Bullish about Osasuna at the odds in Pamplona

The 33rd round of the Spanish Primera Division kicks off on Friday when Osasuna hosts Valladolid and a bet on the home team represents the best value play of the weekend’s games.

Osasuna beat Valladolid 1-0 in the reverse Spanish Primera Division fixture five months ago and that Osasuna victory, allied to Valladolid’s abysmal away numbers, means that the Pamplona-based team appeals at odds of 2.20 with Bet365 and Coral to complete the divisional double.

The Spanish Primera Division ladder on its own entitles Osasuna to be a shade shorter than those odds and, while Javi Gracia’s side has not set alight the competition this season, it does have a clear edge over Valladolid when one compares the respective home and away results of the teams.

For while Osasuna’s Spanish Primera Division home statistics of five wins, three draws and seven losses are uninspiring, they include a 3-0 victory over championship leader Atletico Madrid and they are a million miles better than Valladolid’s away data of one win, five draws and 10 losses. Only cellar dweller Betis has fared worse on the road than Valladolid, with the latter taking two road points out of a possible 27 since drawing 2-2 at Valencia in the middle of November.

There is a famous betting saying that one should not back bad sides at bad odds. Osasuna is a relatively bad Spanish Primera Division side but it odds are relatively good.

Atletico Madrid is not going to allow Barcelona and Real Madrid stomp all over it in the Spanish Primera Division title race and, having thrashed Getafe five months ago, one would expect Diego Simeone’s team to take maximum points from its second divisional match versus the struggler.

The first Spanish Primera Division game of the term between Atletico Madrid and Getafe ended in a 7-0 win for the men wearing red and white stripes. Getafe did have a man sent just before the half-time interval but Atletico was up 2-0 by that point and, therefore, it is reasonable to suggest that it was on course for a 4-0 or 5-0 victory anyway.

Atletico Madrid has strung together six consecutive Spanish Primera Division wins since drawing 2-2 at home to city rival Real Madrid this time last month. Getafe would kill for one victory let alone half a dozen of them. Getafe has gone eight Spanish Primera Division matches without a win since a late Pedro Leon enabled it to scrape past Levante 1-0 in November. Atletico should be too good for Getafe.

Several bookmakers, including Coral and Ladbrokes, are offering odds of 1.50 that Atletico beats Getafe and ensures that it remains top of the Spanish Primera Division ladder with just five rounds left to play.

Finally, Real Madrid should wipe the floor with Almeria for the second time during the Spanish Primera Division season and odds of 2.00 with Coral and Paddy Power about Carlo Ancelotti’s side seem to be several rolls over the top.

Admittedly, Real Madrid does not have the greatest defence in the Spanish Primera Division but it crushed Almeria 5-0 in the reverse fixture and most of the rematch is likely to be played in one half of the pitch. Almeria has failed to score in four of its last six Spanish Primera Division road games and it has lost seven away assignments on the bounce.

One was expecting to see Real Madrid odds on across the board to beat Almeria to nil so 2.00 is well worth snapping up. Real has won seven of its 15 Spanish Primera Division home matches this term without conceding a goal, including six of its last eight. Real will be odds on by kick off.