La Liga: Champions-Elect Set For Easter Visit To Andalusia

Sevilla FC vs Real Madrid

I read the other day that Real Madrid can win La Liga this Easter weekend.

By my reckoning that is wrong. For even if they defeat third-placed Sevilla and Barcelona, in second, lose, it will still mathematically be possible for Los Blancos to be caught.

However, make no mistake, regardless of what happens this weekend, the title is only going to the capital again this season and Carlo Ancelotti’s men will soon have their hands on Spanish football’s top prize, regardless of events in the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium on Easter Sunday night.

Talking Points

Real are coming straight into this game off the back of an epic Champions League contest in which they despatched the European champions.

After a comprehensive first leg in West London, it should not have been as difficult but, ultimately, they came back from the dead – having trailed 3-0 on the night they fought back to 3-2 to claim a 5-4 aggregate win.

If they have much energy left in the tank, now they will aim to create more La Liga highlights.

This will be far from easy against a side managed by ex-Real boss Julen Lopetegui, sacked in 2018 after a miserable few months.

Since then he has fought back and restored his reputation, guiding the Andalusians to the 2020 Europa League and generally delivering improvements.

Their victory last time out against Granada moved them onto 60 points for the campaign, the first time Sevilla have managed that in three seasons.

Indeed, it’s a sign of how well he’s turned things around in Andalusia that reaching joint second and 60 points a year has quickly become the norm.

They need to keep winning though.

Their late show against Granada was their first win in five and teams such as Atletico Madrid and Real Betis are hot on their heels in the race to claim a top four berth and entry into the potentially lucrative Champions League.

One man helping their cause is the impressive Jesus Navas who, last week, provided his 80th assist of a long and storied La Liga career.

That puts him third in the all-time assist table for Spaniards in the Spanish top flight, behind only the legends Xavi (94) and Joaquin (95).

Navas took a four-year break in the middle of his La Liga career to play for Manchester City, but returned in 2017 to pick up where he left off down the right for his boyhood team.

While Navas shines on the right, Lopetegui will know the experiment of securing the loan services of another player used to Manchester life, Manchester United star Anthony Martial, during the second half of the season hasn’t paid dividends – at least, not to date.

But the Frenchman is a mercurial talent and could well shine between now and the end of the campaign.

It would certainly be a worthwhile move if he can help the club seal a return to Europe’s top table and, of course, a victory against the soon-to-be champions would be remembered fondly in that part of the world too.

History

September 2018 was the last time Sevilla beat Madrid, a match I covered for SBOTOP when some Silva service helped Sevilla sink Los Blancos.

At that point, Sevilla had not lost against them for three and a half years.

Now it is role reversal and Real have won five and drawn one of the last six.

That includes their last two visits to Seville when they have recorded 1-0 victories on both occasions, courtesy of Karim Benzema and then, last season, an own goal.

The meeting earlier this term in the Bernabeu saw Real run out 2-1 winners, thanks to a late Vinicius Junior winner after an early Rafa Mir goal was cancelled out by Benzema.

Betting Tip

The SBOTOP La Liga betting odds give Real a slight edge with 1X2 odds @ 2.37 comparing to the hosts @ 3.00, with the draw @ 3.10.

With Asian Handicap odds, the favoured options from where I’m standing are Real -0.50 @ 2.38 or Sevilla 0.00 @ 2.25.

For goals, it’s worth considering total goal 0-1 3.05, 2-3 @ 1.89 and over 2.75 @ 2.42.

Another 2-1 win for Ancelotti’s aces will pay out @ 8.00 with Correct Score, while you are set for a bumper pay day if Sevilla can repeat their last success over Real from four years ago with Correct Score 3-0 available @ 55.00.

I don’t think Sevilla will end their winless streak this Sunday but I don’t think they will lose either which is why my *** tip is 1X2 Draw @ 3.10.

 

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