La Liga Matchday 2 Odds & Picks: Intriguing Local Matchups for Atletico and Sevilla
- Giants Barcelona (-370) and Real Madrid (-476) both heavily favored at home against Betis and Valladolid respectively
- Atletico Madrid (-122) slightly favored for tricky road derby at suburban Leganes
- Sevilla (-111) open up Matchday 2 with a trip to newly-promoted Granada
The second matchday of the 2019-20 La Liga season is upon us, with the big three all seeking three points against lesser opposition and a host of other intriguing matchups around the country.
An all-Andalucian battle between Sevilla and Granada could provide some value on Friday, as the visitors look to separate themselves from the middle of the pack early in the season.
Barcelona and Real Madrid offer minimal value with all-but-certain home victories, forcing bettors to turn elsewhere for value on Matchday 2.
Granada vs. Sevilla Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline Odds | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Granada | +0.5 (-109) | +275 | O 2.5 (-109) |
| Sevilla | -0.5 (-111) | -111 | U 2.5 (-111) |
| Draw | N/A | +240 | N/A |
*All odds taken 08/22/19
Early-season contests are tricky to predict, but Sevilla’s (1-0-0) superior talent should win them the day on Friday when they travel to the Estadio Nuevo Los Carmenes to face Granada (0-1-0).
It’s a Sevilla team under Julen Lopetegui that looked confident in a 2-0 win away to Espanyol to open the campaign, which will be bolstered by veteran Ever Banega who missed out on the season opener through suspension.
Granada’s squad is unspectacular but nonetheless respectable for a club that’s just come up from the Segunda Division, highlighted by 34-year-old La Liga legend Roberto Soldado up front.
Pick: Sevilla (-111)
Leganes vs. Atletico Madrid Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline Odds | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leganes | +0.5, +1 (-127) | +370 | O 2 (-114) |
| Atletico Madrid | -0.5, -1 (+107) | -122 | U 2 (-106) |
| Draw | N/A | +225 | N/A |
It may be a minor Madrid derby, but you can be sure Leganes will be fired up to host Diego Simeone’s Atleti side on Sunday at Butarque.
Mauricio Pellegrino’s men suffered an ugly 1-0 defeat to Osasuna — fresh from Segunda — to open the season, and with a run of Atleti-Betis-Villareal-Valencia in its next four games, Leganes could be hard-pressed for a win through their first five matches.
It remains to be seen whether Savic and Diego Costa will dress for Atleti this weekend after missing training during the week, but Simeone’s crew should have more than enough quality to see off a subpar Leganes which could very well find itself in the relegation battle this season.
41 – 41 fouls were conceded on aggregate in the Atlético de Madrid (19) – Getafe (22) LaLiga game, more than any other game in the Top 5 European Leagues this season. Wasted pic.twitter.com/8Zt1XruRMl
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) August 19, 2019
Expect a chippy match!
Pick: Atletico Madrid (-122)
Barcelona vs. Real Betis Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline Odds | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barcelona | -1.5, -2 (-111) | -370 | O 3.5 (+101) |
| Real Betis | +1.5, 2 (-109) | +950 | U 3.5 (-119) |
| Draw | N/A | +440 | N/A |
Before we list the reasons why Barcelona is an automatic add-on for our parlay bet this week, let us address this: Yes, Real Betis somehow, someway won 4-3 at the Camp Nou last season.
But two of the four-goal scorers from that team — Junior Firpo (now of Barcelona) and Giovani Lo Celso (now of Tottenham) — are gone, and this is a Betis squad which is struggling for identity.
Popular manager Quique Setien was given the boot after last season’s 10th-place finish, but this is still a team with quality: Nabil Fekir, Borja Iglesias, William Carvalho, Cristian Tello, etc. are all players who have proven they can perform at a high level.
Nonetheless, the squad has struggled with a pre-season friendly defeat against second-division Deportivo and a disappointing (albeit red card-aided) 2-1 loss to Valladolid on MD1.
Also: Messi is back and training, a good sign for Barcelona.
Pick: Barcelona -1.5, -2 (-111)
Parlay: Sevilla, Atletico Madrid, Barcelona -1.5/-2
Carlos Verde is a sports media professional, with writing featured in a number of outlets, including the Epoch Times, Ottawa Life Magazine and Where is Football. He also served as a broadcast commentator for the United Soccer League's Ottawa Fury FC.
