7-8 May: Spain

[kompressaur]

Betis Sevilla - Valladolid	17	2.07	3.01	3.13	07.05.2008 - 20:00
Getafe - Almeria	14	1.91	3.08	3.47	07.05.2008 - 20:00
Huelva - Villarreal	17	2.80	3.12	2.27	07.05.2008 - 20:00
La Coruna - Levante	16	1.37	3.94	7.10	07.05.2008 - 20:00
Valencia FC - Zaragoza	17	2.00	3.07	3.28	07.05.2008 - 20:00
Mallorca - Osasuna	16	2.02	3.07	3.23	07.05.2008 - 20:00
Murcia Real - Bilbao	15	2.67	3.03	2.29	07.05.2008 - 20:00
Santander - Sevilla	17	2.38	3.04	2.59	07.05.2008 - 20:00
Real Madrid - Barcelona FC	30	1.99	3.27	3.32	07.05.2008 - 22:00
Espanyol Barcelona - Atletico Madrid	16	2.64	3.01	2.29	08.05.2008 - 21:00

[Cinny]

Espanyol have been woeful as of late, their terrible comapred to their form at the start of the season while Atletico seem hungry for the CL league spot and are scoring goals to boot. I fancy them to get all 3 points here.

Zaragoza played superbly when i watched them sat night against a deportivo side who are in super form as of late while Valencia got thumped by Barca, could well be a bit of value with them.

whats your verdict rc?

[rcgills]

Don't think I'll be on either of them myself, Cinny, but good luck if you do go with them.

Atletico Madrid, as I've found out the hard way over recent years, are not a side to be trusted, and they're not in great form either, just 1 win in their last 4 and that was against lowly Huelva. Only won 1 of their last 6 aways, admittedly that was an excellent result at Sevilla, and there's no shame in losing at Villarreal, but the remaining 4 games in that run were against 4 of the teams in the battle to avoid the final relegation place (Osasuna, Zaragoza, Getafe and Valladolid) and they managed just 2 points from those 4 games.

I'd have to consider their price to be huge value before I could be tempted, and if that 2.29 mentioned in the top post is the best on offer, I wouldn't even back them against Levante at that price. Christ, I don't even think I'd back them against Gillingham at that price

As for Zaragoza, as you say, they were impressive (albeit rather wasteful in front of goal too) against Deportivo, but Zaragoza at home and away are two very different teams. Home record 9-6-3, away record 1-5-11. Having said that, Valencia are the weakest home side in the division, but last home game they played a direct relegation rival with a poor away record (Osasuna) and beat them 3-0. I guess the value is maybe with Zaragoza, but this just looks one to avoid to me, too tough to call.

[Cinny]

Im going to take my chances with athletico but im not at all liking zaragoza at the minute, possibly even swayed towards valencia, they did win their last home game in emphatic fashoin before they got trounced by barca. More than likely no bet though.

[rcgills]

Four that I like the look of tonight:

Almeria @ 5.1 - Almeria still in with an outside chance of making the UEFA cup. They're 6pts off Sevilla, but Sevilla have got two tough games coming up (away to Racing and a derby away to Betis), while Almeria have got this game against Getafe and then Huelva at home. If they can take 6pts from these two games I'd say it's pretty likely they'll be within striking distance of Sevilla going into the last game. Getafe have managed just 3pts from their last 7 games, the UEFA Cup/Spanish Cup final defeats seem to have hit them mentally. Huge price on Almeria in my opinion.

Mallorca @ 2.18 - Mallorca another side chasing the UEFA Cup places, and have a striker in Dani Guiza who just can't stop scoring, something which Osasuna could most definitely do with at the moment, having scored just 4 in their last 8 games. Can't believe Mallorca are odds against for this one.

Villarreal @ 2.68 - Villarreal know a win here could well clinch them the runners-up spot and automatic qualification for the Champions League if Barcelona don't beat Real Madrid. Huelva are unbeaten in 4 at home, but that was wins against the bottom 2, and draws with Bilbao and Barcelona (who were pretty poor in that game). Nice price on Villarreal, and I'd certainly trust them more than I'd trust Atletico Madrid

Racing @ 3 - only 1pt between these 2 in the table, and with Sevilla having won the home game between them 4-1, and the H2H being used to separate sides that finish level on points, there's no way Racing can afford to lose this one if they want to finish above Sevilla and claim the final Champions league spot. Atletico Madrid currently in that 4th place and the Champions League places, 2pts above Sevilla and 1pt above Racing, so a draw really isn't going to be much good to either of these sides, I'd expect them both to have to go for it.

Pretty solid home record this season for them, 10-3-4 (although they had to come from 0-2 down against Murcia at the weekend to beat them 3-2, so maybe some nerves showing). Sevilla have won just 5 away games this season, and failed to break down a poor Murcia side in their last away game, drawing 0-0.

4pt singles on all of the above games, 6 x 0.5pt doubles, 4 x 0.4pt trebles and a 0.5pt 4-fold. Pretty confident at least 2 of them should come in, 2 would more or less return stakes, 3 will return a nice profit.

[ONEDUNME]

I'm with you on these RC as it might be my last chance to have a bet on the Spanish footy this season.

I'll be watching the Madrid Barca game tonight too. I've backed Barca draw no bet. No other reason than I laid Madrid for the title and the fuckers took my money so I want to see them turned over

[rcgills]

Good luck to us then ODM Why might it be your last chance for Spanish bets this season?

Not going too bad at half-time. Almeria went 2-0 up and I've laid them back to cover my stake at 1.5, Getafe have since pulled one back. Mallorca 1 up through Dani Guiza. Racing is the game I'm watching, missed a penalty which could've put them 1 up, Sevilla then scored and have hit the post but Racing also missed a sitter. Not giving up hope on that one. Villarreal still 0-0.

[DAO]

to be honest i like corners handicap
real-barca
barca (0) BET365 offers nice odd 2.25
i'll try for small stake
game starts in 10 mins

[ONEDUNME]

2 winners makes me a 50% return on investment


I see Almeria ended up losing then?


Real have just gone 1 up against Barca so it's a good job I took your tips.

Why the last chance? I'm not one for betting big at the end of seasons as strange things happen. I spend most of the time backing against the teams that are going to win me money (i.e. United half time/full time next Saturday and backing Fulham to win as I have them to be relegated).

I'll be waiting for your wisdom at the start of next season though and I also have backed Spain (and Portugal) to win the euro's so any info on their squad strength would be good.

I'm crossing fingers that Torres and Ronaldo don't get injured in the last games of the season

[ONEDUNME]

Madrid 2-0 up. It's goodnight from me.

I'm off to bed.

Be lucky gents

[rcgills]

Originally Posted by ONEDUNME

I'll be waiting for your wisdom at the start of next season though and I also have backed Spain (and Portugal) to win the euro's so any info on their squad strength would be good.

I'll see what I can do - remind me nearer the time

Ended up making around 4pts profit tonight, mainly due to having laid Almeria when 2-0 up, otherwise it would've been break even. Still, profit's profit. Now, if we could just have 3 more goals in this Madrid v Barca game, preferably with Marquez scoring for Barca and Higuain for Madrid, I'd be very happy indeed

[ONEDUNME]

You don't ask for rmuch do you


It was the backing at level stakes on each team and the multiples that did you tonight then, whereas I staked to win over 50points on each one. Layed out 130, returned 195. You would have been laughing if Almeria hadn't collapsed though eh?

[rcgills]

Originally Posted by ONEDUNME

You don't ask for rmuch do you

It was the backing at level stakes on each team and the multiples that did you tonight then, whereas I staked to win over 50points on each one. Layed out 130, returned 195. You would have been laughing if Almeria hadn't collapsed though eh?

If you don't ask, you don't get

Yes, it was the multiples that did for me, and yes, Almeria winning would've been nice - I think even if Almeria had been the only ones to win, they would've pretty much covered my stakes. If they'd come in alongside Villarreal and Mallorca I'd have been laughing. Not my normal way of betting, but I was feeling confident tonight.

[engineer]

Great stuff, RC, you both enjoyed that evening in Spain, didn't you

Watched the Real - Barca game also and made a conclusion that Valencia should be the most shitty team in Spain after getting hammered by these poor bastards on Saturday

[rcgills]

Didn't see the game last night, but going by the result it looks like it was a comfortable win for Atletico. Hope I didn't put you off them, Cinny