The two top teams in La Liga will meet in Camp Nou this Saturday with first place on the line. For the first time in quite a while though, it won’t be in a Madrid Derby or an El Clasico. Sevilla have been the biggest surprise in Spain through the first two months of the season. They are all alone in first place with a 5-1-2 record at this point, and they are one point ahead of both Barcelona and Atletico Madrid. Sevilla is a pretty sizable underdog against Barcelona in this game, but if they can secure a result you have to start believing in the Rojiblancos.
Don't miss the Spanish La Liga action from Camp Nou in Barcelona, Spain at 2:45 p.m. ET on Saturday, October 20, 2018. Catch every moment of the match live on beIN Sports.
Spanish La Liga Betting at BookMaker.eu
Sevilla +619
Barcelona -303
Draw +485
Over/Under 3.5 and 4
Odds Analysis
Sevilla were one of the biggest disappointments in La Liga last year. They finished in seventh place with a goal differential of -9, and they just barely qualified for European play. Sevilla cut their teeth in the Europa League at the start of the year, and that may have helped them start the season strong. They have notched wins in each of their last four La Liga matches after a middling start, and they picked up an inspiring 3-0 win over Real Madrid a few weeks ago.
While Sevilla have been trending upwards, Barcelona have been moving down. The Blaugrana won each of their first four La Liga games this year, yet they have failed to notch another win since that point. Barcelona were forced to settle for draws against Girona, Athletic Bilbao, and Valencia, and they suffered a stunning defeat on the road against currently relegation bound Leganes. They have seemingly turned more of their attention to the Champions League, and their domestic performance has suffered as a result.
Injury Report
The Blaugrana are thin in the back line due to injury, and they got even thinner over the international break. Sergi Roberto and Samuel Umtiti were each injured at the tail end of September. Both players continue to be sidelined, and Umtiti is likely out until at least November with a knee injury. On Friday, things got even worse when Thomas Vermaelen went down in a match for Belgium. Early reports are that he suffered a hamstring injury that will keep him out for at least a few weeks. That will test this unit’s depth, as Barca have just four healthy defenders now.
Ibrahim Amadou and Maxime Gonalons are likely to still be out for Sevilla. Amadou and Gonalons are both central midfielders, so their absence has tested the depth of this unit. Thus far it hasn’t hurt the club too much with Andre Silva and Wissam Bin Yedder racking up goals, but it could start to be a factor in this match.
Matchup to Watch
Usually this is the part of the preview where I hype up Barcelona’s attack, but I’m going to flip the script this time. Sevilla have a good chance to put up multiple goals on Barcelona. Silva and Ben Yedder have combined to score 12 goals already this season, and they must be salivating at the thought of taking on this back four. Not only is Barcelona’s defense banged up, but the central defenders have had some uncharacteristic struggles too. Clement Lenglet and Gerard Pique have made a number of mistakes in recent weeks, and Sevilla have the attackers to punish them.
La Liga Prop Bet – Over 4.5 Goals at +158
I believe Barcelona knows they must score early and often in this critical game. They can’t rely on their defense to hold off Sevilla, so the Blaugrana must constantly press the pace and make the most of their chances. I think Sevilla will be more than happy to play that game, and this could be one of the highest scoring games of the season.
Free Soccer Betting Pick
Barcelona have too much firepower to lose this one at home, and they are sure to be refocused on the task at hand after the international break.
Spanish La Liga Odds: Barcelona 4, Sevilla 2
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook!
