Tidy result for Mallorca at Camp Nou

• Posted by: csabax
• 05 April 2013
• Football
• Comment!

Lionel Messi's been forced on to the sidelines this weekend, which means Mallorca can match the league leaders, says Tobias Gourlay.

 

Granada v Real Betis

Friday 20:00 (Live on Sky Sports Xtra)

Granada 2.36 Betis 3.45 draw 3.45

 

The away side has won each of the three meetings of these two since they returned to the top-flight together a couple of seasons ago.

Granada have won 3/14 at Los Carmenes this term and lost double that amount.

 

Over the last year or so backing Betis to win on the road has brought handsome rewards. Their away form is not good, but Granada are weaker hosts than anyone they've  played in their five-game winless streak.

 

Recommended Bet

Back Betis @ 3.45

 

Real Madrid v Levante

Saturday 17:00 (Live on Sky Sports 4)

Real 1.17 Levante 21.0 draw 10.0

 

Real have had just a couple of days to recover from their Champions League exertions, but Wednesday's 3-0 win over Galatasaray takes the pressure off next week's  second leg.

 

Jose Mourinho has an injury-free squad that should cope with the quicker turnarounds and a record at the Bernabeu that destroys any thoughts of an upset.

 

Levante have taken three points from 21 on the road and look comfortably settled in to mid-table for the rest of the season.

 

The Frogs have conceded before half-time in each of their last six on the road and, driven by Cristiano Ronaldo's fierce desire to make a name for himself in Messi's  absence, Real should score on both sides of the interval, just as they have done in 11/14 at the Bernabeu.

 

Recommended Bet

Back Real Madrid To Score in Both Halves @ 1.6

 

Deportivo La Coruna v Real Zaragoza

Saturday 19:00 (Live on Sky Sports 4)

Deportivo 2.06 Zaragoza 4.0 draw 3.65

 

In 2013 Zaragoza have earned fewer points than anyone else in a major European league. Their winless streak is 12 - the worst run by anyone in Spain this season.

 

Deportivo have scored three times and won three points from each of their last two games. So we fancy them.

 

Riki and Juan Carlos Valeron (amen to this lovely piece) could get the job done early: Zaragoza have been behind at half-time in 12/15 away defeats under Manolo  Jimenez and conceded before the break in 10/12 since they last won.

 

Deportivo/Deportivo is 3.3 in the Half Time/Full Time market.

 

Recommended Bet

Back Deportivo @ 2.06

 

Barcelona v Mallorca

Saturday 21:00 (Live on Sky Sports 4)

Barcelona 1.21 Mallorca 20.0 draw 7.8

 

Lionel Messi, scorer of 48% of Barcelona's Liga goals this season, is out.

 

The markets started to move as soon as he failed to emerge for the second half in Paris on Tuesday night and have amply accounted for his absence.

 

Gregorio Manzano has improved Mallorca - just like he did for his first two spells in charge - and we're particularly impressed by the islanders' record of scoring  twice in each of their last four games. In total both teams have scored in 6/7 since Manzano returned.

 

There's our bet, then.

 

(It's paid out in 14 of Barca's last 16 Liga outings.)

 

Recommended Bet

Back Both Teams to Score @ 2.0

 

Getafe v Atletico Madrid

Sunday 18:00 (Live on Sky Sports 2)

Getafe 3.9 Atletico 2.1 draw 3.6

 

Getafe get a shot at history on Sunday evening: they are unbeaten in six (W4-D2-L0) and in the top flight they have never gone unbeaten in seven.

 

We reckon they can at least get to six and a half.

 

Luis Garcia has overseen half-time draws in 18/33 at the Coliseum, while Diego Simeone has settled for the same in 14/26 Atletico away games.

 

El Geta have played for more than seven hours since they last conceded a goal, while Atletico have let in fewer than anyone else in La Liga this season.

 

This one could be tighter than a gnat's...

 

Recommended Bet

Back Half Time Draw @ 2.2

 

Valencia v Real Valladolid

Sunday 20:00 (Live on Sky Sports 2)

Valencia 1.44 Valladolid 9.0 draw 4.9

 

Early goals have been a feature of recent meetings of these two: six of the last seven Valencia have hit past Valladolid have come before half-time.

 

That doesn't quite tally with Valencia's record of drawing the first half in 7/9 home matches against bottom-half teams or Valladolid's record of half-time draws in  7/11 away matches.

 

Patrick Ebert is a doubt for Valladolid. If he misses out, we'll support Champions League-chasing Valencia - and not care how they do it, just so long as they win.

 

But 1.44 is not much to get excited about.

 

Roberto Soldado might or might not be fit, but the longer price on Jonas appeals a bit more anyway: the Brazil international has scored five of Los Che's last nine  goals.

 

Recommended Bet

Back Jonas To Score @ 2.5

 

Sevilla v Athletic Bilbao

Monday 21:00 (Live on Sky Sports Xtra)

Sevilla 1.62 Athletic 6.2 draw 4.2

 

Sevilla have won six in a row at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, while Ath. Bilbao have lost 10/16 away matches.

 

Although Jesus Navas is suspended, Unai Emery's perfect home record as Sevilla boss should survive Monday night.

 

With Athletic going behind before the break in six of their last nine away games, the home side can quickly end this as a contest. Emery has been ahead at half-time  and full-time in all five of his home wins to date.

 

Recommended Bet

Back Sevilla/Sevilla @ 2.55

 

(Source: Betfair)

 

Bet HERE

 

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