From Burnley to Barcelona there is top flight football on Thursday evening so get the best bets from our experts…
Espanyol 2.588/5 v Rayo Vallecano 3.259/4, the Draw 3.211/5
18:00
Espanyol are on a good run thanks in part to their excellent defensive performances and they should have enough to shut out struggling opponents on Thursday evening…
Tobias Gourlay says: “Rayo have been dreadful on the road this season and we’re hoping to catch a home win tonight.
“Espanyol are W9-D4-L3 on home turf this season, winning all of their last three. Against bottom-half teams like Rayo, the Parakeets are W7-D0-L1.
“Home and away, Rayo are 13 games without a win. They are W1-D3-L11 away from home since the start of the season, most recently going down 1-0 at bottom-club Alaves. They’re yet to keep a clean sheet on their travels, while failing to score themselves in 5/7.
“Espanyol have won three straight without conceding and – at a decent odds-against price – we’ll back them to lock out Rayo once more.”
Tobias’s bet:
Cadiz 3.412/5 v Athletic Bilbao 2.568/5, the Draw 3.185/40
19:00
Live on LaLiga TV and Betfair Live Video
Paul Robinson starts today’s acca bet in Spain as he tips Cadiz to claim another crucial point in their fight against relegation…
Paul says: “Cadiz pulled off a huge upset to massively boost their survival hopes, as they went to the Nou Camp and won 1-0 on Monday.
“They have now only lost two of their last nine La Liga outings, and I think that they can definitely earn another much needed point at home to Athletic Bilbao this evening.
“The visitors are eighth in the table, but they have actually won just one of their last five. They have drawn twice during that run, and they are four without victory on their travels.”
Paul’s bet:
Back Burnley & Barcelona to Win and The Draw in Cadiz v Athletic Bilbao @ an Odds Boost of 21.020/1
Burnley 2.8415/8 v Southampton 2.727/4, the Draw 3.55/2
19:45
Live on Sky Sports Premier League
Burnley are at home without Sean Dyche in charge for the first time since 2012 so how will they fare in this crucial Premier League fixture?
Paul Higham says: “Goals haven’t been flowing at Turf Moor this season with just five of Burnley’s 15 home games seeing over 2.5 goals, even though two of the last three have gone over, with that 3-2 thriller against Everton and 4-0 hammering by Chelsea.
“Southampton sit somewhere between those two sides and while away from home only Leeds and Liverpool games have contained more goals, two of the last three have been 1-1 draws. Saints are good on the break but this looks like being a tight and nervy affair and under 2.5 goals at 2.01/1 seems like the more likely result.
“Southampton have had some problems stringing results together though and that shows in their midweek defensive performances, as they’ve not kept a clean sheet in 13 midweek league games and conceded 2.7 goals a game in that time.
“Burnley then have a great chance here to outwork and outmuscle the visitors and a low-scoring home victory is the bet. Burnley and under 2.5 goals is a tasty 6.611/2 and has a great chance of landing given Southampton’s midweek record.”
Paul’s bet:
Real Sociedad 3.55/2 v Barcelona 2.166/5, the Draw 3.7511/4
Thursday 21 April, 20:30
Live on LaLigaTV and Betfair Live Video
After two home defeats in a row Barcelona look to return to winning ways when they travel to Real Sociedad.
Dan Fitch says: “Under Xavi, Barcelona managed to get themselves in a fantastic position, given their struggles in the first-half of the season. They had reached the quarter-finals of the Europa League and had miraculously opened the door ajar on the title race, but all their good work has come undone over the past couple of games.
“Last week, Barca were beaten 3-2 at home by Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League and went out of the competition on aggregate. Then on Monday, they suffered another huge blow at home, when they were defeated 1-0 by Cadiz. Barcelona had 75% of the possession and attempted 18 shots at goal, without scoring.
“Sixth placed Real Sociedad held Real Betis to a 0-0 draw at the weekend, which leaves them five points adrift of the top four. Sociedad probably lack the firepower to break into that group, with only four teams scoring less than their 32 goals this season. Under 2.5 goals is 2.06, despite landing in 15 of Sociedad’s 16 home games in La Liga.”
Dan’s bet:
Source: Betfair Spanish La Liga
