With five matches done and dusted for each team, the league is slowly beginning to take shape, although it is still in its embryonic stages. The La Liga leaders Barcelona will visit Girona to consolidate their position at the top of the table, while Malaga welcomes Bilbao hoping to get at least a point from this fixture after a dismal start.
MALAGA vs. ATHLETIC BILBAO
Three-way: 1: Malaga +229; X: +240 Draw; 2: Athletic Bilbao +167
Spread 0: Malaga +129; Athletic Bilbao -129
Total +2.5: Over +131; Under -137
MALAGA
After last season’s 11th place finish, it looked that Malaga will only improve upon that position and try to creep near the top seven positions in the La Liga table. However, judging from the first five league matches, it is highly unlikely. They have put in some seriously disappointing performances, as they have failed to create chances, and when they do, they fail to convert them. The defense, moreover, has been more than just guilty of losing their focus which has led to vital goals been given away. If this doesn’t improve soon, Malaga will soon find themselves in a relegation scrap.
They have lost all five of their league games so far. The only time when they managed to score a goal against an opponent, was in the second match, against Las Palmas, who eventually won the match by 3:1. In all these five matches, they have conceded 11 goals and scored just once, which shows how poor their attack has been. Even though they showed a lot of determination against Atletico last weekend in the 0:1 defeat, the coach will be worried about the level of inefficiency the side is showing when it comes to scoring goals.
Their last match was a truly saddening defeat atValencia. Led by Simeone Zaza, who scored a fantastic hat-trick, Valencia demolished their visitors by 5:0. Malaga was able to fashion out only one clear-cut chances in the first half, which was parried by the home side’s goalkeeper before they fell on their faces and got destroyed. Prior to this match, they were the first visitors to the Wanda metropolitan, where they faced Atletico, who also defeated them by 1:0.
Their only goal this season so far was scored by Centre Back Diego Gonzalez. However, on the flanks of the defense, the manager will have to deal with a couple of injury concerns. Right back Miguel Torres, along with his left counterpart Juankar, are both out due to Ankle and Muscle injury respectively. Winger Jony injured his knee in the first week of September, and will surely miss the match. Forward Adalberto Penaranda Fractured his leg in training, which means he will be out for another month or so at the very least.
ATHLETIC BILBAO
As one would expect from the Basque club, they have started the season in a typically strong way, showcasing their defensive resilience along with a penchant for scoring goals. Last year saw them put in some meek performances, although they seem to back and have really got going in the La Liga, although recently they have come across a few blips. Nevertheless, this season is going to be exciting for the Bilbao fans if the team continues to stick to its approach and continue to be fearless against the big names in both Europa and in Spain.
They started off the season very well, as they remained unbeaten for the first 8 matches, including the Europa League qualifiers and group stage match. However, their form has dipped in the last matches, and they have dropped three points in each of these two games. Their record over the last six games in all competitions is 3-1-2. During this run, they have scored 5 goals, while conceding 3. Even though these numbers do not look very impressive, they actually are, considering the fact that Bilbao kept a clean sheet in four of these La Liga matches.
However, their last two matches both ended in defeats. Las Palmas managed to keep a surprise win with them as they were visited by the Basque club and won 1:0 this match was followed by a clash against Atletico, who received a tough fight from the host but still managed to go back home with three points in bag as they finished the match was 1:2 winners.
Striker Aritz Aduriz seems to have fooled his body into thinking that he is still a 25-year-old youngster, such as the level at which he plays, dominating defenders in the air and applying a predators finish to chances created by the playmakers. He has scored 2 goals so far for the Basque club, while young Spanish Winger Inaki Williams has used his skill on the ball to create three goals.
A positive news was recently out, not just for the Bilbao but for the entire world of football, as defender’s Yeray Alvarez’s girlfriend declared that he had beaten cancer for the second time, and is now on his way to get back at his beloved sport. Football fans will be hoping that the talented Spaniard is able to soon return to the pitch, in what would be a tremendous example of willpower. For the weekend, joining him on the sidelines will be Right back Oscar De Marcos, who is out with a sprained ankle since August.
MALAGA vs. ATHLETIC BILBAO – Match Prediction:
Looking at the last few performances of the Malaga team, it is tough to see them getting the ball into the Bilbao net. The Basque club has also been suffering from a confidence crisis in the squad due to their last two defeats, but they are more than capable of lifting themselves and looking at the previous performances to boost the morale of the players. So even though the home crowd will be boosting Malaga, I feel that they will still succumb to a loss. So my prediction for this match will be an away win.
MY PICK: Athletic Bilbao to win (+167)
GIRONA vs. BARCELONA
Three-way: 1: Girona +1400; X: +580 Draw; 2: Barcelona -286
Spread +1.5: Girona +127; Barcelona -125
Total +3.5: Over +120; Under -123
GIRONA
From being the bookies’ favorite for relegation to winning a number of neutral fans in La Liga, Girona have shown admirable progress. With a gritty 2:2 draw in the very first match of the league season, Girona announced their intention to the other teams in the league that they will fight with all that they have got. Of course, they will lose quite a lot of matches, but it seems that they can repeat what Alaves did last season and finish near the mid-table positions if they keep up the current form.
After a great start to the league, they have somewhat suffered a blip, although they were up against some of the stronger teams in the La Liga. In their first five league games of the season; their record has been 1-2-2, which isn’t really impressive, but still decent considering they have managed to scrap results out of games they were supposed to lose. During this period, they have scored just three goals, which show the improvement their attack needs to witness, while the goal has been breached 5 times so far, which isn’t very poor considering the fact that they also kept 2 clean sheets.
Their last match a scoreless draw at Leganes, where both the teams were guilty of missing out chances, which meant that the fans went home feeling pretty bored due to lack of goals. Before this match, they were defeated at home by Sevilla, in a match that was far more than an easy ride for the away team, who had to work pretty hard for the three points, as they sealed a 0:1 win against Girona.
Summer signing Christian Stuani is doing his bit in leading the attack, as he has already scored two goals in his five appearances, while centre-back Pedro Alcala has also chipped in with one. Midfielder Granell has made one assist in his five appearances in the league till now.
There are a couple of injury concerns for the manager to deal with before the match. Left-back Carles Planas will be a major doubt for the match due to his Hamstring Injury suffered a month ago, while midfielder David Timor will also be out in all possible as he has still not recovered fully from his muscular injury.
BARCELONA
Going back a couple of months or so, Barcelona seemed like a club in crisis. The transfer window looked like a failure; Neymar’s departure was hard to digest for the fans, and the board looked like a complete disaster. However, fast forward a few months, Barcelona look to be working as smooth as one could expect it to be. Messi is working his magic, maligned signing Paulinho is answering his Critics in emphatic fashion, and the right-back problem looks to have been solved. And yes, they are on top of the La Liga, while Arch Rivals Real Madrid are languishing in 8th spot after 5 league games. It looks rosy in Barcelona.
The Catalan club is on a good run of games, as they have been unbeaten since the La Liga campaign has started. In their last six games in all competitions, they have a record of 6-0-0, which shows how ruthless they have been. This run also included a win over UCL Giants Juventus, where Messi finally broke his duck against the Legendary Buffon. During this run, Barca scored a massive 20 goals, while conceding just twice, such has been their form.
Their last match was a thumping 6:1 win against Eibar at home, where Lio Messi scored four goals as they romped towards the finish line. Prior to this match they played a tough match against Getafe, who gave a tough fight to their Catalan visitors, but eventually succumbed to their might and lost 1:2 at home.
To get a better idea of Messi genius, just compare Los Blancos goal tally in the La Liga to Messi’s. The Diminutive Argentine has scored a terrific 9 goals already, which is equal to the entire Real Madrid squad, along with two assists. Interestingly, summer signing Paulinho, along with youngster Denis Suarez are second on the list, with two goals and an assist each.
Club record signing Ousmane Dembele ruptured his thigh muscles last week and will undergo surgery. The club has said that he will be back only by January, although the youngster himself said that two months is all he needs to get back to fitness. Along with him, midfielder Rafinha is still out due to the Meniscus Injury suffered in April.
GIRONA vs. BARCELONA – Match Prediction:
This match has a Barcelona victory written all over it. With players like Messi in their ranks, no defense is unbreakable for this squad. Valverde will be hoping that his players continue on the upward trajectory and avoid an embarrassing slip up at the stadium of the Newcomers. So, my prediction will be a comfortable Barcelona win.
MY PICK: Barcelona AH +1.5 (-125)
