REMEMBER Terry Gibson? Well, we've signed him and while he won't be kicking a football he'll be looking into his crystal ball and bringing us his best Spanish tips every week.
The ex-Spurs, Coventry and Manchester United striker is probably best remembered for his time as part of the infamous Wimbledon Crazy Gang side of the late 80s and early 90s. Now an expert in all things La Liga he works as a pundit and co-commentator on Sky Sports’ Spanish football coverage and is a contributor to unibet.
Here are Terry's tips for two key Saturday games.
Eibar v Barcelona (Sat 3.15pm)
Still unbeaten, Barcelona travel to face one of the in-form teams in La Liga in Eibar this weekend.
In the last 12 games only Atletico with 29 points and Barcelona with 28 have accumulated more points than Eibar who have collected 27 with a run of eight wins, three draws and one defeat which was surprisingly 1-0 against Atletico.
However when it comes to this fixture Barca are dominant. They have won all seven played. The three previous encounters in this stadium leave Barcelona with a 10-0 aggregate scoreline, home and away Barca lead 26-4 and the earlier match between the two this season was a 6-1 at the Nou Camp with Messi scoring four.
I certainly expect a closer match in this one but it’s hard to go against Barcelona. It has been a sticky period with three close La Liga games. They scrambled to a 2-1 win at home to Alavés and drew the next two at Espanyol and at home to Getafe.
There are mitigating circumstances though. The 0-0 against Getafe was their 12th match in just over five weeks due to their Copa del Rey exploits, where they now face Sevilla in the final in April. This week has been their first midweek without a game since the Christmas break so maybe they should be a little bit more refreshed, but with the forthcoming Champions League game against Chelsea firmly in their minds I still expect a few players to be rested.
Despite the expected rotations in the starting line-up, and Eibar’s amazing run of form, I’m going to predict an away win for the league leaders. Eibar in general come up short in all of their games against the elite in this division.
Picking a first scorer isn’t easy due to not knowing who is likely to play but Coutinho is a definite starter due to the fact he can’t play in the Champions League, so I’m going for him to get the first in a 2-0 away win.
Terry's Tips
- Eibar 0, Barca 2 (7-1, Unibet)
- Coutinho to score first (13-2, Unibet)
- Barca win (12-25, Unibet)
Malaga v Valencia (Sat 7.45pm)
Valencia’s win last week against Levante ended a run of six straight defeats in league and cup games.
After their exit at the hands of Barcelona in the Copa del Rey semi-final it is now time for them to firmly get their challenge for a Champions League spot back on track.
Malaga are clearly having a torrid season. New coach Jose Gonzalez hasn’t had any sort of impact and time is running out for them in their quest to stay in the division I’m afraid.
They haven’t won in eight games and have only scored one goal during that time. They have only scored 14 goals this season in total and they are now firmly at the bottom of the league with a measly 13 points, seven adrift of safety.
In all honesty Malaga don’t get turned over easy although the earlier fixture between the two this season saw them lose 5-0 at the Mestalla. I don’t expect a heavy win for Valencia so I’m going to go with a 2-0 away win in this one too.
Santi Mina is in great form at the moment and the 22-year-old is certainly fulfilling his potential now as a top class striker. Back him to get the first goal in this game.
Terry's Tips
- Malaga 0, Valencia 2 (8-1, Unibet)
- Mina to score first (24-5, Unibet)
- Valencia win (21-20, Unibet)
Unibet are making a big splash in the UK betting scene and if you join them today you can claim up to £30 in Welcome Bonuses when you deposit and place your first bet.
An ex-Tottenham, Coventry and Manchester United striker, Terry is probably best remembered for his time as part of the infamous Wimbledon Crazy Gang side of the late 80s and early 90s. Now an expert in all things La Liga, he works as a pundit and co-commentator on Sky Sports’ Spanish football coverage.
