Real Madrid looking to pile on the title pressure
Relegation battling Osasuna play host to title challenging and reigning champions Real Madrid this Saturday evening, a tough task in their bid to climb out of the bottom three. It has been a bleak campaign so far for Los Rojillos who have only tasted victory thrice, suffering from a bit of second season syndrome after their promotion to the topflight. The narrative has been very negative about Real Madrid this season, and yet having looked pretty ordinary they sit second just two points off of the summit. Their cross city rivals Atletico are top and have two games in hand so the margin may look a little slimmer to the naked eye than it really is. The Galacticos come into this one as strong favourites.
Process
Osasuna were very hard to beat and earnt the respect of La Liga last season, finishing 10th and never flirting with a relegation battle for the entirety of the season. The small margins have gone against them and they find themselves with a mountain to climb this time around. Attacking is their main weakness, scoring just 15 goals from 18.9 expected, ranking 15th for both metrics. Whereas they can be resilient at times, conceding 25 from 25.2 expected goals, which is the 13th best expected goals against record in the division. Combine that process with improved offensive numbers and they will get out of trouble.
Real have the ability to put a run together and steamroll a sub par Spanish top tier this term. The fringe players need to step up to improve their consistency and in Zinedine Zidane they have a gaffer who has proven since becoming a manager that he is just as much of a winner in the dugout as he was on the pitch. They have been far stronger going forward this term, bagging 30 from 33.2 expected, amongst the best two attacking contingents in the division. Whereas they have been lucky and have Thibaut Courtois to thank that they have only let in 15 goals from 21.1 expected, that run will not continue if they allow the same amount of chances to their opposition.
Goals?
Despite some recent potency, there is not a goals angle for me in this fixture. I do not trust the Real backline to keep a clean sheet and neither do I see them trouncing Osasuna. However if they can score early, they certainly have the quality to make this a straightforward win.
- Osasuna have scored in seven of 10.
- Osasuna have conceded in nine of 10.
- Osasuna have seen both teams score in six of 10.
- Osasuna have seen over 2.5 goals in five of 10.
- Real have scored in nine of 10.
- Real have conceded in five of 10.
- Real have seen both teams score in four of 10.
- Real have seen over 2.5 goals in three of 10.
Looking at the data and the raw statistics, this is relegation fodder versus a top side in the league. Use the Asian handicap to find some value.
Post bet chat Marcus's Tips:
Damp squib. 0-0.