Barcelona – Valladolid 16 May 2010

Barcelona last 5 league matches:

Barcelona last 3 home matches: 

Valladolid last 5 league matches:

Valladolid last 3 away matches:

Table positions: Barcelona - 1, Valladolid - 16

Barcelona home table position: 2

Valladolid away table position: 9

The most interesting day in this season of the Primera Division with 2 matches that will decide the champions as Barcelona welcomes Valladolid and Real Madrid travel to Malaga.

Barcelona with the first chance in grabbing the championship trophy as they have 1 point over their bitter rivals and will play in front of a packed Camp Nou. Their latest form is great with 4 victories in the last 4 played in the competition.

They have turned home ground in fortress with 17 victories and 1 draw in all 18 played with a compelling goal ratio of 53 scored and only 11 conceded.

Real Valladolid will most certainly put up a great fight, the team has 36 points, the same amount as Malaga, Tenerife and Racing Santander, all of them in danger of relegation, it remains to be seen which 2 will leave the competition for the Secunda Division.

They have showed a rise in form lately and managed to grab 8 vital points in the last 5 matches played defeating Sporting Gijon and Racing whilst ending in goalless draws against Malaga and Getafe. Their away statistic is modest with 3 victories and 7 draws in all 18 played with a negative goal ratio that shows 14 scored and 26 conceded.

My pick:  Barcelona to win

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Mallorca – Espanyol 15 May 2010

Mallorca last 5 league matches: 

Mallorca last 3 home matches:

Espanyol last 5 league matches: 

Espanyol last 3 away matches: 

Table positions: Mallorca- 5, Espanyol - 11

Mallorca home table position: 3

Espanyol away table position: 18

Fifth spot holders Mallorca are pushing for a victory against Espanyol in the hope that Sevilla will stumble against Almeria and their road to the Champions League preliminaries will be paved.

Mallorca seem to experience the fatigue after a long season with a clear plunge in results lately as they lost the last 2 matches in the Spanish Primera Division. They have assured themselves a spot in next season’s European tournament and with a victory here and a stroke of luck that competition could be the UCL.

They are one of the strongest teams in the tournament by home play, only below giants Barcelona and Real Madrid but managing only 1 point from the last 2 against Malaga and Real Madrid bringing their statistic to 14 victories and 1 draws in 18 played.

Espanyol sits comfortably mid table with a total of 44 points, no aspirations for them in advancing and no threats to relegate. A modest season all together but one in which their hopes and aspirations where fulfilled.

Away play is not their strongest point by any means with just 2 victories and 5 draws in 18 matches played whilst traveling and a goal ratio that shows only 9 goals scored and no less than 27 conceded.

My pick:  Mallorca to win

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Real Madrid – Athletic Bilbao 8 May 2010

Real last 5 league matches:

Real last 3 home matches: 

Bilbao last 5 league matches:

Bilbao last 3 away matches:

Table positions: Real - 2, Bilbao - 8

Real home table position: 2

Bilbao away table position: 7

With bitter rivals Barcelona facing a very difficult trip to Sevilla this Saturday, Real Madrid will want nothing but a victory at home against Athletic Bilbao.

Real Madrid are trailing first spot holders Barcelona by only one point and after a superb victory away to Mallorca, they only need for their rivals to lose or make a draw for them to take the first place and with it the champions title after 2 more rounds.

They still hold a superb record on Santiago Bernabeu with 17 victories and one painful defeat in El Clasico with a goal ratio of 55 scored and 17 conceded.

Athletic Bilbao is 8th is the table with a total of 51 points, only 1 point separating them for a spot in next season’s Europa League preliminaries making them highly motivated to tackle any opponent.

No victories for them in the last 5 matches played in the Spanish Primera Division, claiming only 3 points from them and falling rapidly in the ranks. Their away statistic is as modest as their position with only 4 victories and 5 draws in all 18 played making a victory on Real’s pitch highly unlikely.

My pick: Real Madrid to win

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Valencia – Xerez 4 May 2010

Valencia last 5 league matches:

Valencia last 3 home matches:

Xerez last 5 league matches: 

Xerez last 3 away matches:

Table positions: Valencia - 3, Xerez - 20

Valencia home table position: 5

Xerez away table position: 17

Mid week round in the Spanish Primera Division and this match with Valencia welcoming Deportivo Xerez along with 3 others.

If Valencia’s position seems to be sorted as they hold on to the third spot with a total of 65 points, 6 above Mallorca with 3 matches to go, at the relegation zone still all teams keep hopes of remaining in the first league.

Valencia is in a good form with 3 victories in the last 5 played including the last 2 against Deportivo la Coruna and more importantly away to an uncomfortable Espanyol. As far as the home statistic goes, their record is very good with no less than 11 victories and 5 draws in all 17 played.

Deportivo Xerez is last in the table but with a total of just 30 points they are only 5 points from Malaga and the 17th spot that will keep them in the Primera Division one more season.

They managed to claim 7 points in their last 4 matches played and with 2 other matches against Zaragoza and Osasuna they might be able to achieve what most thought impossible. Only 2 victories, 5 draws and no less than 10 defeats whilst playing away but one thing is shure, they will not make Valencia’s mission easy.

My pick: Valencia to win

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Real Madrid – Osasuna 2 May 2010

Real Madrid last 5 league matches:

Real Madrid last 3 home matches:

Osasuna last 5 league matches: 

Osasuna last 3 away matches:

Table positions: Real Madrid - 1, Osasuna - 12

Real Madrid home table position: 2

Osasuna away table position: 10

Still trailing Barcelona by one point in the Spanish Primera Division with 4 more rounds to go, Real Madrid welcomes Osasuna this Sunday on Santiago Bernabeu hoping that their bitter rivals will stumble against Villarreal.

Real Madrid are clear favorites to grab all the points in this match and if all goes as planed they will dispose of Osasuna in stile. The clash between the 2 teams has always been a spectacular one with tension fairing.

The Spanish giants made their home ground a fortress this season, with only Barcelona managing to grab points from them and leaving a statistic of 16 victories and one defeat completed with an overwhelming goal ratio of 52 scored and 15 conceded.

Osasuna with their 12 spot in the rankings and a total of 39 points have nothing to worry about, a huge distance separates them from the danger zone bu as well any advancement in the table is very difficult with opposition from Espanyol and Atletico Madrid.

They have lost all last 6 matches played away making their record on other stadiums a very poor one with 4 victories, 2 draws and no less than 11 defeats with a disastrous goal ratio of 13 scored and 25 conceded.

My pick: Real Madrid to win (over 3 goals)

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Barcelona – Xerez 24 April 2010

Barcelona last 5 league matches:

Barcelona last 3 home matches: 

Xerez last 5 league matches:

Xerez last 3 away matches:

Table positions: Barcelona - 1, Xerez - 20

Barcelona home table position: 2

Xerez away table position: 14

This might prove to be the perfect opportunity for Barcelona to improve on their morale and start winning again against struggling Deportivo Xerez after 2 consecutive disappointing matches.

Barcelona is heading into this match from the top spot of the Primera Division but only with one point advantage over Real Madrid due to their draw in the last round against Espanyol.

They have suffered a painful defeat this week in the Champions League whilst traveling to Italian Champions Internazionale Milan with the final score showing a comfortable 3-1 for the opposition in a match in which Barcelona showed real problems in keeping the ball in the opposition’s pitch especially in the second half. Their home statistic with 15 victories and one draw in 16 played needs no comment and it will certainly recommend them to grab all 3 points here.

Deportivo Xerez is showing signs of improvement in the competition with 8 points gathered in the last 5 matches played but currently on the last spot with a total of just 27 points it might prove to late.

They sit 7 points from salvation but it’s hard to think that a team who spend almost all season on the last spot could achieve the impossible. Only 2 victories for them away and another 5 draws in 16 played with a terrible goal ratio of 15 scored and 30 conceded.

My pick: Barcelona to win

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Mallorca – Osasuna 19 April 2010

Mallorca last 5 league matches:

Mallorca last 3 home matches:

Osasuna last 5 league matches:

Osasuna last 3 away matches:

Table positions: Mallorca - 4, Osasuna - 11

Mallorca home table position: 3

Osasuna away table position: 9

The only match on Monday in the Spanish Primera Division with Mallorca pressured to reclaim their 4th spot after the weekend matches when Sevilla won and have a 2 points advantage.

This could be an historic season for Mallorca as they hold high chances of claiming a spot in the Champions League, currently sitting between giants and consecrated names of the competition like Valencia and Sevilla.

They are one of the strongest teams on home ground in the tournament showing a superb record of 13 victories and 2 defeats in all 15 played so far with a crushing goal ratio of 36 scored and only 10 conceded.

Osasuna is currently sitting mid table with no hopes of further significant advancement but with no worries regarding relegation either. They have won only 2 of the past 5 matches played and ended in a 2-2 draw their match against Malaga in the last round.

There is nothing really in their away statistic that would recommend Osasuna to grab any points from this dispute as they have only 4 and ended 2 in draws in all 16 played with the remark that they have yet to claim any points in the past 5 matches played on other stadiums.

My pick: Mallorca to win

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Real Madrid – Valencia 18 April 2010

Real last 5 league matches:

Real last 3 home matches:

Valencia last 5 league matches: 

Valencia last 3 away matches:

Table positions: Real - 2, Valencia - 3

Real home table position: 2

Valencia away table position: 3

A very important match for Real Madrid in the Spanish Primera Division against third spot holders Valencia as the team from Madrid trails Barcelona by 3 points after losing in the El Clasico.

Both Real Madrid and Valencia claimed all points in their matches from the league this week against Almeria and respectively Athletic Bilbao and both compensating for last week’s losses.

What other team could have spoiled Real’s perfect record at home than Barcelona in the biggest derby of the football world, leaving them with 15 victories in 16 played and a goal ratio of 50 scored and 15 conceded.

Valencia is third in the table and with a total of 59 points they sit 7 points in front of 4th Mallorca but with no hopes of advancing in rank due to Barcelona and Real’s insurmountable advantage at the top.

Although in home matches they look very solid, whilst playing away the team is experiencing real problems losing the last 4 played and ending up with embarrassing 7 straight matches without victory leading to a negative goal ratio of 23 scored and 24 conceded.

My pick: Real Madrid to win

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Espanyol – Barcelona 17 April 2010

Espanyol last 5 league matches:

Espanyol last 3 home matches: 

Barcelona last 5 league matches: 

Barcelona last 3 away matches:

Table positions: Espanyol - 14, Barcelona - 1

Espanyol home table position: 10

Barcelona away table position: 1

A match eagerly expected by both Espanyol and Barcelona on Saturday a local derby proven over the years to be very spectacular and unpredictable.

Espanyol has had a though season so far and now stand only on the 14th spot of the Primera Division table and with a total of 37 points just 8 over the relegation zone. The team has won only one match in the past 5 played with a superb display of force on home ground against Atletico Madrid 3-0 but failed grab any points from their trip to Racing Santander in the last round.

They have a decent statistic on home ground when comparing to their disastrous display in away matches with 8 victories and 5 draws in 16 matches played in front of their supporters.

Barcelona flying high in both competition in which they are still involved and now top the Primera Division standings with 6 points advantage over Real Madrid as they have a game more played than their bitter rivals.

They are clear favorites in getting all the points from this one and adding another victory to their current record of 7 straight especially as they have the best statistic in away matches of all teams in the competitions with no less than 11 victories and 4 draws in 16 played accompanied by a superb goal ratio of 34 scored and 10 conceded.

My pick: Barcelona to win

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Real Madrid – Barcelona 10 April 2010

Real Madrid last 5 league matches:

Real Madrid last 3 home matches:

Barcelona last 5 league matches: 

Barcelona last 3 away matches: 

Table positions: Real Madrid - 1, Barcelona - 2

Real Madrid home table position: 1

Barcelona away table position: 1

El Clasico as this derby match is known around the world and all eyes on Spain Saturday night with this legendary rivals go head to head with both Ream Madrid and Barcelona aiming for the title of champions and both displaying impressive force and football skill.

Real Madrid is the favorite here with this match on home ground and in front of 80.000 eager supporters. They currently to the Primera Division table but with 77 point they are in front of Barcelona due only to their better goal ratio making this direct match between the two a very important and maybe decisive for the overall look at the end of the season.

Real lost their trip to Barcelona 0-1 in the start of the season and in case both teams finish with the same amount of points, the Catalan giants have the upper hand putting pressure on Real Madrid before this match kicks off but also motivating them even further.

A perfect record at home this season, a truly unbelievable performance in such a powerful football championship with 15 victories in 15 played and a goal ratio to match this as they scored no less than 50 goal and conceded only 13. Having been kicked out of the Champions League by Olympique Lyon with the big final on Santiago Bernabeu and existing Copa del Rey very early this remains their only objective and failure to grab it would mean disaster.

Barcelona has a sky high morale after this week of Champions League as they eliminated Arsenal with a superb display of football and Lionel Messi in an exceptional form. Continuing their journey both in the UCL and Primera Division, fatigue may become a factor in their overall performance but the motivation and pressure such a derby match brings will probably make them tackle their limits.

As Real Madrid are the best team when it comes to home ground statistic, Barcelona tops the charts with their away record showing 10 victories and 4 draws whilst losing only against Atletico Madrid and a very good goal ratio of 33 scored and only 10 conceded. Although they are characterized mainly by their offensive force, this season they proved to have the best defensive of them all in the competition.

My pick:  Real Madrid to win (over 2.5 goals)

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