Soccer Spain LaLiga Prediction

Getafe vs Barcelona - Match Preview

⚽ 16 April 2023 - 14:15 GMT +0

Getafe saw their four-game unbeaten streak (W2, D2) halted with a 2-0 La Liga (LL) loss to Real Sociedad last weekend, leaving them just three points above the relegation zone. Coach Quique Sánchez Flores was quick to brush the defeat off as one against “rivals that are out of your reach”, but that’s hardly reassuring as they come up against leaders Barcelona; a team that Flores’ sides couldn’t overcome in his last eight league H2Hs (D2, L6).

Home fans might not be getting their hopes up looking at that record, or for that matter, Getafe’s abysmally low 9% win rate in top-flight matches against Barcelona. Yet, having won their last three league matches at the Coliseum Alfonso Pérez, the hosts could fancy their chances of improving that record this time around.

This may be a good time to face Barcelona, seeing as the visitors are on a two-game winless run (D1, L1) failing to score each time. Coach Xavi downplayed the media beat up of a “mini-crisis” as “we are 13 points ahead of Real Madrid” after their goalless draw against Girona last Monday, but with the league being their only remaining playground for this season, he wouldn’t want any more lows.

Returning to winning ways could start from the back as Barcelona boasts the league’s best defensive record (GA9) highlighted by 21 clean sheets. That has played a part in tight games turning their way as the visitors have seen six of their last nine away league wins come by a 1-0 scoreline.

📋 Players to watch: Borja Mayoral has seen his last four league goal involvements (G2, A2) come in three home wins for Getafe, while his two career H2H goals have also come in home victories. Robert Lewandowski could be the one to turn things around for Barcelona, having had a part in five of their last seven away league goals (G3, A2).

⚡ Hot stat: Ahead of this round, Getafe won an average of 3.32 corners per game while Barcelona conceded 3.14 per match – both league-low numbers.

Atl. Madrid vs Almeria - Match Preview

⚽ 16 April 2023 - 16:30 GMT +0

A lot can change in the space of three months! Approaching his previous meeting with Almería after loaning João Félix to Chelsea in January, Atlético Madrid boss Diego Simeone was again facing calls for the sack as his side bobbled in and out of La Liga’s (LL) top four. The eventual 1-1 draw didn’t appear then to help his cause, but it did turn out to be the beginning of what is now LL’s longest unbeaten run (W9, D3) to bring Atlético within touching distance of second.

The most recent addition to that streak was last round’s 2-1 win at Vallecano, which was just the third of their last ten LL matches in which Atlético led at half-time (the rest were 0-0). One of the most pleasing aspects was when defender Nahuel Molina recorded his first goal since the World Cup and dedicated it to the late mother of absent teammate Ángel Correa. Correa, who has opened the scoring in six competitive matches this season including the reverse H2H, is expected to return for this match.

Interestingly, the January draw between these sides also sparked Almería’s longest undefeated streak of the LL season (three games), which they matched last round with a crucial 2-1 home win against relegation rivals Valencia. That helped them climb from 19th in March to 16th heading into this round, although they’ll be desperate to continue that run of form into this match in what building up into a very tight relegation battle.

Not least because their final run of games features three away trips to current top-four clubs starting here. As the only remaining club in the division without a single away victory (D4, L9), those three games are expected to be write-offs. Scoring on the road has at least become easier, with goals to their name in five of their last six LL away trips (compared with three of their first six).

📋 Players to watch: Alongside teammate Correa, Álvaro Morata has also scored in two of Atlético’s four LL games this season against newly promoted clubs. In Almería’s last two outings, defender Srđan Babić popped up for his second and third goals of the campaign and may beat Morata at his own game!

⚡ Hot stat: The reverse H2H was one of just two LL games involving Atlético this season to see both teams score in the first half.