When Atletico Madrid handed rival Real Madrid an embarrassing 4-0 beat down last week in front of a packed house at the Vicente Calderon Stadium, the home fans were ecstatic as they witnessed a blowout win that won’t soon be forgotten. The battle for the top spot in La Liga has become even more heated and the biggest question remaining is what will happen next after such a surprising week of Spanish soccer?
Real Madrid needs to rebound in the worst way possible and they should be able to with a very weak opponent coming to town.
Real Madrid vs. Deportivo La Coruna – Saturday, 12:00 PM ET
La Liga Odds: Real Madrid -1200, Deportivo +2000, Draw +1200
Cristiano Ronaldo’s return did little to spark Real as they were handed their most humbling loss of the season. The Ballon d’Or winner took a lot of heat for going out and partying after the game, even though it was his birthday party. It will be interesting to see how one of the world’s biggest superstars and his teammates respond. We might see a different lineup on Saturday as Ancellotti tries to light a fire under them but some wonder if maybe they’re not responding to him anymore.
Ronaldo hasn’t scored a goal since his Week 19 game against Getafe and while he did miss two matches due to suspension, there are those that suspect something isn’t completely right about him. More will be needed of Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema until Ronaldo finds his form again and this weekend should represent the perfect opportunity. A win over Deportivo won’t erase the memory or the effects of last week’s loss but the sooner Carlo Ancelotti’s men bounce back, the less anxious the crowd at the Bernabeu will be this weekend. Pick: Real Madrid
[related_post_one]
Barcelona vs. Levante – Sunday, 11:00 AM ET
La Liga Odds: Barcelona -2000, Levante +3300, Draw +1400
While Atletico celebrated its victory, the real winners may very well have been a Barcelona side that was able to inch to within one point of the top spot in table with their 5-2 win over Athletic Bilbao combined with Real’s loss. Lionel Messi scored a goal for the fifth consecutive game and now has eight goals in his last five La Liga matches while his new sidekick, Neymar, has been brilliant as well with a goal in each of his last five games. Barcelona is firing on all cylinders right now and any combination of a win and a draw or loss for Real would vault them in to sole possession of top spot in the table.
In this specific matchup, it’s pretty clear that Barcelona should be collecting all three points. It should only be a matter of time before Barcelona’s brilliance overwhelms a Levante side that is buried near the bottom of the table in 18th place. They have just one win in 11 away games and have been outscored 17-7 in the process. Pick: Barcelona
Celta Vigo vs. Atletico Madrid – Sunday, 3:00 PM ET
La Liga Odds: Atletico Madrid +110, Celta Vigo +280, Draw +225
The biggest obstacle in Atletico’s way for this weekend will be the potential for an emotional letdown following last week’s incredible performance. Celta Vigo is only a game better than .500 at home and they will have a tough time holding back the same attack that scored four consecutive goals against Real Madrid last week – as long as that same group shows up. Celta Vigo is no pushover, though, as they’ve only giving up 10 goals in 10 home games this season.
Antoine Griezmann and Mario Mandzukic have continued to shine and if both strikers can find the score sheet again this week, there is a good chance that Atletico will pull out another victory. The visiting team is still four points back of Real Madrid for top spot in the table and anything less than securing the maximum three points would be considered a major letdown. Pick: Atletico Madrid
