La Liga (December 21/22)

[eirebhoy]

Tuesday 21 December 2004
	Home	Draw	Away	BPP
Barcelona v Levante (19:00 GMT)	1.23	7.20	17.50	101%
Betis v Atlético Madrid (21:00 GMT)	2.06	3.45	4.30	101%
Wednesday 22 December 2004
	Home	Draw	Away	BPP
Albacete v Villarreal (19:00 GMT)	2.52	3.25	3.00	104%
Athletic Bilbao v Mallorca (19:00 GMT)	1.69	3.70	6.00	103%
Dep Coruña v Real Zaragoza (19:00 GMT)	1.75	3.60	5.50	104%
Getafe v Racing Santander (19:00 GMT)	2.30	3.40	3.35	103%
Málaga v Real Sociedad (19:00 GMT)	2.50	3.30	3.00	104%
Osasuna v Numancia (19:00 GMT)	1.60	3.60	7.60	104%
Valencia v Español (19:00 GMT)	1.76	3.65	5.40	103%
Real Madrid v Sevilla (20:00 GMT)	1.51	4.30	8.60	102%

[edtkh]

Does anyone share the same thoughts or am I alone in thinking Barcelona may drop points here?

I personally think Barcelona's bubble has probably burst a tad following their 1-1 draw against Valencia and this is probably 1 game too soon for their limited squad to cope with. Don't get me wrong, Barca are still a great team but evidently (and as Rijkaard admitted himself when he fielded a second-string side against Shaktar Donetsk a few weeks back) Barca do have a fairly thin squad. With Valdes, Larsson, Giuly and Ronaldinho absent, they may well struggle to break down a side that looks set to 'park a bus' in front of their goal. Barcelon beat Numancia 1-0 earlier in the season and I wouldn't be surprised if this turns out to be another hard-grafted affair.

6pts : LAY Barcelona @ 1.26

[Galea78]

Whats up with Ronaldinho?

Marca do not mention him missing - below squad is probably as Marca are really unreliable for squads but Levante are the team on the slide for me.

They lost to Malaga for a start! before that 5-0 to Madrid.

Away
(12) Levante 8 2 1 5 8 - 16
Last 3 away
(12) Levante 3 0 0 3 0 - 7


Valdes the keeper is the only change in this squad and they tore Valencia apart for long periods at the weekend - in fact getting even better with 10men! Valencia's goal was a complete fluke IMO.

I am not at all a Barca fan but can see the talent oozing from this side. The fixtures being tight with small squad may soon impact but i do not think tonight is the night for that to happen.

My Prediction 3-0
Bet 1 -1.5,-2 @1.95 6/10 Should have listen to you edtkh
Bet 1 @1.20 9/10
Bet over2.5 @1.80 8/10

All in all profit made .

Barcelona: Rubén; Belletti, Oleguer, Puyol, Gio; Xavi, Márquez, Déco; Iniesta, Etoo y Ronaldinho.


Goodluck with what you decide - thats just my opinion!

[liverpoolfan]

Real Madrid v FC Sevilla: Preview

PA

David Beckham will be hoping all of his Christmas wishes come true when Real Madrid host Sevilla on Wednesday. Beckham recently gave an interview on RealMadrid TV in which he spoke of what would be an ideal end to the year for the club as they prepare for the short winter break. "At this stage of the season, every game is important and La Liga is a key tournament for us," said Beckham. "If we can get the three points that are up for grabs, then I am certain we will be able to enjoy our Christmas holidays." The England skipper will certainly be able to enjoy one aspect of the Christmas build-up after being recalled to the Madrid side for Wednesday's clash. Both Beckham and Roberto Carlos watched from the bench as Zinedine Zidane claimed an injury-time winner for Madrid in their 3-2 win at Racing Santander on Saturday. Beckham missed out due to a niggling hamstring problem, but he will be back in the starting line-up after training well on Monday with teenager Javi Garcia dropping back to the bench. Roberto Carlos will also be back in action, but the left back knows he has to perform after the club made it clear his exclusion at the weekend was down to a lack of form. Ronaldo is another set to return after shaking off the hamstring problems that saw him remain in Madrid on Saturday. As usual the victim will be Michael Owen, who is quickly learning that scoring goals is not enough to displace a `galactico' from the Madrid starting XI. It is a must win game for Madrid against a rival who have caused them problems in recent seasons and who can climb above them should they take maximum points from the Bernabeu. But Madrid will at least have the advantage of going into the game knowing what Primera Liga leaders Barcelona have done. Barca currently lead Madrid by 10 points at the top of the table and could have opened that lead up to 13 should they beat Levante on Tuesday night. However, the league leaders are starting to show signs of tiredness, due mainly to their lengthy injury list which has not allowed Frank Rijkaard to rest players. That has given Madrid keeper Iker Casillas hope his side can still catch them up. "They are not playing as well as they were before, but that's because they have had a plague of injuries," Casillas said. "I don't think they can keep up the pace and they will have a bad run as has happened to us in the past." Sevilla, meanwhile, travel to Madrid in high spirits following their 2-1 weekend triumph over local rivals Betis. That win was surrounded in controversy following the 45-minute delay in the kick-off after the referee decided Betis' traditional green and white shirts clashed with Sevilla's all-white kit. With Madrid wearing white, Sevilla will be in their red change strip on Wednesday, and will be at full strength with Julio Cesar Baptista leading the attack alongside Carlitos. The only question mark for coach Joaquin Caparros is whether to recall the experienced Pablo Alfaro at the back or to continue showing faith in Aitor Ocio, who has looked good in recent games.

Real Madrid Spanish Primera Liga Top Scorers
Luiz Ronaldo	8
Michael Owen	6
David Beckham	3
Zinedine Zidane	2
Luis Figo	2
Gonzalez Raul	2
Walter Samuel	1
Raul Bravo	1

FC Sevilla Spanish Primera Liga Top Scorers
Cesar Julio Baptista	7
Dominguez Carlitos	3
Dirnei Renato	2
Ramos Sergio	1
Antonio Puerta	1
Alvarez Antonio Lopez	1
Dario Silva	1
Carrion Aitor Ocio	1
Francisco Javi Navarro	1
Carlos Aranda	1

Home strength	85 %		50 %	Away strength
Home wins	6		1	Away wins
Home draws	0		3	Away draws
Home defeats	1		4	Away defeats
% Home wins	85 %		12 %	% Away wins
% Home draws	0 %		37 %	% Away draws
% Home defeats	14 %		50 %	% Away defeats
Since last home defeat	4		1	Since last away defeat
Since last home draw	7		0	Since last away draw
Since last home win	0		4	Since last away win
Home goals scored	16		6	Away goals scored
Home goals conceded	2		14	Away goals conceded
Avg home goals scored	2.28		0.75	Avg away goals scored
Avg home goals conc.	0.28		1.75	Avg away goals conc.
Home goal scored every	39 m.		120 m.	Away goal scored every
Home goal conc. every	315 m.		51 m.	Away goal conc. every
Home matches > 2.5	28 %		62 %	Away matches > 2.5
Home matches < 2.5	71 %		37 %	Away matches < 2.5

[mattsthebest]

2-1 Barcelona. Hardly a convincing performance and certainly lucky to escape with the win, thanks to the superb goal by E'to.

Barcelona are lucky to have made it to the winter break with their championship lead still intact. If this was the EPL, you would expect them to possibly lose some form, but the break now will do them very nicely.

[herba]

Osasuna v Numancia 1 @1.60

Bye herba

[edtkh]

If ever I was robbed, Barca robbed me last night! 4 minutes away from a massive return!

Well, anyway I personally fancy Deportivo to beat Zaragoza tonight. With the 1.75 available at Betfair, it must surely be worth a look IMO!

Although Deportivo have looked far from convincing this term having emerged as the draw specialist in La Liga so far this term, it's imperative to note that they have proved they're still capable of matching Spain's finest on their day - as a narrow 2-1 defeat at Nou Camp and a shock 1-0 victory at the Bernabeu would suggest. On their day, I don't suppose Zaragoza will come anywhere close to touching them and I feel today could just be one of those days when Pandiani, Luque and co will show Zaragoza just where they belong.

Coming into this game with an away record of 0-4-4(scored 5, conceded 12) is hardly encouraging for a team struggling to match the lofty standards attained last season and I can only imagine them having their season compounded with what I feel will be a long overdue classy performance from Deportivo in front of their faithful at the Riazor. Just can't see past Depor recording their first win in 5 tonight.

10 points : Deportivo to beat Zaragoza (1.75)

[Finn McCool]

Originally Posted by herba

Osasuna v Numancia 1 @1.60

Bye herba

Where did y find 1.60

NUMANCIA lost all 8 away games in la liga this season

[mr chips]

I am taking a bit of Osasuna tonight against Numancia, basically on the won 5 drawn 2 of the homes and the away side losing all of theirs. 1.58 Betfair.

Possible Sociadad x and 2

[ghecko]

Gone for Athletic Bilbao Osasuna double

[punter66]

Madrid to score 3 or more @ 15/8 for me. Also Madrid ht/ft, more than 10 corners and a goal to be scored before the 27th minute..just for a bit of intrest like.

[ghecko]

Originally Posted by ghecko

Gone for Athletic Bilbao Osasuna double

Whats Real Madrid playing at ?

[Jedd]

What the hell happened in the Valencia - Espanyol game????????

Within the last 3 min. or so of the 1.half Espanyol received 6 yellowcards and 2 red cards!?!?!??!??!

How's that even possible, did anyone here see or hear why it happened?