On Saturday evening we will have a chance to watch two interesting games as a part of the Spanish La Liga round 3. Sevilla will host Eibar after they’ve beaten Getafe in the last round. Elsewhere, Barcelona will play against city rival Espanyol at Camp Nou, looking for another victory to stay on the winning path.
Everyone’s awaiting interesting meetings, therefore I would like to take a closer look at these two games to help you get the best betting predictions and match analysis. I’m sure it’ll be efficient, as always. So, let’s start with the first game.
Sevilla vs. Eibar
Three-Way: 1: Sevilla -137; X: +334 Draw; 2: Eibar +525
Spread -1: Sevilla +110; Eibar -112
Total +2.5: Over -132; Under +127
SEVILLA
Ganso’s beautiful strike saved Sevilla against Getafe in the last round of the La Liga and brought the first three points in a new season. Although the team is not playing well, Sevilla started with four points out of two games. They have a lot of issues creating their chances, particularly against Getafe, so now they have to brace up if they want to win the next game against Eibar.
Ever Banega will have to miss another game after a red card in the first round when he came off the bench to pick up the pieces in the midfield. The lack of creativity made some serious troubles in Sevilla’s play against Getafe, as Ganso and Krohn-Dehli had a quiet game. Guido Pizarro, the 27-years old defensive midfielder who arrived this summer from the Mexican side Tigres, played pretty well, but he’s more an anchor man. It seems like Sevilla has to play wide, with Jesus Navas and Nolito as the main threats on both wings, so it’s going to be interesting to see who’s going to play along with them.
Ben Yedder and Luis Muriel are great strikers, but they both failed to score so far in the La Liga. They’ll certainly need more help from their teammates trying to pierce the ice. Just one goal and two serious chances against Getafe isn’t something that will please the coach Eduardo Berizzo and fans. The Argentinian tactician will be looking for more fluent play from his players like they did in the last couple of years.
EIBAR
One of the positive surprises of the last season kept up with good performances in a new La Liga campaign. After a great 1:0 victory over Malaga at La Rosaleda, Eibar, unfortunately, lost the second round match against Athletic Bilbao at home. They failed to take advantage of their goal scoring chances, although some of them were pretty favorable.
After all, Eibar’s manager Jose Mendilibar can be satisfied with the aggressive approach of his team, as they recorded 27 shots on goal in just two games. High pressure was quite efficient against Malaga and Athletic Bilbao, so I expect to see more of the same from Mendilibar’s team. He’s having a nightmare with all injuries among the squad, as Yoel Rodriguez, Fran Rico and Pedro Leon are still unavailable, while Joan Jordan is suspended.
Sevilla vs. Eibar – Match Prediction
Even after the unconvincing displays in the first two La Liga rounds, I think Sevilla is a strong favorite in this clash. On the other side, Eibar is a well-organized team who can certainly damage Sevilla’s defense, and we can see some goals on Saturday. Maybe the safest bet is to put your money on over 2.5 goals, as visitors are dangerous in the front, but the home side will be searching for the second consecutive win.
MY PICK: Over 2.5 goals (-132)
Barcelona vs. Espanyol
Three-Way: 1: Barcelona -385; X: Draw; 2: Espanyol
Spread -2.5: Barcelona +131; Espanyol -133
Total +3.5: Over -103; Under +100
BARCELONA
The transfer window in the La Liga is closed, and now Barcelona’s players can concentrate on winning games and improving their performances. Neymar is the past, so they cannot rely longer on the MSN trio, and maybe we’ll see Ousmane Dembele for the first time in action. Barca has already won two out of two without conceding a goal, albeit their displays were not so brilliant.
In the first round against Betis, only two shots were on target, and both ended behind Adan’s back. The last encounter was pretty nervous, as Barca didn’t manage to unlock Alaves’ defense easily, although they’ve had a ball possession for 73% of the time. In the first half Lionel Messi missed the penalty, but in the second he bagged both goals in just eleven minutes. However, it was a struggle playing without Luis Suarez in the front. The Uruguayan striker should be available for this Saturday’s clash against city rival, which is a huge relief for the Blaugrana’s fans.
Ernesto Valverde mixed players in the first two games, and it looks like Gerard Deulofeu deserved his place in the starting eleven. There are no injury worries for Barca’s manager, except the Croatian midfielder Ivan Rakitic, who is doubtful due to thigh muscle strain. If Rakitic misses the game, I expect to see Andreas Iniesta playing as a central midfielder, along with Sergio Busquets. Certainly, Valverde will demand another victory from his boys to go on with the winning string.
ESPANYOL
After a good display in the opening round of the La Liga, when Espanyol grabbed a draw at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium, Quique Flores’ team looked like a real deal. Just a week later, they lost a home game against Leganes. The biggest problem is that they didn’t play like the same team from the first match of the season. On this Saturday, they’ll have a short trip to Camp Nou, facing the arch city rivals Barcelona.
Surely, no one is expecting a positive result from this match, and Quique Flores will have a difficult job to recover his players after the last game’s defeat. They need to be mentally prepared if they want to get anything from this meeting. The whole team has to bring their A game, and they need to exploit every possible chance. Leo Baptistao could be a decisive factor in the final third, as the striker already had six shots on target, adding one goal to his name.
Espanyol’s manager has made two changes in the starting lineup against Leganes, and we can see more mixing after a drop in performance. He’s still missing Victor Sanchez, Oscar Duarte and Diego Lopez due to injuries.
Barcelona vs. Espanyol – Match Prediction
Anything but Barcelona’s victory will be a huge surprise. The Blaugrana have won last five games against Espanyol, including Copa del Rey matches two seasons ago. Last year at Camp Nou it was a convincing 4:1 win for the home team, and I think the result will be similar this time.
Espanyol showed some attacking skills against Sevilla, and if they manage to score on Saturday, we can get an entertaining match. I suggest betting on goals, as Barca still didn’t play an Over 3.5 goals game.
MY PICK: Over 3.5 goals (-103)
