La Liga: Real Betis- Getafe

Betis have nothing but pride to play for, Getafe are very motivated and know that a win will earn them another season in La Liga, regardless of what happens elsewhere, as they win the h2h tiebreaker with Sporting Gijon.

The visitors were in tenth place in late January and then went into freefall, taking just two points from 12 starts, a dire run which left them at the foot of the table a month ago. That appears to have been the wake up call they needed and the catalyst for a revival and they are 2-2-0 since and scored twice on the road at both Real Sociedad and Deportivo to record only their second and third road wins of the campaign, but they meet a similar level of opponent today, in what is probably the single biggest game they have played in the last decade +. We have seen similar late season charges from them before, they were bottom 3 with two rounds to go in 2013-14 but took seven points from trips to Barcelona and Vallecano and a home game with Sevilla to finish their season and survive. Betis seem sure to rotate and several starting players did not train yesterday and it is hard to see how they can match the intensity of the visitors.

Top scoring Getafe midfielder Pablo Sarabia spoke about how focused the team were this week and that how, in the last few weeks, there has been a "tranquility" within the squad, he added that: "We know that our goal is the three points and do not care about anything else. "We are convinced that we will win on Sunday, and we will leave this club where it deserves, in the First Division. "We'll go from minute one for victory with maximum intensity. "

Both Sporting Gijon and Rayo Vallecano can still catch Getafe, each have very win-able home games and it is difficult to see any way that Getafe can survive without taking maximum points here. The visitors have taken a leaf out of Granada's book from their trip to play the other Seville team last week (see preview below) and have arranged for as many of their supporters as possible to travel to this game and no, or little cost, feeling that any edge they can get, might be decisive. Granada won that 4-1 and you have to feel that Getafe would like the safeguard of that second goal and given how this is likely to playout , it doesn't make the handicap start look quite so daunting.

1.5 units Getafe -0.75 ball 2.20 asian line/Sportmarket.
 

Good Luck.

La Liga:  (written May 8th)

Las Palmas- Athletic Bilbao

Sevilla- Granada

We discussed two of these teams last weekend when Granada hosted Las Palmas ............
 

The vistors do tend to raise their game for the more high profile games and they have lost all five previous away starts against bottom six teams with a 13-3 goal difference. Granada to win similarly and look for that two goal cushion and safety margin. The absence of home central defender Jean-Sylvain Babin is not ideal, but they beat Sevilla here in his absence. Granada are trying everything possible to get an edge for this game and there will be a two hour "party" inside and outside the stadium before kick off to get supporters, who were very influential in the big win over Levante, in the right mood.