La Liga Betting – Barcelona vs. Sevilla

Barcelona (-500) vs. Sevilla (+1000) (+600)

After a short break for international FIFA matches, Spain’s La Liga is back tomorrow. In their first match after the recess, Barcelona will host Sevilla at the Camp Nou (2:00 p.m. Eastern) in a battle for the second spot in the table.

In the moneyline, the Catalans are favored to win, listed at -500. On the other side, Sevilla is +1000, and the draw +600.

Barcelona is currently in second place in La Liga with 25 points (8W, 1D, 2L) and a +20 goal differential. The Blaugranas were in first, but surrendered the lead after losing two of their last three fixtures (3-1 to Real Madrid and 1-0 to Celta de Vigo). Coach Luis Enrique and his players can’t afford another slip if they hope to stay within striking distance of first-place Real Madrid.

On the other side, Sevilla is tied for fourth in the table with Atletico Madrid, with both teams on 23 points (7W, 2D, 2L). Sevilla also has a +7 goal difference. Sitting just two points back of Barcelona, the Andalusians can leap from Messi and company with a win.

However, Sevilla knows it will have to play a perfect match in order to take the full three points. Sevilla midfielder Denis Suárez (who is on loan from Barca) is aware the visit to the Camp Nou will be a difficult test.

“They started the season very well but then came a couple of setbacks. But they aren’t doing badly at all; they are second in the league. I am convinced that as the best team in the world, they will pick themselves up, and they will be in the hunt for trophies,” said Suárez.

Barcelona have won the last five league meetings against Sevilla; however, they have not won six in a row against them since 1975.

(Photo credit: Christopher Johnson (Flickr: Lionel Messi Player of the Year 2011) [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons. Photo has been cropped.)