed Barcelona. Then on Sunday, second placed Real Madrid host fourth placed Sevilla.

With Barcelona able to go top with a win, they are the 2.52 favourites to win La Liga. Atletico are second favourites at 2.86, with Real Madrid at 3.8 and Sevilla at 65.0.

Goals will flow in crucial match

Barcelona 1.83 v Atletico Madrid 4.9; The Draw 3.9
Saturday 8 May, 15:15
Live on LaLigaTV and Betfair Live Video

This is a huge game for Barcelona, who have a rather easy run-in following this match.

Ronald Koeman's team face Levante, Celta Vigo and Eibar after Atletico, which explains their position as favourites to win the title, as their rivals all have more challenging fixtures in which points could easily be dropped.

Though Atletico are erratic right now, it's hard to be confident about Barcelona's chances here. Barca lost the reverse fixture and have not fared well against elite teams this season, even at home, where they have lost to PSG, Juventus and Real Madrid.

With Atletico only winning one of their last six away games (D2 L3), it's best to avoid the result markets. Both teams to score is 1.8 and has landed in each of the last four of Barca's games.

Madrid will end Sevilla's hopes

Real Madrid 2.02 v Sevilla 3.85; The Draw 3.8
Sunday 9 May, 20:00
Live on LaLigaTV and Betfair Live Video

Real Madrid suffered heartbreak in midweek and must now bounce back if they don't want a repeat of that feeling before the season ends.

On Wednesday, Zinedine Zidane's side lost 2-0 at Chelsea in the second-leg of the Champions League semi-final. It was a deserved defeat, with Madrid putting in a flat performance in which they created few chances.

They may find it easier to score against Sevilla, who simply must win to stay in with a chance of winning the title. Last weekend, Sevilla lost 1-0 at home to Athletic Bilbao, which saw them go from being three points behind Atletico Madrid, to six.

Real Madrid are unbeaten in eleven home games and at the very least should extend that run (W8 D3). The price of 2.02 for a home win is big enough to take a chance on Real claiming three vital points.

Low scoring match to end weekend

Betis 1.81 v Granada 4.9; The Draw 3.7
Monday 10 May, 20:00
Live on LaLigaTV and Betfair Live Video

The weekend action concludes with a match that is vital to the European ambitions of Betis.

Betis are seventh in La Liga, which would see them enter the Europa League in the qualification stage. By finishing fifth or sixth, they would go straight into the group stage and at the time of writing, Betis are only two points behind fifth placed Real Sociedad.

That is despite a bizarre run which has seen Betis draw on six consecutive occasions. To be fair to Betis, these games have seen them play the likes of Atletico and Real Madrid, but they really need to start winning matches, with eighth placed Granada only six points behind them and still in with a chance of European qualification.

Granada are an unpredictable side, who followed up a 2-1 away win at Barcelona, by losing at home to Cadiz last weekend. This is another match where it's best to avoid predicting the result. Instead go for under 2.5 goals at 1.95, which has landed in seven of the last eight games involving Betis.