Barcelona host leaders Valencia in crunch Catalan clash
Published:Pep Guardiola knows his Barcelona side face a crunch tie against Catalan neighbours Valencia, despite La Liga being only six games old.
Valencia have surprised everyone with their strong start to La Liga, the home draw against Atletico Madrid is the only blip in their six results this season, and they travel to the Nou Camp unbeaten – they are 15/2 to win.
Barcelona are three points behind Valencia thanks to that incredible result earlier in the season when newly promoted Hercules stunned Guardiola’s side, but Barca are unbeaten in their last six meetings with Valencia and are 2/5 to win.
Barca are on a three match Nou Camp winning streak against Valencia and in those three ties, have averaged 4.3 goals per game and the International break may have come at the best time.
Guardiola’s side laboured to a point in their home draw with Mallorca before the break and the time off will have allowed Guardiola to iron out the kinks in Barca’s form.
Without Xavi, Barca may struggle to continue the high goals per game average and are 7/1 to win 2-1.
Malaga vs Real Madrid
Malaga’s win in Madrid last season ended a run of 11 consecutive home wins for Real Madrid and Malaga will wish this game was in the Bernabeau as they are yet to win at home this season.
The last time Malaga won at home was in March and Real are 4/11 to win on Saturday evening.
It’s hard to predict anything other than an away victory considering Malaga’s dreadful home form, and it’s a case of how many Real will score after thumping Deportivo 6-1 last time out.
You can get 6/1 on Real winning 3-0 and 11/4 that Cristiano Ronaldo will score first.
It’s 17/20 for the first goal to be scored before 27 minutes. See the full La Liga betting odds market here.
