Leganes CF vs Real Madrid
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Today’s free tip is in the Primera Liga do-or-die match between Leganes CF and Real Madrid. The capital club won the title last time out but still have a huge role to play in deciding whether it’s Leganes CF or Celta de Vigo that join RCD Espanyol and Real Mallorca in the Segunda Division next season. Due to Celta de Vigo’s edge on the head-to-head front, only a win will actually help Leganes CF here whilst they need a favour in Catalona from relegated RCD Espanyol. RCD Espanyol may do it, too – Celta de Vigo have some significant absentees for that match. The focus is most definitely on Leganes CF vs Real Madrid, though. Leganes CF failing to win this match would make the other redundant.
Where this game gets especially juicy is in the tactics. Leganes CF have only picked up points this season by being smarter tactically superior than their opponents. On paper, they lack the quality to win games that they’re not in control of. Tonight, they’re going to have to outsmart and outscore a Real Madrid team, which is a big ask, even if their opponents do take their foot off the gas. I don’t think this is a particularly good Real Madrid team but there’s just something about Zidane, you know? I don’t even think he’s a particularly good manager but the combination of him and Real Madrid simply works. I don’t know what he says in his team talks, but it works every single time. Real Madrid are incredibly mature and efficient whilst he’s in charge, and that’s despite possessing a number of crackpot defenders. It’s like he’s their saviour or something.
Anyway, that’s what Leganes CF are up against here – a superior team who act upon their manager’s wishes at his wish. Fortunately, Leganes CF are in marvellous form, and they look extremely motivated too. What looked like an impossible job when Braithwaite left now looks remarkably possible. They’re not nearly good enough in front of goal for me to trust them to get something here, but the fact that I am not prepared to bet against them when I can get 13/10 on a Real Madrid victory tells you how impressive they’ve been lately. I really don’t see an easy game looming for the newly-crowned champions.
The problem is, though, that Leganes CF are going to have to abandon their defensive stance at some stage in this game. Knowing them, I doubt it’ll be until the second-half as to not put themselves out of sight before they even get there. This may well prove to be a good one to bet on in-play because the moment Legnaes CF do push out, they’re going to be open to a lot of counters from one of Spain’s fastest attacks. Unless Real Madrid feel particularly charitable toward their neighbours (which has happened in the past, as it goes) then Leganes CF will concede here, meaning they’d need to leave the game with at least two goals scored. That looks beyond them, but then again, so do a lot of the results they’ve already picked up so I’m not going to write them off here. Desperate teams sometimes find new levels to go to, and Leganes CF are definitely there right now.
Leganes CF might be fortunate enough to face either a rotated Real Madrid, or even a Real Madrid team that has yet to stop celebrating their title win. You’ve all seen what winning the title has done for Liverpool lately; they’ve been a joke since they won it. Maybe Real Madrid will be in a similar position here. I firmly believe it’s only Zidane that keeps these loonies together, and if he lets his guard down even a tad, Leganes CF might just surprise them here. It’ll be interesting to find out.
Real Madrid are obviously the better team though, and they’re laden with serial winners. The finishing of Benzema, the speedy, skilful support, and the magnificent passers in the middle of the park ensure that Real Madrid are a threat even in games they’re not playing well in. They don’t often have the luxury of actually being attacked, but that’s likely to happen at some point in this game, and I don’t expect them to miss such an opportunity to inflict damage. Whether their motives are clean or not, they should make this game interesting. I suspect they’d want to help their small neighbours out here but they’re not the type to simply throw matches, so my estimation is that they’ll simply make the game more open and entertaining instead to see where it leads.
Whichever team leaves the happier here, I expect to see goals. I can’t see Real Madrid leaving this derby without scoring, and that means Leganes CF need to do enough to score twice so as long the visitors do their bit, there’ll always be scope for goals via one medium or another. Therefore, I’m going to chance my arm on over 2.5 goals at 4/5.
Verdict: Over 2.5 goals at 4/5.
Sunday’s Thoughts
As ever, if there are any explanations required then please feel free to post a comment! For the remainder of my thoughts on today’s games, see below, although I feel compelled to write that the below are not necessarily my tips but merely my thoughts. For confidence ratings, you’ll need to go to the members section here.
Australian A-League:
Brisbane Roar vs Adelaide United
Bulgarian A PFG:
Slavia Sofia vs Botev Plovdiv
Croatian Prva Liga:
Lokomotiva Zagreb vs Gorica
Hajduk Split vs Rijeka
Danish Superligaen:
Brondby vs Aalborg BK
FC Copenhagen vs AGF
OB vs Randers
English Premier League:
Bournemouth vs Southampton
Tottenham Hotspur vs Leicester City
English FA Cup:
Manchester United vs Chelsea
Finnish Ykkonen:
MP vs Kajaani
Gnistan vs KTP
Icelandic Urvalsdeild:
Fylkir Reykjavik vs KR
Vikingur Reykjavik vs IA
Breidablik Kopavogur vs Valur Reykjavik
Italian Serie A:
Parma vs Sampdoria
Genoa vs Lecce
Brescia vs SPAL
ACF Fiorentina vs Torino
SSC Napoli vs Udinese
AS Roma vs Internazionale
Lithuanian A Lyga:
Panevezys vs Zalgiris Vilnius
Banga Gargzdai vs Suduva Marijampole
Norwegian Eliteserien:
Rosenborg BK vs Sandefjord
Kristiansund vs Valerenga Oslo
Stromsgodset vs Molde FK
Sarpsborg 08 vs Odd
Aalesund FK vs Stabaek
Brann Bergen vs Start Kristiansand
Portuguese Liga 1:
Belenenses vs Gil Vicente
Vitoria Guimaraes vs Maritimo Funchal
Russian Premier League:
FK Krasnodar vs Dinamo Moscow
Spanish Primera Liga:
Deportivo Alaves vs Barcelona CF
Atletico Madrid vs Real Sociedad
Granada CF vs Athletic Club (
RCD Espanyol vs Celta de Vigo
Leganes CF vs Real Madrid
CA Osasuna vs Real Mallorca
Levante CF vs Getafe
Sevilla CF vs Valencia CF
Villarreal CF vs Eibar
Real Valladolid vs Real Betis Balompie
Swedish Allsvenskan:
Sirius vs IFK Norrkoping
Malmo FF vs Kalmar FF
Varberg vs AIK Solna
Elfsborg Boras vs Djurgarden
Falkenberg vs Helsingborg
Ostersunds FK vs BK Hacken Goteborg
Swiss Super League:
Luzern vs Neuchatel Xamax
Servette vs FC Basel
FC Sion vs Lugano
FC Thun vs St. Gallen
Turkish Super Lig:
Rizespor vs Yeni Malatyaspor
Ankaragucu vs Antalyaspor
Trabzonspor vs Konyaspor
Sivasspor vs Genclerbirligi
Istanbul BB vs Kayserispor
Besiktas JK vs Fenerbahce
Alanyaspor vs Denizlispor
Enjoy your free betting tips!