7 expert bets for the opening weekend of La Liga

Updated on 10:44am GMT 15 June 2020

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Born in the south east of Ireland, Simon put his life-long love of football to good use when he started a successful independent blog in 2010. That opened up an alternative route to a career in journalism, and having had work published across a number of sites and publications, Simon joined the staff at Spotlight Sports Group in 2018.

La Liga is back! The 2019/20 Primera Division campaign kicked back into gear this week after a lengthy three-month postponement, delivering top-tier action to fútbol starved supporters across Spain and the rest of Europe.

The campaign restarted in typically thrilling fashion on Thursday evening, with Sevilla’s impressive 2-0 win over local rivals Real Betis in the El Gran Derbi – though there are nine more fixtures for fans to sink their teeth into before this opening round of matches is complete.

Today, we’re focusing on the seven tussles scheduled to be contested on Saturday and Sunday, and below our dedicated football analysts and tipsters have assembled a list of their favourite La Liga bets and tips for La Liga’s opening weekend.

Read on to check them out!

Remember – we’ll be covering all the action in detail with match previews and betting tips on our La Liga predictions page.

La Liga expert bets

Saturday June 13

Espanyol vs Deportivo Alaves

Both teams to score

In the run up to the enforced hiatus, both teams scored in seven of Espanyol’s nine La Liga contests and Los Periquitos have kept only one clean sheet in 13 games on their one patch overall this season.

Alaves, on the other hand, are at their most vulnerable on their travels and have kept clean sheets in just two of their 13 matches on the road in total since August.

In addition, two of the last three meetings between these strugglers saw goals fly in at both ends, and we think that chances should present themselves at either end again.

Celta Vigo vs Villarreal

Both teams to score

Both teams found a successful route to goal in a full 74% of Villarreal’s La Liga matches to date in 2019/20 – which is the second highest figure in the division for that goal scoring metric this season.

On Saturday, they travel to play a Celta Vigo side that failed to register just once in their last five games at home, and the head-to-head record between the sides also adds serious weight to our BTTS selection.

Both teams scored in each of the last four encounters between Celta Vigo and Villarreal, including the clubs’ reverse La Liga fixture in November.

Leganes vs Real Valladolid

Under 2.5 goals

Leganes’ clash with Real Valladolid on Saturday pits two of La Liga’s four lowest scoring teams against each other in a skirmish that promises to be low on final third drama.

With just 21 goals in 27 league fixtures so far this season, Leganes are officially the division’s most toothless outfit, while Valladolid rank third last in terms of away goals scored, having hit the net just nine times in 14 assignments.

Unsurprisingly, under 2.5 goals were registered in 69% of Real Valladolid’s league matches on the road since August, and we expect that trend to continue this weekend.

Mallorca vs Barcelona

Luiz Suarez to score anytime

Barcelona rattled five goals past Mallorca when the sides last faced-off in early December, and among their goal-getters that day was controversial Uruguayan forward Luis Suarez.

Just a month after putting Mallorca to the sword, Suarez went under the knife for knee surgery – a procedure that kept him out for four months.

However, the 33-year-old is back to full fitness for Barcelona and will be itching to make his mark on his return.

Sunday June 14

Athletic Club vs Atletico Madrid

Under 2.5 goals

Two of La Liga’s meanest defences will line up either side of the dividing line on Sunday when Athletic Club host Atletico Madrid in Bilbao.

At the Sam Mamés Stadium this season, under 2.5 goals were registered in a whopping 85% of Athletic Club’s La Liga contests, and no other team in the division has conceded fewer goals on their own patch overall (seven).

Despite having players like Joao Felix, Alvaro Morata, Angel Correa and Diego Costa at their disposal, Atletico Madrid have averaged just 1.14 goals per 90 minutes in the league in 2019/20, though that average drops further to just 0.84 when you analyse their away games.

This one should be incredibly tight.

Real Madrid vs Eibar

Real Madrid win to nil

While you would usually associate Real Madrid with free-flowing attacking football, one of Los Blancos’ biggest strengths this season has been their defensive robustness.

On Sunday, Real will be searching for their eighth La Liga clean sheet at home in 2019/20, and we’re backing them to get it against an Eibar outfit caught in a rut.

The relegation candidates failed to get on the scoresheet in four of their last five away matches before the postponement of play, and we think they lack the quality to threaten their hosts this weekend.

Real Sociedad vs Osasuna

Real Sociedad to win

Real Sociedad were on fire before the pause button was pressed on the domestic season, winning 10 out of 12 matches in all competitions and each of their last seven games at home.

With Champions League qualification on the agenda, Real will be aiming to get straight back into the groove at home to regional rivals Osasuna – and the Txuri-urdinak should prove far too strong for their neighbours.

Sociedad have already beaten Osasuna twice this season and they are priced generously to complete their hattrick on Sunday.