La Liga Betting Previews for Games Playing January 26 – 27
January 24th, 2008
The end of the January transfer window is rapidly approaching, and though there is still enough time for deals to be done, Real Madrid have conceded that they cannot tempt Cesc Fabregas or Cristiano Ronaldo to Spain. Likewise it appears that Ronaldinho will be staying put with Barcelona, and that the Catalans won’t be making any significant additions to their squad. Keep one eye on the transfer tickers until the window shuts, but fully focus on getting up to 60% better La Liga betting odds at PinnacleSports.com.
First Plays Third in La Liga Table-Top Clash
Saturday’s game at the Bernabeu between La Liga leaders, Real Madrid, and third-placed Villarreal looks like a mouth-watering tie. However, though only two places separate the sides, Los Blancos have a massive twelve point lead over the Yellow Submarine, thanks in part to a 100% home record. The visitors are black and white on the road, winning five and losing four, with no draws. The more worrying statistic for coach, Manuel Pellegrini, is that his side of conceded just two goals less on the road than rock-bottom, Levante, losing their last away game 3-0 to Espanyol.
Real Madrid recently suffered a shock exit from the Copa Del Rey, but means they will be fresher than Villarreal who remain in the tournament. They faced Barcelona in a quarter-final first leg at home on Thursday night, three days before this key game. Both teams were boosted by key wins last weekend, Villarreal thrashing Valencia 3-0, while Real won the Madrid Derby. The bad news for the Galacticos is that Brazilian full back, Pepe, was lost to injury, joining defenders Gabriel Heinze and Christoph Metzelder on the sidelines. Los Merengues hammered Villarreal 5-0 earlier in the season, but the last two meetings at the Bernabeu ended drawn. PinnacleSports.com make Real Madrid favourites 2.190 (-1 & -1.5)* with Villarreal 1.775 (+1 & +1.5)* – a market priced to less than 102%.
Multinational Catalans Face All Basque Bilbao
Athletic Bilbao are unique in Spanish football in operating a policy to select players drawn only from the team’s Basque heartland. The side have suffered in recent years under this Cantera policy, being embroiled in relegation battles in recent seasons. This year looks like being a similar story with the Lions hovering above the relegation zone by virtue of goal difference only. On Sunday they host Barcelona at San Mames, who in contrast feature nine different nationalities.
Two of Barca’s key imports – Samuel Eto’o and Yaya Toure – are absent, playing in the African Nations Cup, while Ronaldinho and Lionel Messi have recently recovered from injury. The Catalans may be unbeaten in six games, but they have lacked fluency and confidence, and have the additional burden of having played three days earlier against Villarreal in a Cope Del Rey quarter-final. PinnacleSports.com make Barcelona favourites 1.813 (-0.5 & -1)* with Athletic Bilbao 2.130 (+0.5 & +1)*.
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