With Barcelona and La Liga title rivals Girona both picking up wins earlier in the weekend, the onus was on Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid to secure three points. The Italian tactician duly obliged with a comfortable 4-0 victory over Celta Vigo (with former Los Blancos manager Rafa Benetez at the helm of the troubled outfit). Real Madrid’s relentless march to a 36th La Liga title continued, and the Spanish heavyweights now find themselves seven points clear at the summit of the standings. Elsewhere, Real Sociedad came back twice to overcome Granada. It was a much-needed result for Imanol Alguacil as his side has only won one of their previous six league outings prior to that one. At the opposite end of the log, Cadiz continued on their quest for survival with a massive victory against Diego Simeone’s Atletico. Shockingly, the Andulisian outfit was winless in twenty-three league fixtures ahead of that one. All eyes will be on the Civitas Metropolitano this weekend as Atletico host Barcelona in the clash of the weekend. All that and more in this weekend’s preview!
Friday 15 March
9/20 Real Sociedad | Draw 3/1 | Cadiz 7/1 (22:00)
Real Sociedad added a vital three points in their bid for the Champions League spots last time out. That being said, conceding twice against a relegation threatened Granada outfit would raise an eyebrow or two. This time around, they should make it two wins from two.
Back Real Sociedad on the win and over 2.5 goals at 7/4.
Saturday 16 March
17/20 Mallorca | Draw 23/10 | Granada 34/10 (15:00)
Granada would have felt hard done by with last weekend’s defeat to Real Sociedad. Medina’s men took the lead twice in that one, only to concede just before the fill time whistle to have nothing to show for their duel with Real Sociedad. They will be fired up for this one…
Back a 1-1 draw in this one at 54/10.
44/10 Osasuna | Draw 3/1 | Real Madrid 11/20 (17:15)
Real Madrid’s march toward La Liga honours took another step in the right direction, with a 4-nil dismantling of relegation favourites Celta Vigo. With 11 minutes left of that 90, the floodgates opened and Real put three past Guaita in quick succession.
Back Real to get a win in this one and over 3.5 goals at 32/10.
39/20 Getafe | Draw 47/20 | Girona 13/10 (19:30)
With three straight away league losses, Girona will want to snap that streak if they are to keep pace with log leaders Real Madrid. The Gironestes are on the road this weekend and travel to a Getafe side that has seen league defeat just twice on home soil this season.
Back Getafe on the double chance here and BTTS (yes) at 15/10.
11/20 Athletic Club | Draw 28/10 | Alaves 56/10 (22:00)
Athletic Club under Ernesto Valverde are flying at home this season. The club have not lost any of their previous thirteen league fixtures at the San Mames – winning seven of their previous eight. I can’t see a bottom half Alaves outfit causing too many headaches in this one.
Back Athletic Club on the win and over 2.5 goals at 17/10.
Sunday 17 March
1/1 Sevilla | Draw 47/20 | Celta Vigo 11/4 (15:00)
Sevilla have turned a page under head coach Quique Sanchez Flores. The Andalusian outfit have lost just one of their previous seven La Liga outings (winning three and drawing the other three), having lost six of their previous seven in the competition.
I can’t see Sevilla falling to this Celta side. Back the home side on the double chance at 1/4.
17/20 Las Palmas | Draw 51/20 | Almeria 3/1 (17:15)
Almeria’s woeful defending saw them concede two goals in the final ten minutes of their clash with Sevilla last weekend and had to settle for a draw. Indeed, the troubled outfit have not won any of their twenty-seven topflight matches – the first team in La Liga’s history to fail to win after twenty-seven league fixtures.
Back Las Palmas on the double chance at 2/9.
1/1 Villarreal | Draw 49/20 | Valencia 51/20 (17:15)
With just a single clean sheet across their previous five home league outings, Villarreal have been focusing on their attack rather than their defence. That game plan seemed to work if their previous appearance at El Madrigal, wherein they ran out 5-1 winners over Granada. More of the same in this one!
Back Villarreal on the win and over 2.5 goals at 23/10.
13/10 Rayo Vallecano | Draw 22/10 | Real Betis 21/10 (19:30)
With just a single league win to show from their ten league outings this year, Rayo Vallecano have not picked up from where they left off. The Madrid based outfit currently find themselves languishing just four points above the drop.
Back Real Betis on the double chance at 11/20.
13/10 Atletico Madrid | Draw 26/10 | Barcelona 7/4 (22:00)
See preview match.
Written by Desh Parthab.