The upcoming 10th round of the Spanish La Liga brings us a lot of excitement with some great derby matches, and in this preview we would like to take a closer look at two games set for Saturday, October 28th, 2017, when Alaves meets Valencia at Mendizorrotza Stadium, while Athletic Bilbao hosts Barcelona at San Mames.
Down below you’ll find some interesting tips and betting predictions for these two games, like always here on GetMoreSports. So, let’s start with the first match.
ALAVES vs. VALENCIA
Three-Way: 1: Alaves +520; X: +309 Draw; 2: Valencia -132 at BetDSI Sportsbook
Spread +1: Alaves -127; Valencia +122
Total +2.5: Over -109; Under +110
ALAVES
Deportivo Alaves is in all kind of troubles after the first nine rounds of the Spanish La Liga. They are at the 19th spot of the table with just three points, a 3:14 goal difference and a form of LLWLL. In the previous round Alaves were easily beaten at Betis, 2:0, failing to find the net once more in this year’s La Liga campaign with only three scoring chances for 90 minutes. They’ve managed to score in just two games so far (against Levante in a 2:0 win, and Real Madrid in a 2:1 loss), so they need to improve their attack as soon as possible if they want to start winning points on a regular basis.
At home, Alaves played awfully, losing all four games with a 1:9 goal difference. The only excuse could be the tough opponents (Real Sociedad, Real Madrid, Villarreal, and Barcelona), while the next rival is a heavyweight, too, as Valencia is playing in a magnificent form from the start of the championship. On the road, Alaves got the only victory so far, beating Levante in the seventh round, 2:0. They’ve created 56 scoring opportunities in nine games, which place them at the bottom of the table, and the same thing is with a shot accuracy (39%).
The manager Gianni De Biasi doesn’t have serious injury worries, and he can count on almost all players, besides the centre-back Victor Laguardia (knee injury), and the left-back Hector Hernandez (malleolar injury.
VALENCIA
The Bats are playing brilliantly from the start of the season, and after nine rounds they are sitting at the second spot of the Spanish La Liga table with 21 points, and a 25:10 goal difference. With five consecutive wins and 21 goals scored in those five matches, The Bats are in an outstanding form, while they are playing arguably the most entertaining football in the La Liga. They are still undefeated, and against Alaves on the road, they will look to stay on the winning path.
In the previous round, Valencia hammered Sevilla in front of the home fans, 4:0, in one of the derby matches of the Spanish La Liga. It supposed to be a close game with two equable teams, but The Bats showed the class with a magnificent performance. The 20-year forward Goncalo Guedes bagged a couple of goals, while his colleague Rodrigo made two dishes before he left the game in the 70th minute. Valencia took 18 shots on goal, the same number as Sevilla, scoring four times and keeping their net intact.
With 25 goals scored out of 97 chances created, Valencia is the second most efficient team in the league, and only Barca scored one goal more. The Italian striker Simone Zaza is leading his team with eight goals in nine appearances, Rodrigo bagged five, while Goncalo Guedes and Santi Mina added three goals each. Goncalo Guedes is the top assistant with five dishes so far, and the talented 20-year old midfielder Carlos Soler is just behind him with four assists.
The manager Marcelinho Garcia Toral can count on all players for the next match against Alaves, besides the midfielder Dani Parejo, who have to serve his yellow card suspension.
ALAVES vs. VALENCIA – Match Prediction
Valencia is playing an outstanding football, and I think they can win another game in a row. Alaves will try to get the first point at the home stadium, so it is going to be a great clash. I’ll go with visitors in this one, as they are a far better team at the moment.
MY PICK: Valencia to Win (-132)
ATHLETIC BILBAO vs. BARCELONA
Three-Way: 1: Athletic Bilbao +640; X: +396 Draw; 2: Barcelona -169
Spread +1: Athletic Bilbao +123; Barcelona -127
Total +3: Over +106; Under -103
ATHLETIC BILBAO
The Lions disappointed their fans once again with a 1:0 defeat against Leganes on the road in the ninth round of the Spanish La Liga. They put on a lousy display against one of the best defenses in the league, creating just five scoring chances, and taking only seven shots on Leganes’ goal. After nine rounds The Lions are sitting at the 11th spot of the La Liga table with 11 points, a 10:10 goal difference and a form of LWLDL.
Athletic Bilbao created 74 scoring chances so far, finding the net 10 times with a 50% of a shot accuracy. The experienced striker Aritz Aduriz is a leading scorer with four goals in nine appearances, while the winger Inaki Williams and the midfielder Raul Garcia added two each. Williams had a great chance at the start of the second half against Leganes, choosing to take a shot instead of making a pass, and his selfishness cost the team three points last weekend. Defensively, The Lions look pretty decent, recording 38 defensive actions per game.
The manager Jose Angel Ziganda is having problems to field the best eleven, as the right-back Oscar de Marcos is still unavailable due to a sprained ankle, while one of the team’s best players Iker Muniain will be sidelined for at least five months with the cruciate ligament rupture.
BARCELONA
Barca is marching on after the first nine rounds of the Spanish La Liga with eight victories and just one draw against Atletico Madrid on the road. They are laying at the top of the table with 25 points and a 26:3 goal difference. Their defense is still one of the strongest in the league, while with 26 goals scored they have the most efficient attack.
In the previous round, Barca got another win at home over Malaga, 2:0, but they’ve played way below the fans’ expectations. The leading goal came in the second minute of the game when Lucas Digne took a cross when the ball was already out of play. However, the referee didn’t see it, and it certainly determined the rest of the game. Barca’s players were harmless until the end of the first half, and their fans expected far more against one of the worst teams in the La Liga.
Lionel Messi is leading his team with 11 goals and four assists in nine La Liga appearances, and he’s looking unstoppable. Luis Suarez is still far away from the top form with just three goals in six apps, and he’ll try to improve his game in the next couple of weeks. The central midfielder Paulinho, who arrived from the Chinese side Guangzhou Evergrande this summer, is proving his worth to the team with some excellent displays recently, as the Brazilian has two goals and one assist on his account in eight La Liga apps.
The manager Ernesto Valverde is still without Ousmane Dembele (thigh muscle rupture), while Jordi Alba (tear in the abductor’s muscle) and Aleix Vidal (sprained ankle) are both doubtful for the next game at San Mames.
ATHLETIC BILBAO vs. BARCELONA – Match Prediction
Barcelona is certainly a huge favorite in this clash, but in some previous games between these two teams Athletic Bilbao managed to find the net, and I expect to see them scoring in front of the home fans. The Lions are in a bad form, and a good display against Barca could bring some self-confidence.
MY PICK: Both Teams to Score YES (-125)
To bet on this event, please visit BetDSI Sportsbook!!!
