Business as usual for Big Two

 

Osasuna will roll over in Madrid; the Anchovies will stink out the Camp Nou; SuperDepor are not all that. At least Sevilla will make Valencia work for their Champions  League place, says Tobias Gourlay

 

Real Madrid v Osasuna

Saturday 16:00 (Live on Sky Sports 1)

Real 1.27 Osasuna 13.5 draw 6.8

 

Jose Mourinho might not have picked them anyway, but there are some serious players who will not play for Real this weekend: Alonso, Ramos and Ronaldo are among them.

 

Osasuna are safe, so their long list of absentees won't bother Jose Luis Mendilibar as much as it would have done if his team had not beaten Sevilla last weekend.

 

Real have won 10/10 at the Bernabeu in 2013. They've scored before half-time in 17/18 home games this season.

 

Osasuna have made a first-half breakthrough in only one of La Liga's last 13 rounds. Sure, this won't be Real's first XI, but the reserves scored three at Sociedad a  week ago, while Osasuna have recently conceded three at Granada and four at Valencia.

 

Recommended Bet

Back Real Madrid/Real Madrid @ 1.77

 

Barcelona v Malaga

Saturday 18:00 (Live on Sky Sports 1)

Barcelona 1.27 Malaga 12.0 draw 7.0

 

Barcelona have won this fixture ten times in a row. An eleventh success would take their 2012/13 points haul into three figures, matching Real's 2011/12 record.

 

Sounds academic, but the feat would not go unnoticed in the Spanish press and opportunities to undermine Jose Mourinho are ones that Barca like to grab.

 

Messi is out for the season, but Manuel Pellegrini is out of Malaga forever at the end of this game. With him will go some of their best players - and most likely  their chance of matching this season's impressive results.

 

The Anchovies went off a while ago and have lost four straight away from home, conceding 15 times to Sociedad, Valencia and Real Madrid. They were behind at the break  in all four.

 

Barcelona/Barcelona has some appeal at 1.75, but Malaga have scored first-half goals in 7/9 away from home.

 

Both Teams to Score is a similar price and has paid out in 12/18 at the Camp Nou this season.

 

Recommended Bet

Back Both Teams to Score @ 1.72

 

Deportivo La Coruna v Real Sociedad

Saturday 20:00 (Live on Sky Sports 1)

Deportivo 2.62 Sociedad 2.7 draw 3.9

 

The Sky Sports season finishes with the only match involving two teams with everything to play for.

 

Deportivo are the best-placed of the four sides who can still go down.

 

Real Sociedad are second best among the two teams who can claim fourth place, but for the first time in a while all of their best players are fit and available:  Griezmann, Illaramendi and Vela have all missed matches recently, but will take their places alongside the more stalwart Xabi Prieto.

 

Philippe Montanier leaves to coach Rennes after this game, but Sociedad's first teamers will be playing for themselves. If they win and Valencia don't take three  points at Sevilla - who have won 7/9 at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan - the Basques will play in next season's Champions League.

 

Since the end of October, Sociedad are W7-D5-L1 against teams from outside the Big Two.

 

Deportivo are unbeaten in six at the Riazor (W3-D3-L0) but Sociedad's firepower - they've scored twice or more in 9/14 away from home - might just be too much.

 

Recommended Bet

Back Sociedad Draw No Bet @ 2.02

 

Sevilla v Valencia

Saturday 20:00

Sevilla 3.5 Valencia 2.16 draw 3.8

 

Sky didn't fancy it, but we do.

 

Under Unai Emery 8/9 Sevilla home games have produced Over 2.5 Goals.

 

The Andalusians will finish in mid-table whatever happens, but their ex-Valencia coach should be keen for a good showing against his old club.

 

The important players - Kondogbia, Medel, Rakitic, Navas - are available and the hosts should at least ensure that both teams score.

 

We can go further: there have been four goals or more in five of Valencia's last nine away matches.

 

Recommended Bet

Back Over 3.5 Goals @ 2.54

 

Bet HERE

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