Saturday's La Liga schedule features four massive clashes with huge implications for the standings and the race for Europe.
Real Sociedad will try to get back to winning ways against bottom-placed Real Oviedo, followed by top-four hopefuls Real Betis against relegation-threatened Rayo Vallecano. Real Madrid will try to remain at the top against a resurgent Osasuna, while Atletico Madrid clashes with Espanyol in the highlight fixture of the day.
Continue reading below for our expert tips and predictions for Saturday’s La Liga matches.
Today’s La Liga betting tips & predictions
Real Sociedad vs. Oviedo (1pm)
After 11 consecutive matches without defeat, Real Sociedad were given a reality check by Real Madrid. But losing to Los Blancos is something that can always be expected, and the Royal One can bounce back against last-placed Oviedo.
The visitors have one foot in La Liga 2 already, as they sit last with 16 points in 23 games. Apart from the recent loss, Real Sociedad have been exceptional lately, and especially at home.
Oviedo concede over two goals on average in away games, and with what we’ve seen so far, Real Sociedad should win comfortably on Saturday.
Real Sociedad vs. Oviedo top betting tip: Real Sociedad to win, Over 2.5 goals
Real Betis vs. Rayo Vallecano (3:15pm)
Rayo Vallecano achieved a shocking 3-0 win at home over Atletico Madrid, and we all know the visitors had plenty on their mind with the Copa del Rey semis and the UCL play-offs.
This is likely to be a one-off performance, and Real Betis will force Rayo back to the drop zone. The visitors lost eight of their 12 away La Liga games this season, conceding 21 goals. In turn, Betis score 2+ goals on average at home.
Betis can win this win a clean sheet, but we wouldn’t risk betting on it. Instead, we can opt for a win and Over 1.5 goals. Surprisingly, the odds are still high, and perhaps bookies made a mistake.
Real Betis vs. Rayo Vallecano top betting tip: Real Betis to win, Over 1.5 Betis goals
Osasuna vs. Real Madrid (5:30pm)
Out of nowhere, Osasuna are now five points below Europe, but hosting the title favourites will be their biggest challenge to date.
Osasuna achieved some great results lately, but we can’t help but notice they mostly faced teams from and around the drop zone. Real Madrid won their last eight La Liga games, but had a tough trip to Portugal midweek, so they won’t be at 100% on Saturday.
Osasuna have been sensational at home and average 1.82 goals scored per match. We believe BTTS is the safest option here.
Osasuna vs. Real Madrid top betting tip: BTTS
Atletico Madrid vs. Espanyol (8pm)
Atletico Madrid's form makes no sense. A 4-0 win over Barcelona, followed by a 3-0 loss to a team at the bottom of the table, and a resounding away win in Europe during the week.
Espanyol had one of their strongest starts to the season, but now they haven't won in seven consecutive games, with five losses during that period.
This will be an extremely interesting and unpredictable clash, but we think Atlético Madrid have a better chance of winning. We certainly expect goals at both ends, but a win for the hosts.
Atletico Madrid vs. Espanyol top betting tip: Atletico to win, BTTS, Over 2.5 goals
Vladislav has been professionally engaged in freelance journalism for seven years and has worked with numerous leading sports publications. A football and martial arts fanatic, he spent years training in both disciplines before turning to writing.
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