With only one point separating the two top teams in La Liga, the pressure to perform increases as we head into round 23 this weekend.
Barcelona beat Elche 3-1 to maintain their lead atop the La Liga standings with 55 points. There is no room for a slip up by the leaders as Real Madrid are hot on their heels with 54.
Madrid’s 2-1 home victory against Rayo Vallecano was their sixth consecutive win. This makes them the most in-form team in the Spanish top flight as they seek a record-extending 37th title.
Atletico Madrid failed to reduce the point gap between them and the top two after they were held to a barren draw by Levante. Another slip up this weekend could see them lose their third place standing on the log.
At the bottom of the table, Oviedo finally got only their third win of the campaign, defeating Girona 1-0 at home. They remain in last place with seven points between them and safety.
With all 20 teams scheduled to play this weekend, all eyes are on the top of the table action and we have a look at some of the key games in match day 23 of La Liga.
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Barcelona vs Mallorca – Saturday, 6:15PM
Both sides come into the game on opposite sides of La Liga battles that they cannot afford to lose any grip in. Barca need to continue their winning run to retain top spot.
Meanwhile, 14th place Mallorca are only two points above the relegation zone and need to avoid defeat if they are to keep their hopes of staying in the Spanish top flight alive.
Barca come into the game on a five-match winning streak and are favorites to come out on top here. In that run, they have scored 16 goals. They have also won all of their last 12 home matches in all competitions.
Mallorca have lost all of their last five games played against Barcelona and will need a miracle if they are to get anything out of this game.
Prediction – Barcelona to win – CLICK HERE TO PLACE YOUR BET ON THIS GAME!
Athletic Bilbao vs Levante – Sunday, 6:15PM
Bilbao shook off back-to-back defeats to beat Valencia 2-1 in the Copa del Rey quarterfinals in midweek. The hosts are hoping they can keep up the pace when they host Levante on Sunday.
The hosts are in 11th place with 25 points, while Levante are second from the bottom with 18. The last time they managed a victory against Bilbao was a 3-0 win back in 2018.
Despite their lowly rank on the log, Levante come into the game on a better run of form than their host. A 2-0 loss to Real Madrid is their only one in the last five games, while Bilbao have lost twice in that run.
A host of regular starters were rested in midweek for their Cup victory and we can expect all of them to return to the starting XI here. Brothers Nico and Inaki Williams have been in good form and will lead the attacking line for the home team.
Prediction – Bilbao to win – CLICK HERE TO PLACE YOUR BET ON THIS GAME!
Atletico Madrid vs Betis – Sunday, 8:30PM
With only one defeat in their last five matches, Atletico are in good form ahead of this blockbuster fixture. They are in third place with 45 points, ten behind the league leaders.
Two of their most recent defeats have come at the Wanda Metropolitano, giving Betis hope of getting something out of this game. They come into the game in fifth place, 10 points behind their opponents.
Betis are coming off identical 2-1 wins against Feyenoord in the Champions League and Valencia in La Liga. Both sides won one of their fixtures against each other last season, Betis winning 1-0 at home before Atletico demolished them 4-1 in the return leg.
Pablo Fornals has scored two winning goals for Betis in their last five games and will be a key component of their lineup, as well as their top scorer Cucho Hernandez.
Atletico have been superior in recent seasons and are tipped as favorites to grind out a result here.
Prediction – Atletico to win or draw – CLICK HERE TO PLACE YOUR BET ON THIS GAME!
Valencia vs Real Madrid – Saturday, 11PM
The hosts need to find some form to shrug off back-to-back defeats ahead of this crucial test against title hopefuls Madrid. They are only two points above the relegation zone with 23 as they seek to bounce back to winning ways here.
They have an uphill task against second-place Madrid who have lost just once in their last five matches in all competitions. They are out for revenge after Valencia humiliated them with a 2-1 home defeat last season.
Madrid and La Liga top scorer Kylian Mbappe bagged a brace when these two sides met earlier this season, steering his side to an impressive 4-0 victory.
Valencia have only lost one of their last seven home games and will hope they can muster yet another upset over the perennial champions. However, Madrid remain favorites to avoid defeat and maintain their pace at the top of the standings.
Prediction – Both teams to score – CLICK HERE TO PLACE YOUR BET ON THIS GAME!
Villarreal vs Espanyol – Monday, 11PM
Villarreal were on a great run of form but have recently struggled, losing four of their last five games in all competitions. This run dropped them into fourth place with 42 points.
A 2-2 draw against Osasuna in their last outing is the only point they have managed in their recent run of five games. Their home form is not attractive either, losing four times in their last five matches.
They face a sixth place Espanyol side who have also been struggling in recent weeks, losing four of their last five matches as well. Their away form has been significantly better, winning twice and losing twice in their last five games on the road.
The yellow submarine will find peace in the fact that they have beaten Espanyol in all of the last five games played against them. They boast a better squad on paper and are tipped as favorites to bounce back to winning ways here.
Prediction – Villarreal to win – CLICK HERE TO PLACE YOUR BET ON THIS GAME!
