The city of Seville takes centre stage this weekend as La Liga sees Sevilla FC and Real Betis face off in El Gran Derbi. Read on for our prediction of that game plus all the rest of the action from Matchday 9.
La Liga Matchday 9 Predictions: Spain’s Biggest Derby Looms
Real Madrid to Struggle Without Key Players
Fans of Villarreal CF will be looking at this trip to the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu as a winnable fixture. The home side will be without Kylian Mbappe and Thibaut Courtois who have both been ruled out until after the internationals. Villarreal also benefit from having rested in midweek but Real Madrid’s depth might be enough to rescue something from this game.
LWOF Prediction: Real Madrid 1-1 Villarreal CF
FC Barcelona will hope last week’s thumping loss away to CD Osasuna was just a blip and that they can bounce back again this time out. Deportivo Alavés should be pleased with their opening eight La Liga matches but might have to wait a couple of weeks before they can put points on the board again.
LWOF Prediction: Deportivo Alavés 0-2 FC Barcelona
Atlético Madrid go into their Sunday night game off the back of a 4-0 loss to SL Benfica in the Champions League. Away to Real Sociedad isn’t the ideal fixture to follow such a bad defeat but the Basques are yet to kick into gear this season. Atleti will be without summer signing Robin Le Normand after his traumatic brain injury.
LWOF Prediction: Real Sociedad 0-0 Atlético Madrid
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Seville Clubs to Do Battle
It’s known as El Gran Derbi (the great derby) and it is widely regarded as a match with more passion and meaning than El Clásico. One Guardian writer describes the ‘crazy rivalry’ between these two teams. In this edition, Sevilla host Real Betis and the visitors will be relying on Giovanni Lo Celso to continue his stunning form against a home side who are starting to build a small amount of momentum in recent weeks.
LWOF Prediction: Sevilla FC 1-2 Real Betis
Last season, Girona FC and Athletic Club were the two of the most exciting teams to watch. This season, both are slightly underperforming, although Athletic now find themselves in fifth place in La Liga. Nico Williams hasn’t played a full ninety minutes since August so will look to get a full game in this weekend.
LWOF Prediction: Girona FC 1-2 Athletic Club
Sixth place RCD Mallorca go away to RCD Espanyol with a dream of moving up to third spot if results go their way. Jagoba Arrasate’s side will have all the confidence they can move up into a Champions League position on Saturday lunchtime.
LWOF Prediction: RCD Espanyol 0-1 RCD Mallorca
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Three More Madrid Clubs in Action
Rayo Vallecano will be hoping to stay inside the top half of the table with a result away to strugglers Real Valladolid. No team has drawn more than Rayo this season (four) and no team has lost more than Valladolid (five).
LWOF Prediction: Real Valladolid 1-1 Rayo Vallecano
Getafe CF face a tough test at home to a confident CA Osasuna side who ran out 4-2 winners against Barca last week. Pacy winger Bryan Zaragoza will already have a lacklustre Getafe defence in his sights to run at.
LWOF Prediction: Getafe CF 0-2 CA Osasuna
The last of the five Madrid-based teams in La Liga, CD Leganés, play at home to Valencia CF in the Friday night kick-off. Just two places and two points separate the two sides currently as both will want to avoid going into the two-week break in the relegation zone.
LWOF Prediction: CD Leganés 2-2 Valencia CF
Lastly, bottom-of-the-table UD Las Palmas will go again in an attempt to win their first match of the season when they play RC Celta Vigo on Saturday evening. Currently, the only team in La Liga without a win, the Canary Islanders won’t have it easy if they want to pick up all three points against an entertaining Celta.
LWOF Prediction: UD Las Palmas 1-3 RC Celta Vigo
