Another critical weekend of action is planned for the Spanish La Liga, and there are some fascinating games on Saturday’s schedule, with battles raging at both ends of the division. Barcelona’s title win has already been decided, capping one of the most remarkable comebacks from a team in recent times. They lost Lionel Messi and were crippled by financial sanctions, but they never gave up hope of returning to the top of the division. It’s a well-deserved, albeit surprising, league win for Barca, who rip the title from the grasp of their old rivals Real Madrid.
Blancos may have lost the trophy to Camp Nou, but they can’t afford to feel sorry for themselves. They’ll end the season without the Spanish La Liga crown or the Champions League trophy, and it has been a few years since they missed out on at least one of those major trophies. They are now fighting hard to finish as the best of the rest and occupy the silver medal position, but that’s currently in the hands of Atletico Madrid, who will feel they deserve to finish second behind Barca.
These teams met in La Liga near the end of last year in Madrid, and that game produced a convincing 3-1 win for Blancos. Interestingly, that was the second game in a row Madrid has scored three past Sevilla, and the fixture has produced three or more goals in the last four, a run that stretches back to December 2020. Armchair fans are hoping for another goal-fest on Saturday. Let’s find out if they’ll get one. Keep reading as our team of football writers previews the game, study the form, and make our final predictions.
Sevilla unbeaten in three
Sevilla prepares for game 36 of the season with their stats showing 13 wins, nine draws, and 13 defeats, with 44 goals scored and 49 conceded. They are in ninth position with a tally of 48 points on the board, meaning they could finish as high as seventh if they win this weekend and results elsewhere go their way. The locals know they are up against it in the race to qualify for Europe, but no one inside the home dressing room will be ready to throw in the towel just yet. They’ll fight to the end and hope to be playing Europa League or Conference League football.
Despite being lower in the pecking order than many Spanish football pundits predicted back in pre-season, Sevilla has already proven they are a match for any opponent in the league this season. They have given their fans some great memories, and securing European football would be the perfect way to wrap things up, boosting their bank balance and transfer kitty for next season. And the locals have reason to be confident after going unbeaten in their last two starts, following back-to-back wins with a draw last time.
Bet hereSevilla beat Juventus 3-2 on aggregate in the semi-final of the Europa League, meaning they’ll be back in action for the final early next month. It’s a competition Sevilla is famous for competing in and has recorded some memorable wins over the years. Beating Juventus is no mean feat, and if Sevilla can replicate that form at the weekend, there’s every chance they might nick a win and important three points. Nothing comes easy against Blancos, but perhaps the former champions aren’t as strong as they once were.
Madrid playing catch up
Real Madrid won the La Liga title at a canter last season, and due to Barca’s ongoing troubles behind the scenes, it was predicted they’d rule for many seasons. That prediction was difficult to argue against as it looked like Barcelona was in for a long and tough two or three seasons, with some critics suggesting they’d never return to former glories. We now know that isn’t the case, and following just one year away from challenging, they returned to win the league, leaving Madrid choking in their dust.
Madrid started the week in third place with their vital stats for the campaign showing 22 wins, five draws, and eight defeats, with 70 goals scored and 33 conceded. When investigating the numbers, we note Blancos is the highest-scoring side in the competition at this stage and are unlikely to be caught in the latter stages. Despite scoring goals for fun, Madrid has struggled at the other end of the field, and the 33 conceded is more than double Barca and worse than Real Sociedad in fourth.
Real Madrid was last spotted in action losing for the third time in five games, slipping to a shock 1-0 reverse away to Valencia. That’s a team they should be beating if they are serious about regaining the title, but a shot-shy attack, weary midfield, and accident-prone defence had other ideas. There’s a lot of work to be done in pre-season if Madrid are to compete with Barcelona for the gong next term. Until then, ending in second place is the main aim.
Sevilla v Real Madrid prediction
Neither of these teams will celebrate winning the league this season, but Real Madrid will likely be back in the Champions League, and that consolation will keep fans going during pre-season. It must be a summer of change at the home of the former champions, and we’re confident they’ll spend the money needed to get back on top. But that won’t help them here.
Most Real Madrid followers will be bitterly disappointed with how the year has panned out for their club, while those faithful to Sevilla know they have an enjoyable few weeks ahead. Suppose they can climb into a useful position in La Liga and win the Europa League. In that case, Sevilla will bag the huge cash prizes offered to clubs participating in the Champions League.
La Liga prediction
If you are a registered member of 22bet, you can make predictions and wager on the outcome of this game. Sevilla is priced at 2.87 to win this game, while Real Madrid is 2.28 and the draw 3.76.
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