Valladolid v Barcelona Betting Tips [11 July 2020]

Barcelona will look to keep up the pressure on La Liga leaders Real Madrid when they travel to Real Valladolid. The hosts are 14th in the standings with 39 points and are almost guaranteed safety. The visitors are one point behind Madrid, having played a game extra at the time of writing this article.

Valladolid were beaten 2-1 by Valencia in their last game with the winning goal coming in the 89th minute. That loss was Valladolid’s first reverse in five league matches, a run that saw them win one and draw three. Importantly, Valladolid have kept top-four chasing sides Sevilla and Getafe to a draw during this sequence. The hosts remain one of the low-scoring sides of the division with just 29 goals to their credit, which is the third-lowest tally. However, they have the seventh-best defensive record with only 39 goals conceded. Unsurprisingly, 25 of their 35 La Liga matches have returned under 2.5 goals which is in play here.

Barcelona limped to a 1-0 derby win over Espanyol in their last match to keep their slim title hopes alive. Although Madrid are in the driver’s seat one point ahead and a game in hand, Barcelona are desperate to stay in the title hunt. However, their performance against Espanyol which saw Ansu Fati receive a straight red card was not satisfactory at all. Furthermore, Barca have dropped points in three of their last six matches – drawing all those three – which literally killed their title chances. Making things worse is their away form that has landed only 26 of their 76 points. Barcelona have won only three of their last nine La Liga away matches, drawing four and losing two.

Real Valladolid have been the draw kings of La Liga, drawing 15 of their 35 matches so far. Playing at home, they have drawn ten of their 17 matches, although the tally of 22 is the third-worst on home table. What remains common, though, is the string of low-scoring matches involving Valladolid. Barcelona have struggled for control in their match against Espanyol and have also had troubles in away matches recently. In their last nine La Liga away matches, Barcelona drew four times that included draws at Espanyol and Celta Vigo and losses at Madrid and Valencia. There is enough incentive for the visitors to go for a win, but at the same time we are backing the hosts to make it tough for them. Under 2.5 goals pick is very lucrative to back for this contest and for risk-takers, backing the combo of Barcelona win with under 2.5 goals is also enticing.