La Liga Matchday 7 Odds & Picks: Barcelona, Granada the Smart Plays

• Barcelona (-118) look to get back on form with a visit to Getafe (+340), who appear to be regressing back towards their historical mean
• Granada (+140) looks to stay hot at home against bottom-table Leganes (+210)
• Sevilla (-115) hosts Real Sociedad (+310) in a battle of two teams trending in very different directions

After some extra midweek matches this week, the La Liga season kicks on this weekend in Matchday 7 and we’re breaking down a few best bets from the card.

Plenty of eyes will fall on suburban Madrid on Saturday, as Getafe (1-4-1) host Barcelona (3-1-2) in a battle of underachieving sides.

Getafe vs. Barcelona Odds

*All odds taken 09/27/19

Note: Barcelona have genuinely underachieved, with dropped points against Osasuna (2-2) and Granada (0-2), whereas Getafe have merely returned to their historic sweet spot of mid-table mediocrity.

7 – FC Barcelona have collected only seven points after their five games in LaLiga this season – their lowest points tally at this stage of a LaLiga season since 1994/95 (seven counting three points per win). Need. pic.twitter.com/prBClxUnIQ

— OptaJose (@OptaJose) September 24, 2019

Regardless, both will be hungry for points at the Coliseum Alfonso Perez and it’s likely the Catalans will return to the win column — though it’s easy to see why oddsmakers are weary of the out-of-form blaugrana, who were flattened by Granada last weekend and edged Villareal mid-week. Barca will also be without Lionel Messi who is dealing with a thigh strain.

Getafe has had trouble keeping the ball out of its net, conceding five times in its last two outings (4-2 v Mallorca, 3-3 v Valencia).

Pick: Barcelona (-118)

Granada vs Leganes Odds

Diego Martinez’s Granada (3-2-1) continues to defy the odds; fresh off promotion from the second division, with the club undefeated in four (3-1-0) with a signature win over Barcelona (2-0).

Leganes (0-2-4) are at the other end of the spectrum, a club which has survived for four solid seasons but has been strapped for points early in 2019-20.

Granada has been filling the net as of late, with 13 goals scored ranking them third in La Liga; Leganes has managed just three goals all season — though the team has found the net in each of its last two outings.

Back-to-back 1-1 draws against Valencia and Bilbao have given Leganes some hope, though the club remains mired in the drop zone and the lone team without a win into late September.

Pick: Granada (+140)

Sevilla vs. Real Sociedad Odds

Sunday’s marquee matchup pits Lopetegui’s Sevilla (3-1-2) against Imanol’s Real Sociedad (4-1-1) at the Sanchez Pizjuan in Seville.

After starting the season undefeated in four, Sevilla have stumbled with a pair of losses against Real Madrid (0-1) and Eibar (2-3) in the last week.

Sociedad, on the other hand, are undefeated in four and have scored eight goals in their last three outings — all wins.

Given their vastly different form and Sevilla’s better squad, this pick equates to a huck’n’chuk; a fun play on one of the week’s top clashes.

Pick: Real Sociedad +0.5 (-128) or draw (+240)

Other plays which could prove useful when paired with a favorite anchor like Barcelona (or Granada):

Mallorca +0.5  (-105):  When the 19th-place team in the league (Mallorca, 1-1-4) travels to face the 17th-place team (Alaves, 1-2-3), it’s hardly the top viewing in the week. But, value does exist.

Osasuna +0.5 (-128): Osasuna (1-4-1) have drawn four of their first six matches in their return to Spain’s top flight, and will see an opportunity for points in a trip to mid-table Levante (2-1-3) on Sunday.