Weekend Football Betting Tips: Best Bets for MD35 in La Liga

It was a mixed bag for our La Liga betting expert last week in his Best Bets column, with Real Sociedad's Win to Nil being the winner with the other two odds against selections falling short.

His La Liga Weekend Football Betting Tips for Matchday 35 once more come at good prices as he looks for a profitable week...

With the title race over and some of the other key battles not as tight as they have been in other years, it’s not shaping up to be the most thrilling finale to a Spanish football season that we’ve ever seen. However, there are still a number of teams with plenty to play for as we head into matchday 35.

Alavés vs Girona (Friday 20:00)

The weekend action kicks off with a Friday night game in Vitoria where in-form Alavés are playing host to Girona. The Catalans clinched Champions League qualification with a 4-2 comeback win against Barcelona last weekend, a brilliant achievement for Míchel and his players.

While they’ll now be targeting 2nd place and currently hold a one point advantage on Barça in that particular race, it very much feels like mission accomplished for Girona. That does raise the possibility that a bit of complacency might creep in over the final few weeks and their recent away form suggests they are far from certain to pick up the points here.

Girona have lost five of their last six away in La Liga. That includes 1-0 defeats at Getafe and Mallorca, outcomes that will offer a lot of encouragement to an Alavés side that is capable of playing in a relatively similar manner to those two sides.

They are currently going with Kike García as their lone striker with Luis García shaking up his eleven in recent weeks after a poor run of form and it’s been a surprise to see just how many fringe players have grabbed the opportunity and forced their way into the side.

It’s three straight wins to nil for the Basque outfit with six goals scored so they take real confidence and momentum into this game. Those victories did not come in easy fixtures either with Atlético Madrid and an improving Celta Vigo well beaten at Mendizorrotza, before Alavés picked up an impressive 1-0 win at Valencia last time out.

On current form and with Girona potentially suffering a hangover after their Champions League qualification clinching, Catalan derby win last Saturday, I’m going with Alavés to win at long odds of 11/4.

Villarreal vs Sevilla (Saturday 15:15)

The Estadio de la Cerámica is the setting on Saturday for a game between two teams who have had very similar seasons.

There were slow starts and early season sackings at both Villarreal and Sevilla with Quique Setién, José Luis Mendilibar, Pacheta and Diego Alonso all getting the chop before Christmas.

It was a case of third time lucky in terms of managerial appointments at both clubs though with Marcelino spearheading Villarreal’s charge up the table while things have improved at Sevilla with Quique Sánchez Flores at the helm.

Villarreal are the better side and look better placed to kick on next season. They are the clear favourites for this game but Sevilla have shown a resilience and ability to dig deep and get results in recent weeks that suggests they can get a result here.

The Andalusians are second to only Real Madrid in the form table with 17 points from their last eight games and it’s four wins from five after they confidently brushed aside Granada last Sunday with a 3-0 win and one of their most convincing performances of the season.

Their ability to compete in tough away games in recent months also points to them getting something here. Sánchez Flores appears to have stumbled on the right formula on the road with just one defeat in their last seven away games in La Liga and that was only a late 1-0 loss at runaway leaders Real Madrid.

With Villarreal set to be missing key forward Gerard Moreno again, they may struggle to break open their opponents who are likely to sit relatively deep and deny the home team’s pacey wingers much space to run into.

As a result, I’m backing Double Chance - Sevilla or Draw at 9/10.

Real Betis vs Almería (Sunday 20:00)

There’s an all-Andalusian affair at the Estadio Benito Villamarín on Sunday night as Real Betis entertain already relegated Almería.

There was just a second league win of the season for Almería last weekend, although they were more than a little bit fortunate to win in Madrid, with Rayo Vallecano having 27 attempts and 10 on target in a game that ended 1-0 to the visitors.

Both of Almería’s victories have come since the appointment of Pepe Mel in March but their performance levels haven’t noticeably improved and they’ve still conceded three goals in defeats against the likes of Osasuna and Getafe since the change.

This is a game that Betis, who are in the thick of the race for European places, should dominate with home advantage and we can expect to see Isco receive plenty of the ball and be their chief attacking force once more.

The former Real Madrid man is having a brilliant season in the green and white half of Seville and has resurrected his career after a number of years where he seemed like something of a lost soul.

Isco was suspended last weekend, but should return to the eleven on Sunday and his recent form at the Benito Villamarín has been particularly impressive. The 32 year old has scored or assisted in all of his last six home appearances in all competitions and has registered five goals in his last five starts in front of his own supporters.

He’s been on penalty duties too, converting from 12 yards in the derby against former club Sevilla a fortnight ago. The chances of Betis winning a penalty against an accident-prone Almería defence are surely relatively high in this game and I’m backing Isco to score anytime at 9/5.

You can check out Mark's La Liga Betting Tips along with those from the rest of the Betfred Insights Spanish Football writers on our La Liga home page...