I've got a bumper preview for the two biggest clubs in Spain who are both in action today as Barcelona host Las Palmas while Real welcome Malaga to the Santiago Bernabeu. Here are my Key Facts and extended previews for our Spanish heavyweights. 15:00 Barcelona vs Las Palmas - Prediction 3.1 - Suggested Bets - Las Palmas plus 3 to win @1/1 KEY FACTS * Barcelona have only won 5 of their last 13 at home by more than 2 goals and only 2 of their last 6. * Las Palmas have lost just 1 of their last 4, recording an impressive 2.0 win over Sevilla in their last fixture * Las Palmas are they only team to take a point from league leaders Celta Vigo * Barcelona have conceded in 5 of their last 10 home games. * Barcelona have won 49 of their last 55 home league fixtures * Las Palmas have only lost 1 of their last 21 fixtures by more than 1 goal, albeit in the lower division. FINAL VERDICT - Don't expect a mugging in Barcelona (not unless you are on the Rambla at 3am) Barcelona are a team in crisis. Well it's maybe not quite a crisis, but one bad defeat can give you that impression in Catalunya and what a result it was on Wednesday as The Blaugrana crashed to a shock 4.1 thumping in Vigo at the hands of early pace setters Celta who themselves remain unbeaten in 5 fixtures. Barcelona were very much outplayed on Wednesday with former Liverpool flop Iago Aspas helping himself to 2 goals against an increasingly vulnerable looking Barcelona defence. For a club with Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar forming it's attack, it's hard to imagine that Barcelona could be ailing in any shape or form but they have looked jaded in the early part of the campaign and reinforcements are desired but not possible due to Barcelona being naughty boys in their pursuit of youth team players in years gone by which resulted in FIFA banning them from signing any new players until January 2016. Boo! With that transfer embargo still in place til January, the Catalans have now asked for special permission to allow summer signing Arda Turan to sidestep the ban and take part in first team fixtures following the serious injury to Rafinha that has left Barca somewhat light in midfield. FIFA had banned the La Liga champions from registering players for two transfer windows because of their failure to adhere with rules on the signing of under-18 players but despite the ban, Barcelona signed Turan from Atletico Madrid this summer as well as Aleix Vidal from Sevilla, even though they were aware they would not be able to use both players until January. Yes, of course they did. It's Barcelona. More than a club as they say and more power than your ordinary club. If there is to be any leeway granted to the Catalans it would surely grant further leverage to those who suggest that this is a club with far too much power in it's pockets. You may well wonder why they don't use that famous academy of theirs to fill the void left by the ever so irreplaceable Rafihna, who has started a huge 15 matches in his 4 years with the club or perhaps they shouldn't have been so quick to loan out midfielders Alen Halilovic and Alex Song. You really couldn't make it up but this is Barcelona although it would be a staggering decision if FIFA did allowTuran to feature before 2016. Returning to on field matters, Barca should be wary of Las Palmas with the Islanders coming into this fixture having beaten last season's Europa League champions Sevilla on Wednesday and they will be full of confidence following a really decent start to the new campaign in this their first season in the top flight for 13 years. The visitors performed well in a narrow 1.o loss at Atletico Madrid on the opening day of the season while their 3.3 away draw at Celta Vigo is starting to look like an impressive result considering the early season form of Celta and having taken care of Sevilla with a 2.0 win in their most recent fixture, they cannot be taken lightly here. A home win is of course expected at silly 1/14 odds but for me we have yet to see anywhere near the best of Barcelona this season and I'm not convinced they will win this as handsomely as they normally do in home fixtures at the Camp Nou so I'm taking a chance on Las Palmas plus 3 goals at tasty odds of 1/1 with the recent form suggesting it has a decent chance. The visitors will be confident and I fancy they can hold on to a handicap win at plus 3 even if they can't get a result for themselves on the day. 17:15 Real Madrid vs Malaga - Prediction 2.0 - Suggested Bets - Karim Benzema to score anytime @8/13 Key Facts * Real Madrid have won 17 of their last 19 home matches in La Liga. * Real Madrid have seen over 2.5 goals scored in 11 of their last 13 La Liga fixtures * Real Madrid have scored 2 goals or more in 13 of their last 15 matches in La Liga. * Karim Benzema has scored in each of his last 5 appearances with 6 goals scored during that period * Benzema has also netted 5 in his last 4 starts at the Bernabeu. * Malaga have lost 8 of their last 9 away matches in La Liga. * Malaga have won just 2 of their last 13 La Liga Matches. One of those came at Barcelona in March. * Malaga are still searching for their first GOAL of the season in this their 6th fixture * Malaga have just 2 points so far from 5 fixtures * Real Madrid have won 21 out of their last 24 meetings with Malaga * Real Madrid have won each of the last 5 meetings with BTTS in 3 * Malaga have scored in 4 of their last 5 visits to the Santiago Bernabeu * Real are still missing James Rodriguez and Gareth Bale through injury. Malaga will be without experienced striker Roque Santa Cruz Final Verdict - Home win likely but don't expect a rout Malaga have had a pretty rotten start to the campaign and it is unlikely to get much better in Madrid on Saturday with Real holding an excellent record over their visiting opponents today and Malaga failing to score in any of their first 5 games of the season. That's a statistic that tells it's own story for the Andalusian's and they won't be relishing a trip to the Bernabeu with Real so strong at home and in recent fixtures between these two sides. The bookies can't see beyond a home win with Los Blancos 1/8 odds on favourites to claim the points but I don't expect a goal show from Real today. Real are even as short as 2/5 to win on the -1 handicap and that's not tempting for me with Malaga quite a sturdy opponent who don't often lose by many, even if they do lose many on the road. Indeed Malaga have won just 2 of their previous 13 away league fixtures but they have conceded more than 3 goals in only 1 of their last 59 La Liga fixtures (against Levante) so I don't expect Real to go crazy on the goals with the visitors sure to defend in numbers while looking to counter as they did with tremendous success when winning 1.0 at the Camp Nou in March. Many will look to jump on the Real handicap today but I would advise against it with Malaga often proving hard to beat and they are a team that despite it's very disappointing start to the season, are capable of getting a positive result on their day. In only 3 of their last 9 meetings have Real won by more than 1 goal so I don't expect a rout here particularly with James Rodriguez and Gareth Bale both absent, while Real have been somewhat hot and cold recently and my feeling is that Malaga could make this a difficult night's work for Ancelotti's side who should ultimately collect the points. With little value in the handicap market, I am turning to the on form Karim Benzema to score anytime @8/13 with his record of scoring at home an impressive one. 6 goals in 5 games so far this season with at least 1 in every fixture bodes well for the Frenchman who represents much better value to score than Ronaldo who is only 2/5 to score at anytime. I'll be on Benzema to score here with Malaga likely to put up some decent resistance through out this fixture. 21:05 Eibar vs Celta Vigo – Prediction – 1.2 – Suggested Bets – Celta to win @21/20, BTTS @10/11 Key Facts * Eibar have only lost 1 of their last 7 La Liga fixtures including 5 from the new season. * They have won 2 of their last 3 at home having lost 8 of the previous 9 * Only 2 of their last 11 home fixtures have seen BTTS * Celta are unbeaten in 6 league fixtures with 4 wins so far * Celta have won 5 of their last 9 away league fixtures * Celta won 1.0 in last season’s corresponding fixture * Celta have seen BTTS in 8 of their last 11 away La Liga fixtures * Celta Vigo have scored at least 2 goals in their last 6 matches in La Liga. * Celta have kept just 3 clean sheets in their last 16 away league fixtures and just 1 in their last 6 * Eibar have scored in 5 of their last 8 home fixtures Final Verdict – Celta can keep the form going Will it be a case of after the lord mayor’s show for Celta as they travel to Eibar fresh from a stunning 4.1 domination of Barcelona in Vigo on Wednesday evening that sent some considerable shockwaves throughout Spain. Celta are unbeaten after 5 games and their victory over Barcelona was a wonderful victory for a team that are playing some really good football with former Liverpool flop and local Vigo lad Iago Aspas returning to the club and to form with 2 goals against Barcelona on Wednesday to take his tally to 3 for the season. This was no fluke victory with Celta playing some brilliant football going forwaard with Nolito and Aspas at the heart of much of it. Some of the goals scored were of the highesst order and I fancy Celta to continue their momentum and secure another 3 points here against an improving but still limited Eibar who should make life somewhat difficult for their fairly local rivals and I have a feeling that Eibar can score and bring up BTTS @10/11 even if they fall short on the night. The home side have only lost 1 of their last 7 La Liga fixtures and that was against a top side in Atletico Madrid so they will fancy their chances of getting something here but I expect the visitors momentum to carry them through to another win here. Celta are 21/20 to get the win and that looks good to me with this team playing some top football at the moment and you would expect they can keep their excellent run going with another victory here but Eibar won’t make life easy for them and I expect a narrow away win with the potential there for BTTS @10/11 as well. Suggested Bets Barcelona vs Las Palmas - Las Palmas plus 3 to win @1/1 Real Madrid vs Malaga - Karim Benzema to score anytime @8/13 Eibar v Celta – Celta to win @21/20 Eibar v Celta – BTTS @10/11 Comments are closed.
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