The action in Spain has kicked off and we can finally enjoy our favourite Saturday fixture line-up, with three big clashes on the cards tomorrow.
A new era at Athletic Bilbao gets underway at San Mames against Sevilla, who got off to a flying start with a win. Valencia host Celta Vigo a little later, whilst the evening’s finale features Espanyol against Real Madrid.
Check out our expert tips and predictions for all La Liga matches below.
Today’s La Liga betting tips & predictions
Athletic Bilbao vs. Sevilla (4pm)
Athletic Bilbao had one of their most productive pre-season preparations, playing a total of eight friendly matches, in which we saw both positive signs in attack and that the long-standing problems in defence are far from resolved.
Sevilla secured a win in the opening round for the first time in four years, and this will certainly spur them on to more. The team have had a strong pre-season and look much better than in recent years, but they still need to prove and consolidate this form.
Given the hosts’ defensive problems, I believe the best bet is for both teams to score.
Athletic Bilbao vs. Sevilla top betting tip: BTTS
Valencia vs. Celta Vigo (6:30pm)
This rivalry is one of my favourites in La Liga because the matches are always high-scoring and a real treat to watch.
Celta Vigo looked very good in their pre-season friendlies, remaining unbeaten, including against serious opponents such as Napoli. But they conceded a lot of goals too, which also means they have improved in attack. Meanwhile, Valencia suffered four defeats in eight friendlies, which is a cause for concern.
In my view, we’re in for another high-scoring thriller between the two sides. From their friendlies, we’ve seen that both teams need to improve defensively, so it’s entirely possible they’ll exchange plenty of goals.
Valencia vs. Celta Vigo top betting tip: Over 2.5 goals
Espanyol vs. Real Madrid (8:30pm)
Just like a year ago, Espanyol got their season off to a flying start, this time beating Levante 3–0 at home.
For Real Madrid, this will be their first competitive match following a very successful pre-season, with the main concern being that a significant proportion of the players only returned to the squad at the last minute due to their involvement in the World Cup.
Nevertheless, I reckon Mourinho will fire them up for a strong start, and we can expect a strong Real Madrid side. That said, I expect Espanyol to put up at least a bit of a fight, so I’d back them to score at least one goal.
Espanyol vs. Real Madrid top betting tip: Real Madrid to win, BTTS
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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