La Liga Predictions, Picks and Best Bets February 23-25

Predictions and Picks for La Liga Matches February 23-25

WagerTalk La Liga handicapper Kevin Dolan presents his February 23-25 La Liga predictions and betting preview around key La Liga matches including Barcelona vs Getafe and Real Madrid vs Sevilla. Which teams is he looking to pick up points and which will have goal scoring? Read his La Liga betting tips now!

Real Sociedad vs Villarreal | Friday February 23 | 3:00pm ET

Real Sociedad -130 | Villarreal +390 | Draw +270

Villarreal takes on Real Sociedad this Friday night over in San Sebastian as they look to snap a recent run of results that has seen them win just one of their last seven league games overall.

That faces a Real Sociedad team in this one that snapped a recent three-game winless run of their own recently with a 2-1 victory on the road against Mallorca last weekend.

The Royals benefitted from an extremely undisciplined performance from Mallorca in that game who totaled up nine yellow cards and two reds also as tempers flared.

However, that likely won’t be Villarreal in this one as despite all of their recent issues in the league, Villarreal have largely been dependable early on in games, losing at the break in just four of their twelve road games this season, a half-time loss rate that actually puts them well inside the top half in the league overall.

That said, Villarreal haven’t won many of those first halves either, sitting with a dismal 16% win rate across both home and away first halves this season, one of the worst win percentages in the entire league.

Real Sociedad are deserved favorites to win this game, but with the Royals only owning a 42% win rate inside the first half at home this season themselves, we’re more than happy to take a piece of the outright draw at half-time in this one at some decent odds.

La Liga Prediction: 1H Draw (+110)

Barcelona vs Getafe | Saturday February 24 | 10:15am ET

Barcelona -255 | Getafe +630 | Draw +410

With three wins from their last four league games overall, Barcelona have managed to shave two points off their deficit to Real Madrid in the race for the LaLiga title this year.

Whether they can continue to close that gap over the remaining portion of the season however remains unclear as Barcelona faces a tough trip over to Italy in midweek to take on Napoli in the Champions League, followed by trips to both Athletic Bilbao and Atletico Madrid in two of their next four domestic league clashes also.

Getafe will be primed to spoil that potential title race renaissance for Barcelona here on Saturday however as they come off an unbeaten run of three straight games in the league themselves, and will look to add to that impressive recent run this weekend also.

And Getafe certainly has the scoring credentials to trouble Barcelona in this one, netting an average of 1.46 GPG on their travels this year, an 11% increase on their home form, and sit as one of only four teams in LaLiga this season to see a higher goal return on the road than they do at home.

Unfortunately for Getafe, Barcelona have also been prolific goal scorers this season, netting an average of 2.08 GPG this year (3rd highest in the league overall), along with an even greater 2.15 GPG at home this season as well.

Both Getafe and Barcelona own a combined 61.5% Both Teams to Score percentage this season when factoring in their home and road form, with three of the last four head-to-heads between the two sides in Barcelona featuring both teams finding the back of the net as well.

Take Both Teams to Score on Saturday in the matchup between Getafe and Barcelona.

La Liga Prediction: Both Teams to Score – Yes (-120)

Real Madrid vs Sevilla | Sunday February 25 | 3:00pm ET

Real Madrid -335 | Sevilla +810 | Draw +500

Real Madrid have experienced somewhat of a hiccup in the league across recent games, winning just one of their last three overall, as they try and balance both domestic and European concerns which will kick off once again for them next week when they host RB Leipzig in the Champions League in what’s set up to be a crucial second leg over in the Spanish capital.

Los Blancos likely won’t be overly concerned by their recent dip in league form however as they still own an impressive six-point cushion over fading Girona, and a full eight points over main title rivals Barcelona as well, but it’s nonetheless a run they’ll want to snap sooner rather than later when they play host to Sevilla at home this weekend.

Sevilla are finally having results go their way, currently on an unbeaten run of four straight games in the league, including winning two of those four games outright as well, and should provide a stiff test for Real Madrid this weekend when they travel over to the Bernabeu.

Given all of their recent issues, laying well over -300 on a Real Madrid victory in this one, especially with a crucial leg two on the horizon against RB Leipzig, hardly appeals here, but one noticeable angle ahead of this game is that Real Madrid have scored exactly two goals in four of their last five matchups when hosting Sevilla at the Bernabeu.

That’s a high strike rate, and one, given the odds, we’re willing to take a shot with this weekend in terms of a team total goals angle.

La Liga Prediction: Real Madrid to Score Exactly 2 Goals (+210)