This weekend brings away tests for FC Barcelona and Real Madrid as they travel to Real Betis and Girona FC, respectively. Read on for all of our La Liga matchday 16 predictions.
La Liga Matchday 16 Predictions – Classic Encounters For Top Teams
Mixed Midweek Fortunes Leave Exciting Weekend Ahead
La Liga fans will remember the fixture of Real Betis against FC Barcelona for that Lionel Messi hat-trick that left the Estadio Benito Villamarin on its feet in 2019. Five years on and without Messi, Barça still find themselves challenging for the league title.
The Azulgrana will hope their midweek thrashing of RCD Mallorca aids them as they remain on their travels to round the week off. The league leaders have stumbled in recent weeks, but their opponents Betis have also hit a rut. The Verdiblancos failed to win in the league in November, as well as suffering an embarrassing defeat in the UEFA Conference League.
LWOF Prediction: Real Betis 1-3 FC Barcelona
Real Madrid failed to follow suit of their Clásico rivals as they fell to a 2-1 defeat in Bilbao on Wednesday night. Kylian Mbappe continued his unconvincing few weeks with another penalty miss in that game. As for Madrid’s opponents, Girona FC were victims of the biggest cup upset of the Copa del Rey second round this week, going out on penalties in extraordinary circumstances against a lower-league side. As for this one, it will be whichever team that can put behind their poor midweek who will come out on top.
LWOF Prediction: Girona FC 1-2 Real Madrid
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Atlético Madrid are currently the most in-form side in La Liga, having won their last four matches in the league and their last eight counting all competitions. Diego Simeone’s men entertain Sevilla FC at the Estadio Metropolitano in what is likely to be a ninth consecutive win for Los Colchoneros.
LWOF Prediction: Atlético Madrid 1-0 Sevilla FC
With that historic midweek victory over Real Madrid, Athletic Club have entered the top four for the first time this season, albeit with two games in hand over Villarreal CF, their matchday 16 opponents. As we edge towards the campaign’s midpoint, it appears these two sides are most likely to be battling it out for the last Champions League spot. Home advantage usually helps the Basques in big games like this, so the Yellow Submarine will have to be on top form if they don’t want to be sunk in the cathedral of San Mamés.
LWOF Prediction: Athletic Club 1-1 Villarreal CF
Continuing Resurgent Form
UD Las Palmas pulled off the shock of the term so far, beating Barcelona in Montjuic last weekend. Diego Martínez has propelled his side from bottom to 14th since he took over proceedings in the Canary Islands. They’ll face a Real Valladolid side who, as of Friday morning, have yet to replace sacked manager Paulo Pezzolano following their humiliation last weekend at the hands of Atlético Madrid. There looks to be only one winner in this match.
LWOF Prediction: UD Las Palmas 2-0 Real Valladolid
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Another team on the mend is Real Sociedad, who impressively swatted Real Betis aside last weekend. Now with eight wins in their last eleven matches in all competitions, the side from San Sebastian look like genuine European contenders. They travel to the capital to face CD Leganés with high hopes.
LWOF Prediction: CD Leganés 1-2 Real Sociedad
CA Osasuna remain in the hunt for continental football, and on Sunday teatime, will host Deportivo Alavés. The latter will have to travel just an hour to reach Pamplona, and they will do so with a new manager at the helm. Eduardo Coudet was brought in to replace the harshly dismissed Luis Garcia this week.
LWOF Prediction: CA Osasuna 2-1 Deportivo Alavés
Best Of The Rest
Friday night’s entertainment comes to us from Estadio Bailaídos, the home of RC Celta Vigo. The Galicians will welcome RCD Mallorca, who, despite a midweek humbling, are keeping up with the regular European hunters of Spanish football. A cold Friday night in Vigo won’t be the easiest game for the Islanders.
LWOF Prediction: RC Celta Vigo 1-1 RCD Mallorca
Valencia CF and Rayo Vallecano are almost certainly nailed on to give us one of the best atmospheres of the weekend, even if the stuff happening on the pitch won’t be worth too much attention from our eyes. Rayo have as many missing players as they do La Liga wins in their last five matches, and Valencia languish three points from safety.
LWOF Prediction: Valencia CF 2-0 Rayo Vallecano
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Let’s be honest, it was always going to be Getafe CF against RCD Espanyol as the last match talked about in this piece. Both sides, antonymous with viewership and entertainment, will go head-to-head at the Coliseum on Monday night. Anything but a goalless draw will cause the average Spanish football fan to spit out their cafe con leche.
LWOF Prediction: Getafe CF 0-0 RCD Espanyol
