La Liga is Barcelona’s to lose at this point. Barcelona has tore through the rest of Spain, tallying 59 points in 23 games. They still don’t have a number in the loss column in domestic play and are looking to be the first team in a while to finish a season without a blemish.
Their opponent this weekend is Eibar, a club having a fantastic season. Eibar is currently sitting in seventh place and has an outside chance of pushing into the top six, guaranteeing a spot in European play next season. It would be a big move for a club that hasn’t spent a lot of time at the highest level of Spanish soccer.
Don't miss the Spanish La Liga action from Ipurua Municipal Stadium in Eibar, Spain at 10:15 a.m. ET on Saturday, February 17, 2018. Catch every moment of the match live on BeIN Sports.
La Liga Betting Odds at BookMaker.eu
Barcelona -217
Eibar +551
Draw +349
Over/Under 3
Odds Analysis
To no one’s shock, Barcelona is a decent-sized favorite heading into this match. Barcelona is just on a different level than anyone else in Spain at the moment and looks bound for success.
However, Eibar has been playing well lately. They have won their last two matches, and they hammered Sevilla in their last home match. Overall, they have taken at least a point in five of their last six matches, with the lone exception being a loss at the hands of Atletico Madrid.
Key Absences
Ernesto Valverde seems like he will rest some of his starters for this match with an important Champions League tilt coming up in the middle of the week. Valverde knows he has room to work with in La Liga, so the importance is making sure to be ready for Chelsea.
That means there may be wholesale changes along the back line. Gerard Pique will likely miss this one after suffering an injury against Espanyol. Pique is too important to the team to see him aggravate the injury against Eibar, so expect him to rest.
Additionally, Sergi Roberto and Jordi Alba might take some time off. The outside backs could use a breather heading into this one and it would also benefit the youngsters to get some important playing time against a decent opponent.
Player to Watch
When these teams met back in September at Camp Nou, Lionel Messi put on a clinic. Messi dazzled and did it all on his way to four goals in a 6-1 thrashing of Eibar. He continues to play at an extremely high level and remains one of the best players in the world.
It’s all been said at this point when it comes to Messi, but I’ll try anyways. His vision and his ability to possess the ball through all sort of knicks and fouls sets him apart. He doesn’t go to ground easily like many players do, and that has led to him being able to draw penalties when he goes down.
Free Soccer Betting Pick
Something has gotten into Eibar in recent weeks. Eibar started off the season 2-7-2 and seemed like it might be in for a relegation fight. However, they have turned on the jets since that point, dropping just one of its last 11 games. That has helped Eibar rocket up the table and now dreams of Europe are dancing in their heads.
Barcelona is unlikely to be fully locked into this game with Chelsea on deck a few days later. Messi will score, but the resting of players in the back line will be a big help to an Eibar team that sometimes has trouble putting shots on net.
That will lead to both sides settling for a 1-1 draw. It’s at a nice price too, so go ahead and back that.
Spanish La Liga Odds: Eibar 1, Barcelona 1
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