La Liga Matchday 1 Odds & Picks: Valencia-Levante Derby, Cadiz Debut & More

• Spain’s La Liga kicks off its 2020-21 campaign with a slate of three matches on Saturday and seven over the course of the Sept. 12-13 weekend
• Cadiz, Huesca and Elche each earned promotion from Segunda Division; Espanyol, Mallorca and Leganes were relegated at the conclusion of the 2019-20 season in July
• Get all the odds and best bets for Matchday 1 in Spain’s top division below

After a condensed off-season, Spain’s La Liga returns with a vengeance for Matchday 1 this weekend.

With defending champion Real Madrid, runner-up Barcelona and podium-filling outfits Sevilla and Atletico Madrid all on the sidelines, attention turns to the opening match between Eibar and Celta Vigo, the return of Cadiz and their electric fanbase after a 14-year absence and a rivalry match in Valencia.

Eibar-Vigo kicks off Saturday at 10:00 am, with Valencia and Levante winding down the matchday on Sunday at 3:00 pm.

La Liga Matchday 1 Odds

All odds taken  Sept 10

Pick 1: Cadiz vs Osasuna

As manager Alvaro Cervera prepares Cadiz for their return to Spain’s top flight, it must be said he did so in typical gaditano fashion: Within his means, but with some flair.

The La Liga newcomers’ front line will be led by 35-year-old Alvaro Negredo — a full eight years on from his best seasons at Sevilla — and it’s not a squad that has a ton of promise going forward.

Osasuna are coming off a very steady 10th-place effort in their 2019-20 return to the first division but will be without the services of Argentine attacker Chimy Avila for the bulk of this season after the 26 year-old suffered an ACL injury — his second of 2020 — in training.  Manager Arrasate faces a depth problem, with Enric Gallego also battling a knock, and the club could lack scoring punch in the early part of the campaign.

Cadiz owned the best defensive record (39 GA) in Segunda last season, and Osasuna are lacking their best scoring threat; in Matchday 1, why not get greedy on the ‘Under’?

PICK: U 1.5 (+143)

Pick 2: Alaves vs Real Betis

As far as last season goes, it was a tale of two different views of the same station in life for Alaves (39 pts., 16th) and Real Betis (41 pts., 15th).

The Babazorros were generally pleased to earn a fifth-straight season in La Liga, while Betis punted manager Rubi to the curb following a difficult three-run stretch out of the COVID restart and were left frustrated in the lower half of the league table.

Alaves were nothing to write home about on home turf in 2019-20, averaging 1.42 points/game (15th), but Betis were jaw-droppingly bad away from the Benito Villamarin en route to a 1-7-11 away record and 0.53 points/game mark (last).

There is once again excitement around Betis thanks to the appointment of Manuel Pellegrini, but los beticos have not made any real mark in the (brief) transfer window and it appears it will be up to the same core squad that disappointed last season to buck up.

It’s opening weekend and nobody — not even the bookmakers, as evidenced by the tight moneyline — knows quite what to make of Alaves or Betis this season. As a result, back the hosts in a pick’em situation and be weary of Betis early in the season unless they prove otherwise.

PICK: Alaves pk (-105)

Pick 3: Valencia vs. Levante

It’s been a wild summer at Valencia, with fans protesting owner Peter Lim, former wonderkid Ferran Torres departed for Manchester City and the team generally in fire-sale mode.

Less has been more on the other side of town at Levante, too, with steady frontman Borja Mayoral back at Real Madrid after completing a two-year loan and minimal reinforcements — young loanees from Real Madrid Jorge de Frutos and Dani Gomez aside — inbound.

Fivethirtyeight has Levante rated as the worst defensive team in the league, and Valencia definitely still have enough offensive horses (Goncalo Guedes, Maxi Gomez, etc.) to make some noise.

Additionally, the ‘Over’ has hit on a 2.5 line in four of the past five La Liga meetings between the two.

PICK: Valencia O 1.5 Goals (-112)