SlipsTips shares a selection ahead of Real Madrid’s hotly-anticipated El Clasico clash with Barcelona in La Liga on Saturday night.
Real Madrid vs Barcelona (Saturday, 20:00)
El Clasico takes centre stage in La Liga this weekend as arch-rivals Real Madrid and Barcelona do battle at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday night.
While Barcelona are setting the pace in the Spanish top-flight following a blistering start to the season, Real Madrid have been clinging onto their coat tails and are just one place and three points behind their old foes.
Furthermore, Carlo Ancelotti’s side come into this blockbuster battle as the bookmakers favourites at a general even-money, while Barcelona are as big as 31/10 on Bet 365 to claim top honours.
Rather than siding with either of these behemoths in the Spanish capital on Saturday night, I’m happy to instead highlight a player-based selection that looks well worth supporting.
Real Madrid’s Federico Valverde has been chalked up at 10/11 on UniBet to commit a minimum of one foul during this heavyweight showdown and that price holds plenty of appeal.
While Valverde may not be an obvious candidate to get himself on the wrong side of the referee, he has been known to have a fiery streak.
The Uruguayan midfielder has committed a foul in three of his last five appearances for Real Madrid, one of which was against city rivals Atletico Madrid last month.
It’s also worth noting that Valverde has been shown a yellow card in two of his last five outings in the Spanish top-flight.
On top of this, Valverde has been guilty of at least one offence in seven of his last 10 appearances for Real Madrid in the Champions League stretching back to last season.
Given that Barcelona have quality in abundance going forward, Valverde and Co should have plenty of defensive work to get through on Saturday night.
What’s more, Valverde is expected to find himself operating on the same side of the pitch as red-hot winger Raphinha, who has drawn a foul in each of Barcelona’s two wins over Sevilla and Bayern Munich over the past week.
Thus, siding with Valverde to give away one free-kick or more at 10/11 (UniBet) looks too big to ignore in a fixture where it is not uncommon to see tensions boil over.
Recommended Bet
Federico Valverde To Commit 1 Or More Fouls – 10/11 (UniBet)
Freelance Sports Writer and Betting Analyst with over five years experience. I’ve written football and darts betting content for some of the biggest betting websites and newspapers in the UK. With a strong passion for the fascinating world of Scottish football, I also regularly feature in Nutmeg, the much-loved Scottish football magazine. Falkirk season ticket holder and avid watcher of football and darts, whether it be UK-based or further afield. Feel free to follow me on X @SlipsTips
