James Cantrill has two selections from this weekend's La Liga action, including an appealing play as Barcelona visit Elche on Saturday.
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Football betting tips: La Liga
2.5pts Barcelona to win to nil v Elche at 5/4 (Coral, BetVictor)
1pt Unes Unal to score anytime in Athletic Bilbao v Getafe at 31/10 (BetVictor)
Elche v Barcelona
- Kick-off time: 20:00 GMT, Saturday
- TV channel: Viaplay Sports, LaLigaTV
- Elche 8/1 | Draw 4/1 | Barcelona 1/3
Top meets bottom to conclude Saturday’s action as Elche welcome Barcelona.
Given the gulf in quality, 55 points between them, there is a case in backing the visitors in the 1x2 at around 1/3, but we can boost the odds by backing BARCELONA TO WIN TO NIL.
No side has conceded more La Liga goals this season than Los Franjiverdes (51), their only clean sheet coming against Mallorca.
Saturday’s hosts have also scored the fewest goals (19) in La Liga, averaging 0.73 goals for a game.
At the other end of the scale, only Real Madrid (51) have found the net more times than the Catalonians (49), no side has conceded fewer goals than Xavi’s side though.
Nine league goals conceded all season, four courtesy of Real, two were own goals and two were penalties. That is an average of 0.35 goals against per game, a figure only Napoli come close to amongst Europe's elite (0.56).
No doubt Pablo Machín will be dreading this clash as the ‘big three’ have run riot against his side this season.
Over four domestic meetings, Los Blancos, Atleti and Barca have won by an aggregate scoreline of 12-0, with this bet clicking in each of those games.
Backing Barcelona to win nil has paid out in 73% of their league games this season, the 5/4 against the worst side in the division is worth a punt.
Score prediction: Elche 0-3 Barcelona (Sky Bet odds: 7/1)
Athletic Bilbao v Getafe
- Kick-off time: 15:15 GMT, Saturday
- Athletic Bilbao 4/7 | Draw 11/4 | Getafe 11/2
Quique Sánchez Flores will be delighted to see ENES UNAL returned from international duty unscathed.
The Turkish attacker helped himself to an assist, playing the majority of his nation's two European Qualifying games against Armenia and Croatia.
For his club, Unal has scored eight times in Getafe’s last seven games from an xG of 5.76, racking up 26 shots over that period and bagging back-to-back braces.
Getafe’s survival hopes hinge largely on Unal’s goalscoring form. He has scored 48% of his side's goals this campaign, the highest percentage of any player in the Spanish top flight and the second highest across Europe’s top five divisions.
The 25-year-old’s goal glut coincides with Azulones’ upturn in form, no coincidence there. One defeat in their last seven games has seen Flores' side hoisted from 19th, two points off safety, to 13th, three points clear of the dotted line.
I fancy the purple patch to continue, and his price to SCORE ANYTIME certainly appeals, it does not hurt that he is on penalty duty either.
Score prediction: Athletic Bilbao 2-1 Getafe (Sky Bet odds: 15/2)
Odds correct at 15:15 GMT (29/03/23)
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