La Liga Preview: Granada tonic for Real

Pride comes after a fall for Cristiano Ronaldo

It is not just home improvements Real Madrid have been making, says Tobias Gourlay

Valladolid v Athletic Bilbao
Friday 20:30 (Live on Sky Sports Xtra)
Valladolid 2.47/5 Athletic 3.211/5 draw 3.613/5

Valladolid are favourites to make a winning start to the weekend - and would have rated a bet - but Opta has noticed that they haven't won any of the six games they've had to play without German winger Patrick Ebert this season (W0-D2-L4).

The visiting defence is porous enough for Miroslav Dukic's men to at least further a record of scoring in nine straight games at the Jose Zorrilla: Athletic are conceding at a faster rate (27 times in ten away games so far) than anyone except bottom-of-the-table Deportivo La Coruna.
 
And Marcelo Bielsa's charges are hardly impotent themselves. Both teams have scored in 7/9 Valladolid home matches and the same proportion of Athletic's most recent road games.

Recommended Bet
Back Both Teams to Score @ 1.758/11

Espanyol v Levante
Saturday 19:00 (Live on Sky Sports 1)
Espanyol 2.111/10 Levante 4.03/1 draw 3.55/2

Javier Aguirre has improved Espanyol. The Parakeets are W3-D1-L0 playing at home for the Mexican.

Levante, meanwhile, have lost their last three away league games without scoring a single goal. This season, Juan Ignacio Martinez's side have scored fewer away goals than anyone else in La Liga (six in 11). This weekend, they are without lion-hearted leader Sergio Ballesteros, who went off injured last week for the first time in his long career.

Straightforward home win, with just one Opta-based point for traders to consider: Levante have won more points following goals in the final five minutes than any other team this season (nine) while Espanyol have lost the most (five).

Recommended Bet
Back Espanyol @ 2.111/10 

Granada v Real Madrid
Saturday 21:00 (Live on Sky Sports 1)
Granada 9.89/1 Real 1.364/11 draw 6.05/1

Three clean sheets. Nine unanswered goals.

Are Real Madrid rejuvenated?

A little bit. Midweek's 1-1 draw with Barcelona will have helped psychologically, but hindered them physically.

Mind over matter, though, and they should overcome La Liga's worst home team, despite the return to Andalusia of coach Luis Alcaraz. 

Granada have scored fewer home goals than any other team in La Liga (nine in ten), but stayed within a single of the Big Two last season and haven't lost by more than the odd one at the this term. The handicap line is drawn around 1.5 goals, which seems fair.

So - just as he would like - we're concentrating on the individual ability of Real's talisman. Cristiano Ronaldo has scored seven goals in three Liga games this year. Without him, Real were shut out by Osasuna. That's the sort of thing that really enhances his sense of self-worth. With his old club waiting in the Champions League - and looking on this weekend - this smaller stage is set.

Recommended Bet
Back Cristiano Ronaldo To Score 2 Goals or More @ 2.56/4

Valencia v Barcelona
Sunday 18:00 (Live on Sky Sports Red Button)
Valencia 7.26/1 Barcelona 1.4840/85 draw 5.04/1

El clasico is likely to have done less for Barca than we think it has for Real.

Draws aren't enough at their exalted level. It's another game in the legs, and one that's extended their winless streak to two.

Early days for Ernesto Valverde at Valencia, but we'd like it if he continues playing winger Andres Guardado at full-back.

Six of ten at the Mestalla have gone Over 3.5 Goals this season. If Tito Vilanova keeps up his cavalier attitude, there will be another on Sunday. Nine of Barca's last ten on the road have produced four or more goals.

Recommended Bet
Back Over 3.5 Goals @ 2.166/5

Atletico Madrid v Real Betis
Sunday 20:00 (Live on Sky Sports 1)
Atletico 1.4840/85 Betis 8.07/1 draw 4.77/2

Fast-breaking Atletico Madrid entertain fast-breaking Real Betis.

This is La Liga's best home side (W11-D0-L0) versus its second-best away side (W6-D1-L3), but how much puff is left in the hosts after Thursday's cup game with Sevilla?

If Falcao is ruled out once more, the end of that perfect home record is in sight. 

If he plays, a goals bet might be better: 9/11 Atletico home games against top-six teams have gone Over 2.5 Goals; so have 5/6 Betis away games against the same oppo.

Just one concern: Atletico are on a run of six clean sheets at the Vicente Calderon.

Recommended Bet
Back Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.84/5