Valencia – Almeria 21 March 2010

Valencia last 5 league matches:

Valencia last 3 home matches: 

Almeria last 5 league matches: 

Almeria last 3 away matches:

Table positions: Valencia -3, Almeria -11

Valencia home table position: 10

Almeria away table position: 10

Having lost to Barcelona in the last round 3-0, Valencia is in desperate need of points if they are to consolidate their third spot in the Primera Division but this match against Almeria will probably prove a difficult task considering the teams recent performances and results.

Valencia has won only one of the the past 5 matches played in the Spanish league against Getafe, from the followed a painful defeat at the hands of Atletico Madrid and a goalless draw with Racing Santander coped with last week defeat at Barcelona. Valencia played a very good game in the first half of the confrontation with the Catalan side but made a terrible last part conceding all 3 goals.

Their statistic on home ground is very modest with only 6 victories in 12 played and a very high number of draws, no less than 5 as well as a modest goal ratio of 21 scored and 11 conceded.

Almeria is showing a very good form lately which allowed them to climb considerably up in the charts to their current 11th spot with a total of 33 points in all 26 matches played. No less than 3 victories for them in the last 4 matches and an important morale boosting 2-2 draw against champions Barcelona.

In away matches their record is very poor with only 2 victories so far and 4 draws in 13 played completed with a negative goal ratio of 14 scored and 21 conceded.

My pick:  Valencia to win

 Loading ...

Real Madrid – Sporting Gijon 20 March 2010

Real last 5 league matches:

Real last 3 home matches: 

Gijon last 5 league matches:

Gijon last 3 away matches: 

Table positions: Real -1, Gijon -12

Real home table position: 1

Gijon away table position: 15

No luck for Real Madrid last week as Barcelona trashed Valencia and managed to stick in the second spot only due to the inferior goal ratio. With this match against Sporting Gijon comes another great opportunity to claim all 3 points and hope their bitter rivals stumble.

As Real Madrid suffered a big blow when eliminated from the Champions League by Olympique Lyon, the Primera Division is the only competition left for them this year and a set back here would probably bring some important changes to the club.

They have managed to win the last 8 matches played in the competition and as far as home statistic goes, it’s a perfect one with 13 victories in 13 matches played and an impressing goal ratio of 44 scored and 10 conceded.

Sporting Gijon is looking like a certain victim when compared to Real Madrid but this small them from the middle of the table managed to produce some surprises this season and it’s known that they look highly motivated when dealing with giants of the competition.

No victories for them in the last 2 matches played with a loss away to Mallorca and a goalless draw at home against Athletic Bilbao but with only 2 victories and 3 draws in 13 matches played away their mission on Santiago Bernabeu is close to impossible.

My pick:  Real Madrid to win

 Loading ...

Atletico Madrid – Osasuna 15 March 2010

Atletico last 5 league matches:

Atletico last 3 home matches:

Valencia last 5 league matches: 

Valencia last 3 away matches:

Table positions: Atletico -2, Valencia -3

Atletico home table position: 2

Valencia away table position: 2

A very interesting match on Monday and the last of day 26 in the Spanish Primera Division as 2 rivals go head to head in an attempt to distance themselves from the other.

Both teams have a total of 31 points and before the leg started they where ranked 10 and 11, with Atletico Madrid in the better position due only to the goal ratio that is joust slightly better than that of their adversaries.

Atletico Madrid is far from expectation and the hopes that the team had at the beginning of the season and their attempt of claiming a spot in an European tournament in the summer are very slim. Their statistic in home matches is modest with only 6 victories and 3 draws in all 12 played but a better goal ratio with 24 scored and 17 conceded showing a good offense and open strategy which leads also to more goals received.

Osasuna has taken a plunge in ranking these past weeks as they where unable to win any of the past 4 matches played, managing only 2 points from them in draws against Real Valladolid and Getafe on home ground.

The team’s statistic in away matches is poor with only 4 victories to their name and 2 draws in 13 played which lead to a disastrous goal ratio of only 12 scored and no less than 17 conceded.

My pick:  Atletico Madrid to win

 Loading ...

Barcelona – Valencia 14 March 2010

Barcelona last 5 league matches:

Barcelona last 3 home matches:

Valencia last 5 league matches:

Valencia last 3 away matches:

Table positions: Barcelona -2, Valencia -3

Barcelona home table position: 2

Valencia away table position: 2

A spectacular match awaits us this Sunday in the Spanish Primera Division with Barcelona welcoming Valencia in an attempt to reclaim the top spot from Real Madrid.

Barcelona lost the tops spot after last week’s 2-2 results at Almeria and Real took the lead due to their better goal ratio as both teams have 63 points in overall. As time passes it looks more likely that the direct results between the 2 giants could make the difference at the end of the season as neither is able to separate and break off from it’s rival.

Barcelona lost ground especially due to it’s poor displays when playing away as at home their statistic is solid with 11 victories and 1 draws in all 12 played and a superb goal ratio of 34 scored and 8 conceded. This game is of high importance for the Catalan side as Valencia is one of the few teams that really look like posing problems on Nou Camp.

Valencia is as well on a downward trend with no victory in the last 2 matches of the Spanish Primera Division as they lost to Ahletico Madrid and ended last week in a goalless draw with Racing Santander on their own pitch.

Not the best of impression left by them this week as well in the Europa League where they managed only a one all result with Werder Bremen, making the trip to Germany and the qualification to the next phase a very difficult task. In away matches their statistic is one of the best in the domestic league with 7 victories and 3 draws in 13 played but against a team such as Barcelona and in light of their recent displays this might become irrelevant.

My pick:  Barcelona to win ( over 2.5 goals )

 Loading ...

Valencia – Racing Santander 8 March 2010

Valencia last 5 league matches:

Valencia last 3 home matches: 

Santander last 5 league matches:

Santander last 3 away matches:

Table positions: Valencia -3, Santander -16

Valencia home table position: 8

Santander away table position: 5

Last match of day 25 in the Spanish Primera Division and the only one to be played on Monday as Valencia welcomes a struggling Racing Santander.

With their main threat Sevilla losing in extra time on Saturday to Real Madrid it’s clear for Valencia that no matter the outcome of this match they will remain third in the table. Nonetheless it’s a great opportunity to consolidate their position and get a comfortable 6 point advantage over their rival as this is as far as they can get with giants Barcelona and Real Madrid out of reach for this season.

The team is showing increasing inconsistency in results lately, alternating between very good results on home pitch and painful defeats away as was the case last week when they where thrashed by Atletico Madrid 4-1. Their home statistic, at first glance isn’t very strong with 6 victories and no less than 4 draws, losing only against Real Madrid in a dramatic match but more important is the fact that they managed to win the last 4 played in front of their supporters.

Racing Santander has it’s own battle in the bottom of the table in their attempt to avoid the relegation zone. Before the leg started they where on the 16th spot with a total of 25 points, only 5 above the first team to go down Real Valladolid.

Surprisingly they seem to have a very decent away game with 4 victories and 4 draws in in 12 played but a negative goal ratio of 14 scored and 15 conceded but Racing Santander has now won any of the last 5 matches played in the Primera, claiming only 2 points in 2 draws and losing the last 3.

My pick:  Valencia to win

 Loading ...

Mallorca last 5 league matches:

Mallorca last 3 home matches: 

Gijon last 5 league matches:

Gijon last 3 away matches: 

Table positions: Mallorca -5, Gijon -10

Mallorca home table position: 3

Gijon away table position: 12

Seeking to continue it’s very good performance on home pitch, Mallorca will welcome an accessible Sporting Gijon in day 25 of the Spanish Primera Division on Sunday the 7th of March.

Mallorca is still in a great position regarding the overall table, now on the 5th spot with a total of 40 points, the vast majority of which managed on home ground. Joust 3 points form Sevilla and a Champions League spot and that says a lot as how competitive they are this season, if only the team could motivate themselves in away matches as well and their position will be greatly improved.

They are very strong in front of the home crowd with a very good statistic of 10 scored and only one defeat 1-2 surprisingly against relegation bound Tenerife but still holding a superb goal ratio of 26 scored and 6 conceded.

Sporting Gijon is mid table in the Primera, a comfortable position for them as they gathered 31 points but no real room for advancement as Villarreal and Getafe sit only 2 points above them but show more strength and consistency in their game.

Their main threat lyes in Atletico Madrid and Osasuna, both with only one point handicap. With an away statistic showing only 2 victories and no less than 6 defeats in all 11 played with a poor goal ratio of 13 scored and 19 conceded their attempt to grab any points from this match will be a growling task.

My pick:  Mallorca to win

 Loading ...

Real Madrid last 5 league matches:

Real Madrid last 3 home matches:

Sevilla last 5 league matches:

Sevilla last 3 away matches: 

Table positions: Real Madrid -2, Sevilla -4

Real Madrid home table position: 1

Sevilla away table position: 4

A make or break match for Real Madrid in their attempt to overcome Barcelona at the top of the Spanish Primera Division with this crucial and difficult match against Sevilla on Saturday.

Real Madrid is showing an impressive form in the domestic league with no less than 6 consecutive victories to date, their only mishap taking place in the Champions League where they where defeated by Lyon with the slightest of margins.

They managed to keep their perfect home record with 12 victories in 12 played on Santiago Bernabeu and with joust 2 points from Barcelona the fight for the champions title is in full throttle. Their appetite for attack would impress almost any adversaries as they managed to score no less than 41 goals on home ground whilst conceding only 8 and Higuain is their main weapon.

Sevilla has it’s own battle at the top of the table for a Champions League spot, currently with a 3 point handicap from their main competitors, Valencia, Mallorca is close behind and may cause a huge surprise this season.

They have won 2 out of the past 3 matches played in the competition but suffered a setback last week when they where held to a goalless draw by Athletic Bilbao. Sevilla’s home record is rather decent with 6 victories and 5 defeats in all 11 played looking like an all or nothing team but a modest goal ratio of 16 scored and 13 conceded.

My pick:  Real Madrid to win

 Loading ...

Barcelona last 5 league matches:

Barcelona last 3 home matches: 

Malaga last 5 league matches:

Malaga last 3 away matches: 

Table positions: Barcelona -1, Malaga -12

Barcelona home table position: 2

Malaga away table position: 9

With the crushing victory over Racing Santander last week, Barcelona has maintained it’s 2 point advantage over Real Madrid at the top of the Primera Division and now welcomes a Malaga team in full form.

Barcelona with busy schedule as they played this week against VfL Stuttgart in the Champions League and managed a 1-1 draw that puts them in the driver’s seat for the return leg and the qualification in the next phase of the competition.

In the Primera Division they cannot afford any missed steps as with the loss against Atletico Madrid they allowed Real to close the gap. The team’s statistic on home ground is impressive with 10 victories and 1 draw in all 11 matches played and a superb goal ratio of 32 score with only 7 conceded so far, a record that would overarm any opponent, nonetheless one from the middle of the table as the case here.

Malaga is on the 12th spot of the table with a total of 27 points but the team is not without worries as the relegation zone is joust 7 points bellow the. With a awful season so far, the team managed impressive results in the last month with 3 victories and one draw in the last 4 matches played with victims such as Atletico Madrid and Deportivo La Coruna.

Although they managed to win the last 2 matches played away, they remain the only victories so far for them whilst on the road with another 5 draws in 11 matches played and neutral goal ratio of 15 scored and conceded.

My pick:  Barcelona to win (over 2.5 goals)

 Loading ...

Real Madrid last 5 league matches:

Real Madrid last 3 home matches: 

Villarreal last 5 league matches:

Villarreal last 3 away matches:

Table positions: Real Madrid -2, Villarreal -10

Real Madrid home table position: 1

Villarreal away table position: 17

The Spanish Primera Division battle for the top spot seems to have restarted, after a domination by Barcelona, Real Madrid is now only 2 points from the leader with a very though match against Villarreal.

When looking at the statistic, Real Madrid will be a clear favorite for this won as they won all matches played on Santiago Bernabeu so far but even with a season like Villarreal had so far, motivation against a giant of the Spanish football is always important.

As I said earlier Real has 11 victories in 11 matches played at home with a crushing goal ratio of no less than 35 goals with only 6 conceded and a very good run lately with all last 4 games won.

Villarreal did not have the season they hoped for, with only the 10th spot now and a total of joust 29 point they look far from their aspiration in grabbing an European tournament place.

Whilst at home the team looks decent, in away matches their situation is awful with only one victory to their name in 10 played and 2 draws and a goal ratio to match 10 scored and no less than 18 conceded.

My pick:  Real Madrid to win

 Loading ...

Xerez last 5 league matches: 

Xerez last 3 home matches: 

Real last 5 league matches: 

Real last 3 away matches:

Table positions: Xerez -20, Real -2

Xerez home table position: 20

Real away table position: 3

This is supposed to be a easy trip for giants Real Madrid i the Spanish Primera Division as they take on last in the charts Deportivo Xerez on Saturday.

Deportivo Xerez is last in the table with a total of joust 11 points in all 21 played and sure of relegation for some time now as salvation is 9 points from them with the team not showing any signs of drastic improvement.

Only one points from this match will probably be like a victory in the Champions League for them as they have managed only 2 wins and 2 draws in home matches this season, losing the rest of 7 with a goal statistic of 7 scored and 18 conceded.

Real Madrid still trailing leaders Barcelona by 5 points, with a total of 50 in 21 matches played. The team has won the past 3 matches played in the competition but apart from Deportivo la Coruna the other 2 adversaries Malaga and Espanyol are ranked very low.

With a perfect statistic at home of 11 victories and 11 played, Real has lost valuable points in away matches especially in the last period, winning joust one of the past 3 played and ending up with a very modest statistic of 5 victories, 2 draws and 3 losses with a goal ratio of 15 scored and 9 conceded.

My pick: Real Madrid to win