La Liga Weekend Betting Preview, 20-21 September
La Liga heads into another exciting weekend, with the table starting to take shape and early form starting to tell a story. Barcelona remain unbeaten and look to continue their fine start when they host Getafe, while Real Madrid aim to maintain their perfect record against an in-form Espanyol at the Bernabéu. Atlético Madrid, seeking to build on their first league win, travel to Mallorca in a clash that could define their early momentum — and these are just three of the fixtures to watch this weekend. Here are my thoughts, with suggested bets included.
Looking at the outright market, Barcelona are favourites at 5/6 to lift the title, with Real Madrid close behind at even money (1/1). Both Athletic Bilbao and Atlético Madrid are long shots at 40/1, while the rest of the field sits at 66/1 or higher.
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SATURDAY
REAL MADRID v ESPANYOL – Click here to bet
Real Madrid return to the Bernabéu on Saturday looking to extend their perfect start to the campaign. Four wins from four has placed them top of the table with 12 points, and Xabi Alonso’s men showed both quality and character in their latest league outing, battling to a 2-1 win at Real Sociedad despite playing with ten men for nearly an hour. In midweek, Los Blancos dug deep in Europe, edging Marseille 2-1 thanks to two penalties. Carrying over from last season, they are now unbeaten in seven league games, scoring 14 and conceding only three, with six straight league victories at the Bernabéu underlining why they are heavy favourites here. Confidence is flowing, and the numbers point to another strong performance in front of their own supporters.
Espanyol have enjoyed a bright start, sitting third with ten points from their opening four games and remaining unbeaten with three wins and a draw. This will be just their second away fixture of the season, after largely playing at home so far. Monday night’s 3-2 win over Mallorca came at a cost, with Pere Milla sent off and suspended—a big blow for Manolo González’s side ahead of a tough trip to the Bernabéu. The Parakeets have shown early rhythm and resilience, but they’ll need a disciplined display if they’re to take anything from this clash.
Head-to-Head
Real Madrid and Espanyol shared the spoils last season, Madrid winning 4-1 at home before Espanyol edged the return 1-0. However, Los Blancos have a dominant home record in this meeting, winning their last ten against Espanyol at the Bernabéu.
Betting
Real Madrid 2/9
Draw 6/1
Espanyol 12/1
Verdict
Espanyol have started well, but this is a big step up in class. Real Madrid’s home form, firepower, and solid defence should be enough for a comfortable win, and a clean sheet looks likely. Madrid win to nil will be my play here.
Suggested Bet: Real Madrid to Win to Nil – Yes at 1/1
SUNDAY
RCD MALLORCA v ATLÉTICO MADRID – Click here to bet
RCD Mallorca are in early trouble, sitting 19th with just one point from four games. Back-to-back defeats, including Monday’s 3-2 setback at Espanyol, have left Jagoba Arrasate’s men low on confidence and still chasing a first win of the campaign. Their struggles stretch back to last season, with a seven-match winless league run (D2, L5). Defensively they’ve been leaky, conceding nine goals without a clean sheet this season, and home comforts have been scarce with only a draw and a defeat at Son Moix so far. Adding to the challenge, RCD Mallorca have failed to score in their last four meetings with Atlético — a worrying trend heading into this clash.
Atlético Madrid head into this weekend off the back of a 2-0 victory over Villarreal, a result that lifted them to 11th with five points. That win also earned them their first clean sheet of the season, a familiar strength under Diego Simeone. Their midweek Champions League defeat at Liverpool was a setback, but it’s unlikely to affect their focus in domestic action. The performance against Villarreal showed improvement in attack, with better chance creation and efficiency, and with a strong recent record against Mallorca, Atlético will be confident of building on last weekend’s breakthrough.
Head-to-Head
Atlético completed a league double over Mallorca last season, winning 1-0 away and 2-0 at home. They’ve won the last five meetings between the sides, conceding just once.
Betting
Mallorca 4/1
Draw 26/10
Atlético Madrid 15/20
Verdict
Mallorca’s weaknesses at both ends make this a tough test, especially against an Atlético side that’s hard to break down. The visitors should have enough quality in their ranks to grind out their second league win.
Suggested Bet: Full Time Result – Atlético Madrid at 15/20
BARCELONA v GETAFE – Click here to bet
Barcelona enter Sunday’s La Liga fixture unbeaten, sitting second in the table with 10 points from four matches. Last weekend’s 6-0 demolition of Valencia at the Estadio Johan Cruyff underlined their attacking firepower, with 13 league goals scored already despite Lamine Yamal’s injury absence. They will face Getafe this Sunday at the same compact venue as last weekend, while the reopening of Camp Nou remains pending. Before returning to domestic action, Barca face a tricky Champions League trip to Newcastle on Thursday — a quick turnaround that could stretch squad depth. Domestically, they remain formidable, losing just once in their last 23 league outings (W19, D3), and last week’s emphatic win showed they can dominate wherever they play.
Getafe have been one of the early surprises, sitting fifth with nine points from four matches. They bounced back from a 3-0 defeat at Valencia to beat Oviedo 2-0 last weekend, showing how far they’ve come since last season’s relegation scrap. Confidence is high, and they’ll fancy themselves as more than just passengers here. That said, their record against Barcelona, especially away, is poor — they’ll need a near-perfect display to extend their bright start.
Head-to-Head
Barcelona are unbeaten in their last nine meetings with Getafe, including a 1-0 home win and 1-1 draw last season. They have also won each of the last seven league meetings between these two at home.
Betting
Barcelona 1/4
Draw 11/2
Getafe 11/1
Verdict
Getafe’s early form is encouraging, but Barcelona’s firepower makes them overwhelming favourites, particularly after last weekend’s 6-0 demolition of Valencia at the same compact venue. Playing at the smaller Estadio Johan Cruyff should suit the Catalans’ style and could lead to another high-scoring affair. Expect goals, with Barcelona in control once more.
Suggested Bet: Barcelona Totals – Barcelona over 2.5 at 21/20
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Note: All prices correct at the time of writing but are subject to change
