Ahead of Matchday 15 Meeting, Barcelona’s Odds to Win La Liga Now -230, While Atletico Madrid Sinks to +1900
- Barca defeated Leganes over the weekend 2-1, increasing their odds to win the league to -225, with an average of -230
- They sit first in La Liga tied with Real Madrid with 28 points
- Atletico Madrid faced a disappointing draw against Granada, decreasing their odds to win the league to +2000
Both Real Madrid and Barcelona have had their struggles this season in Spain’s top tier, but despite that, the two European giants currently sit at the top of the table.
Atletico Madrid however, despite several summer moves to strengthen their squad including the addition of Portuguese sensation Joao Felix, have looked relatively dismal. Even though they sit in the fourth spot, Diego Simeone’s side has tied seven times this term and scored just 16 goals in 14 domestic fixtures. It won’t get any easier for Atleti as they prepare to face Lionel Messi’s first-place Barcelona squad this weekend at home.
La Liga Odds
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Barcelona | -225 |
| Real Madrid | +185 |
| Atletico Madrid | +2000 |
| Sevilla | +4000 |
| Real Sociedad | +15000 |
| Athletic Bilbao | +25000 |
| Valencia | +25000 |
| Villarreal | +25000 |
| Getafe | +50000 |
| Granada | +50000 |
Odds taken Nov. 25.
Back in early October, the La Liga odds had Barca at an average of -120 odds to win the league. Now, they’re at -230. Zinedine Zidane’s Real Madrid side were at +150 a month and a half ago, but are now an average of +200. Atletico Madrid’s chances of winning the league look extremely slim even though they’re in the top four, slipping from +880 on October 2nd to +1900 as of right now, and even lower at +2000.
Messi Leading Barcelona
By no surprise, Lionel Messi has played a preeminent role in Ernesto Valverde’s side this season, bagging eight goals and five assists in just eight appearances after missing time at the beginning of the year due to several injuries. He scored a majestic hat-trick two weeks ago against Celta Vigo, netting two perfect free-kicks and a tally from the spot. Uruguayan marksman Luis Suarez has also played his part, snagging seven goals in eleven appearances.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZUsPVn66Ww
Considering the huge talents the Catalans have on their squad, they should be sitting comfortably in first place, but it’s still early in the campaign. Adding Antoine Griezmann and Frenkie de Jong was thought to make their side a whole lot better, but the Frenchman hasn’t made the impression Barca would have hoped quite yet, scoring just four times and tallying three assists in 12 appearances. de Jong has been relatively decent in Barca’s midfield, but it’s definitely been a slight transition for him after playing in the Eredivisie in the Netherlands last year with Ajax.
On a positive note though, they have scored a league-high 35 goals in 13 matches this term, while conceding 16. They have completed the most passes of any side in Spain, with an impressive 578.2 per match. They have always had very good structure all over the pitch, controlling the possession 62-percent of the time this season.
Real Madrid Still in the Mix
Madrid has looked quite impressive this year despite the constant drama surrounding the club, including the latest antics with Gareth Bale. Karim Benzema has really been in top form this season up front, scoring ten of Madrid’s 28 goals. Summer signings Eden Hazard and Luka Jovic have yet to make much difference, but Zidane’s side has still managed to lose just once this year. They have drawn four matches though, which is the decisive reason they are currently tied for first place.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w07PYPx1PkE
The Spanish giants have let in just ten goals this season through 13 fixtures, which is third-best in La Liga behind Atletico Madrid and Athletic Bilbao. Their backline, controlled by French mainstay Raphael Varane and Spanish star Sergio Ramos, has been extremely solid. Add in new signing Ferland Mendy at left-back and Dani Carvajal on the right, and Madrid has a very strong defense that’s limiting opponents to minimal opportunities in the final third.
Madrid has scored 2.2 goals per match, which is second behind Barca. They’re also second in the completed passes category behind their Spanish rivals.
Despite Madrid’s Success, Barca Should Repeat
Even though Barcelona has lost three times this season and Real Madrid just once, the Catalans should definitely be the favorite to repeat. It’s still extremely early on in the campaign, but with Lionel Messi at the helm, it’s hard to imagine he won’t lead them to glory. Madrid doesn’t have Ronaldo anymore, who was the type of player who could create exhilarating moments on the pitch at the most important times, just as Barcelona’s Argentinian superstar.
Although Madrid has lots of talent, they don’t have a Messi. If he stays healthy, there’s definitely a high possibility that his side will win their 27th La Liga title by the season’s end.
Pick: Barcelona (-225)
Quinn Allen is a sports journalist, with a background and education in broadcast journalism (BCIT '17). He is a full-time associate editor at ClutchPoints by day, where he writes about soccer, baseball, basketball, football, and more. At night, Quinn is a frequent contributor at SBD.
