Real Sociedad vs Real Madrid: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

Real Madrid will travel to San Sebastian on Tuesday to face Real Sociedad in the 33rd Round of the 2022/23 La Liga season.  The hosts kept their quest for a top-four finish alive last Friday courtesy of a 2-0 win over local rivals Osasuna. The win kept them locked in the fourth position, five points ahead of Villarreal and in the fifth position. So they are now well-placed to finish in the La Liga top four for the first time since 2012/13. Star forward Takefusa Kubo declared they “have the right to dream–we are going for the Champions League.” Read more:  However, the month of May won’t be easy as they will take on each of the three sides above them, starting here with Real Madrid. The fact that manager Imanol Alguacil has never won the opposite number Carlo Ancelotti (D1, L2), points to the job’s difficulty.  Meanwhile, Madrid come into this tie on the back of a 4-2 win over Almeria, with Karim Benzema scoring a hattrick to make him  fourth-highest all-time scorer.  The hosts will hope that Ancelotti rests the Frenchman with the upcoming CDR final and Champions League semi-final in mind. But Ancelotti’s options appear limited, with star forward Vinícius Júnior suspended after picking up his sixth yellow card of the season for dissent. Yet, Madrid have won just one of their last four league away fixtures (D1, L2), and can’t afford to take their eye off the ball in a La Liga context as they bid to stay ahead of city rivals Atlético in the fight for second place behind champions-elect Barcelona.  Meanwhile, Los Blancos have averaged 1.4 goals per game across their last five La Liga road games (W2, D1, L2), so they should at least keep Sociedad’s defence busy regardless of the end result. That said we can expect over 2.5 goals scored in this game. Click here to get winning soccer predictions. 

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Arsenal vs Chelsea: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

Arsenal and Chelsea will renew their rivalry this Tuesday when they meet at the Emirates for the 61st Premier League head-to-head meeting.  The Gunners are looking to reclaim their place at the top of the Premier League table, albeit temporarily, after falling flat on their faces last weekend in a 4-1 loss to Manchester City. That loss was not the main reason they are sitting second in the PL table, though, as their run of three consecutive draws before that game gave the initiative to City. So they enter this game without a win in their last four games (D3, L1). For a side keen on winning the PL this season, such form is terrible and cannot give them a place on the podium. With the title destination now officially out of their hands, Mikel Arteta’s side will now hope City drops points to allow them a way back in the race. Read more: Sevilla vs Girona:  Preview and Expert Football Prediction They will have to keep winning and take their chances should Pep Guardiola’s side drop points. And given that they have never lost against Chelsea in the Premier League between Tuesday and Thursday (W4, D6), it should boost their morale.  However, Chelsea will feel like they can get something from this game, given how poor Arsenal have been. The Blues are in dire form, having lost their last five games under Frank Lampard.  Their total points tally after 32 rounds of games has kept them closer to the relegation zone than the top four, with their 39 points the same as Bournemouth, who are still technically in the relegation zone.  Although the Cherries have played two games more than Chelsea, Lampard will know that getting into a scrappy fight to stay inside the top half isn’t impossible.  Should they lose here, Chelsea will lose 20 competitive games in one season for the first time since 1987/88. But despite all the negatives, the Blues can boast a relatively respectable record in PL London derbies this season (W3, D4, L4). Yet Chelsea have won just one PL game against current top-half opposition this season (W1, D6, L9). Click here to get correct score predictions. 

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Sevilla vs Girona:  Preview and Expert Football Prediction  

La Liga continues this Monday with rejuvenated Sevilla welcoming in-form Girona in the 32nd Round of the league season. The hosts have enjoyed a remarkable return to form under the management of 62-year-old Spanish journeyman José Luis Mendilibar.   His appointment has so far been an inspired decision from Sevilla, as Mendilibar has guided the Andalusian club not only to their longest undefeated period (W4, D1) of this La Liga season but also into the semi-finals of the UEFA Europa League.  That has translated into an impressive seven games without a loss in his one-month tenure and a ten-point buffer from the relegation zone heading into this Round. Meanwhile, they come into this tie on the back of a 1-0 win over Athletic Bilbao. However, they needed some luck to secure that win, as a last-minute penalty was their saving grace in the game.  They will now look to make it five wins in five games in all competitions in this match.  Read more: Real Mallorca vs Athletic Bilbao:  Preview and Expert Football Prediction   Given that they are yet to lose a La Liga game at home to any club ranked below ninth-placed Vallecano at the start of this Round (W5, D3), Sevilla have every reason to be confident of avenging January’s 2-1 loss at Girona. Moreover, the hosts will be particularly optimistic as they have six wins from eight league home games in 2023 (D1, L1). Meanwhile, Girona boosted ambitions of eclipsing their highest-ever top-flight finish (tenth in their La Liga debut 2017/18) when they beat Real Madrid 4-2 in their last outing. That win was their third La Liga win over the Spanish giants from six attempts (D1, L2), keeping them in the top half.  The visitors start this round eight points adrift of the top six, so European football could still be within reach if they can build upon that momentum on the run home. However, closing that gap will require them to do better away from home. They have not enjoyed their road trips since March and recently came back down to earth after following a scoreless draw at Camp Nou with a loss to lowly Valladolid.  While their superior position in the table to Sevilla might suggest they have an advantage, Girona’s league away record against current bottom-half opposition (W1, D2, L5) leaves much to be desired. Click here to get sure win predictions. 

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Real Mallorca vs Athletic Bilbao:  Preview and Expert Football Prediction  

La Liga continues this Monday with Athletic Bilbao travelling to Palma de Mallorca to face Real Mallorca. The hosts will look to get back to winning ways when they host Bilbao in this game. They suffered their first defeat in April in their last outing as they were beaten 3-1 by Atletico Madrid last weekend.  Head coach Javier Aguirre blamed a “lack of concentration and bad decisions” for his team’s 3-1 defeat in the capital. But a swift return home should suit Mallorca as they bid to return to winning ways, given they’ve lost just one of their last ten matches (W6, D3) on their own turf in La Liga.  Read more: Leicester vs Everton:  Preview and Expert Football Prediction   The hosts have accumulated an impressive 63% of their points at home, a strong return they’ll be confident of improving against Athletic Bilbao given their solid head-to-head record as the hosts (W14, D10, L8). Meanwhile, Bilbao travel to Visit Mallorca Estadi on the back of a disappointing 1-0 defeat to Sevilla on Thursday evening. The visitors controlled much of the match but eventually conceded a stoppage-time penalty. Boss Ernesto Valverde said there’s “no room for regret” over those dropped points as his side continues their hunt for a European finish, something they’re not guaranteed with a top-seven finish thanks to Osasuna’s progression to the Copa del Rey final. The Lions start this round three points adrift of the top six with just seven games remaining, so they’ll need to start making inroads into that gap as quickly as possible. A trip away from home perhaps comes at the perfect time as Athletic have won each of their last three league games on the road.  However, they haven’t managed four successive away victories this century, so they might struggle to hit that height here. Meanwhile, Mallorca home matches average just 1.8 goals per game, the lowest in the division. So we can expect a low-scoring game here, with under 2.5 goals the likely outcome.   Click here to get the best football prediction today.

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Leicester vs Everton:  Preview and Expert Football Prediction  

The Premier League continues this Monday with a massive relegation six-pointer between Leicester City and Everton at the King Power Stadium. Both sides are among the bottom five teams who are separated by just six points and most-likey to get relegated at the end of the season.  However, Leicester have been progressing under Dean Smith since the Englishman replaced Brendan Rodgers. The former Aston Villa began his reign with a 3-1 loss to Manchester City but did better in the second game, as his side beat Wolves 2-1.  They followed that up with a 1-1 draw with fellow strugglers Leeds United last time out. The result moved the Foxes to 29 points, one above their Monday visitors Everton. So a win here will take them four points above Everton and potentially put their survival chances in their hands.  Read more: Liverpool vs Tottenham: Preview and Expert Football Prediction  So naturally, Dean Smith would be desperate to win here and record Leicester’s second consecutive league win at home for the first time since May last year. Meanwhile, Everton are also desperate for maximum points to end their torrid run of six games without a win (D3, L3), with a 4-1 loss to Newcastle United last Thursday night the most recent in that sequence. That loss came at home, where raucous fans with songs and blue flares welcomed them. But that reception did not inspire them to win, so it is hard to envision them winning away from home. And the fact that Sean Dyche’s side have not won an away game in the Premier League since October also makes it difficult to picture a win here. The Toffees have lost ten of their last 15 away games in all competitions (D4), failing to score on nine occasions. However, they have drawn three of their last four road outings while they have also enjoyed success at this venue recently, winning each of their last two visits to the King Power Stadium. This means they could register a much-needed third successive win here for the first time in their history. Meanwhile, Everton have failed to score in four of their last five away games played on a Monday (D1, L4). So we might witness a low-scoring game with under 2.5 goals.

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Liverpool vs Tottenham: Preview and Expert Football Prediction 

Liverpool will welcome Tottenham to Anfield this Sunday as both sides look to secure three points that will keep their quest for a place in Europe next season alive. The Reds have endured one of their worst seasons in recent history, with eight losses from their first 32 games. However, things have been better in their last few games, with a 2-1 win over West Ham United their third win in a row. The win also extended their run of games without defeat to give (W3, D2) and kept them within seven points of the top four with a game more. Read more: Barcelona vs Real Betis: Preview and Expert Football Prediction But despite their winning run, things haven’t gone so smoothly for Jurgen Klopp’s men, as question marks around their defence remain. The Reds have kept only one clean sheet in their last eight matches. A return to Anfield will boost their chances of keeping a clean sheet, though, as most of the eleven they have kept this season have come at home. Considering they’ve lost only once in their last 38 home PL games (W28, D9), they will fancy their chances of getting a good result here. Meanwhile, Tottenham will travel to Liverpool on Sunday to get just their third win in 35 league visits to Anfield (D10, L23). The North London side come into this tie on the back of a credible 2-2 draw with Manchester United.  After going two goals down in the first half of the game, the visitors put in a good second-half show to snatch a point against Erik ten Hag’s side and, in the process, kept their slim hopes of a top-four finish alive. They will now travel to Anfield looking to record their first league win in three games and keep their hopes of finishing in the top four alive. However, a run of seven matches with no win away from home (D2, L5) makes it difficult to envision a win here. At the same time, their terrible record at Anfield will raise more fears that Liverpool will leapfrog them here, which would most likely end any faint chances of claiming a Champions League place. Click here to get the best predictions for today.

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Barcelona vs Real Betis: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

La Liga resumes this weekend, with league leaders Barcelona welcoming European hopefuls Real Betis to Camp Nou for the 32nd Round of the 2022/23 season. The hosts, albeit poor in other competitions this season, have been brilliant in the league, shooting themselves to the top with 24 wins from 31 games. However, they have been wobbly recently and have won just one of their last four league games (D2, L1). A surprising 2-1 loss to Rayo Vallecano was the most recent of those results. Yet the Blaugrana remain in pole position to secure a first title since 2019 thanks to their 11-point lead ahead of this round. However, their huge lead at the summit is perhaps sparking worries about motivation levels amongst the squad. Read more: AS Roma vs AC Milan: Preview and Expert Football Prediction But despite conceding two against Rayo, the hosts (11 conceded) are in line to better the all-time joint-best defensive record for a 38-game La Liga campaign (18).  Returning to Spotify Camp Nou could boost their plans as Barcelona have conceded only two league goals there this campaign – one from a penalty and the other an own goal. Real Betis travel to Camp Nou in a poor run of form, having won just one of their last five games (D1, L3). Their goalless draw against Real Sociedad last matchday saw Los Verdiblancos fail to reduce the gap in the race for UEFA Champions League qualification. Therefore, coach Manuel Pellegrini has admitted they are “fighting for the Europa League and everything else is a dream.” The coach will be looking for a win, but he doesn’t exactly have a strong history against Barcelona to call upon, with the Chilean losing 23 of his 32 meetings in his illustrious career.  Improving that will require an improvement on the road where Betis are winless in over two months in all competitions (D1, L3), losing both of their last two away matches in La Liga. Given how solid Barca have been at the back in Camp Nou this season, a low-scoring affair is expected in this game. So an under 2.5 goals game will be the likeliest outcome here.

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AS Roma vs AC Milan: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

AC Milan will take their quest for a top-four finish to Rome this Saturday as they face Jose Mourinho’s AS Roma, who are also looking to secure a place in the Champions League next season. The hosts suffered a disappointing 3-1 defeat to Atalanta in their last outing to throw the top four race in the Serie A wide open. They come into this tie sitting on the same points as AC Milan but with a worse goal difference. So this match could make or break their season, as a loss takes their chances of qualifying for the top four out of their hands. Read more: Barcelona vs Real Betis: Preview and Expert Football Prediction  Mourinho’s men now have a growing list of absentees and will be sweating on the fitness of key man Paulo Dybala who left the pitch with a painful grimace after a challenge in Monday night’s defeat. While they battle to find the right balance in the team after the injury to key men, a return to the Stadio Olimpico could be just what the home side need, having won seven of their eight league games here in 2023′ to nil’ (L1). AC Milan will look to make it seven games without defeat when they travel to Rome on Saturday. The Rosenneri were one of the teams that were most affected by the reversal of Juventus’ 15-point penalty. But they have reacted well to the ruling and have continued to pick up points. The most recent was a 2-0 win over relegation-threatened Lecce, which was decided by two magical moments from Rafael Leão. That win had helped them creep back into the top four last weekend.  Still, Stefano Pioli’s men have won just two of their last seven league games (D3, L2). They travel south again after two successful trips to Napoli this month (W1, D1) and a disappointing 1-1 draw at Bologna.  But worryingly for them, the spectacular 4-0 win over league leaders was Milan’s only away league victory against a team that started this round 11th or better (D2, L5). Meanwhile, eight of the last nine H2Hs have seen both teams find the net. So despite Roma’s stubborn defence at home, we can expect BTTS/GG here.

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Union Berlin vs Bayer Leverkusen: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

Bayer Leverkusen will look to continue their impressive match towards a top-six finish when they travel to the capital to face third-placed Union Berlin. The hosts bounced back from a small dip in form to pick up their first win in four competitive outings last round (D1, L2) by defeating Borussia Mönchengladbach 1-0.  They return to Stadion An der Alten Försterei looking to maintain one of only two remaining unbeaten home records in this season’s Bundesliga (W9, D5) whilst keeping a grip on a place inside the division’s top three. Read more: Crystal Palace vs West Ham: Preview and Expert Football Prediction The gap between them to Freiburg in fourth was just two points after the last round, so securing another victory here could be crucial to their Champions League aspirations. Revenge will also be an added motivation, as opponents Bayer Leverkusen handed Union their heaviest defeat of the season (5-0) back in November. But the hosts might take some comfort from the fact that was their only defeat from each of the last five Bundesliga head-to-heads (W1, D3). Meanwhile, Bayer Leverkusen are eight points adrift of their opponents but are still on course to qualify for continental football next season.  The visitors finished the last round in sixth, and their endeavours have been boosted by an impressive run of eight league games without a loss (W6, D2) – only Mainz can match being undefeated for such an extended period.  That unbeaten stretch extends to 13 games across all competitions, shedding light on why manager Xabi Alonso is regarded as one of Europe’s most exciting young managers. Yet, this contest is set to put Leverkusen’s resolve to the test, given that they’re winless in their four away games against teams currently sitting above them in the Bundesliga table (D1, L3).  Their struggles in those matches are highlighted by the fact they scored just one goal in total across the four games and trailed at the half-time break in each. Click here to get accurate football predictions.

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Crystal Palace vs West Ham: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

Crystal Palace will continue their fight for Premier League survival this Saturday when they welcome West Ham United to Selhurst Park. The Eagles have found a new lease of life under veteran manager Roy Hodgson, who cancelled his well-deserved retirement to become Palace manager after the club sacked Patrick Vieira. Hodgson’s return to the club came with a bang as he won three straight games to steer Palace out of the relegation zone. However, the excitement of the new manager and the positive bounce that came with it has dwindled as Palace are winless and without a goal in their last two games (D1, L1). Read more: Union Berlin vs Bayer Leverkusen: Preview and Expert Football Prediction Their wait to secure Premier League football continues, as they have yet to reach the magical 40-point margin. But they have a healthy eight-point advantage over the relegation places, which provides some security.   Meanwhile, West Ham will travel to Selhurst Park looking to rerun to winning ways. David Moyes’ side had a disappointing outing last time, as they were beaten 2-1 by Liverpool in a match marred by late controversy. While head coach David Moyes could land himself in trouble with the FA for his comments about the referee in the Liverpool game, he will be eager to move on from that result and focus on getting maximum points here.  The Hammers will hit the road in good form, having picked up three wins in their last four away matches (W3, D1), where they conceded only once.  This form hasn’t only resulted in them earning a place in the Europa Conference League semi-final but also doubled their Premier League away points this season with victories over Bournemouth and Fulham. They will hope to get another positive away result at Selhurst Park against a Palace side yet to click at home.  Meanwhile, both teams have scored in the last eleven head-to-head meetings between both sides. So we can expect BTTS/GG at Selhurst Park on Saturday.

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