Osasuna vs Malaga
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Today’s secondary featured game is the Primera Liga game in northern Spain between Osasuna and Malaga.
Pamplona is always one of the hardest places to play football in the Primera Liga – well, if you’re an away side, that is. I wouldn’t say that Osasuna are an attractive side, because they’re not. However, you’d do well to find a side that works as hard as they do and as consistently as they do. They work well as a unit and they do have some flair, to their credit, much as though their critics would love to convince you of it being otherwise.
However, quality-wise, Osasuna are way down the food chain this season. They keep selling players and not replacing them. They’ve been very lucky to have Raul Garcia back for the season because the former Osasuna general always inspires his beloved Osasuna. Whether he’ll stay at Osasuna beyond the end of his loan deal from Atletico Madrid remains to me seen. To be honest, he’s always looked better at Osasuna than he has at Atletico Madrid but we’ll see how that goes. Garcia is definitely the engine of the team but he’s missing today through suspension and to me, that makes Osasuna’s attack much less effective. Consider that Kike Sola and Ibrahima Balde are both out so that leaves Lamah, Lekic, and Nino up front with limited support, especially with long-term absentee Masoud still out. Osasuna’s defence is still as solid as you’d expect but their attack is pretty heavily depleted here, in my view, and I think they’ll struggle to score here as a result. Osasuna never stop working and it’s hard to score against them but where will their goals come from?
Malaga are pretty bad defensively when playing away from home, which is largely due to a lack of composure and a lack of cohesion rather than a lack of quality. Malaga need to improve their away form to become a big side but their quality remains undeniable. Full-back Mathijsen misses out for Malaga today, which is a blow for the visitors. However, Monreal is able to play against his former club and it’ll be interesting to see how he does now he’s back in Navarre.
Malaga have enough quality to keep hold of the ball with the proviso that they work hard enough, though. Toulalan is still out but Duda returns. Caballero is still out but Kameni returns. I’m not a huge fan of Malaga but what the above proves is that Malaga have depth and even the some alterations need to be made on occasion to integrate the players entering the squad, Malaga are gradually becoming a good enough side to allow it to happen seamlessly. This game is important for the visitors with a UEFA Champions League place on the horizon so I expect a composed and focused display from the Andaluscians.
Maybe they’ll get a result; who knows? I’d rarely take an away side to win in Pamplona and I’m not about to change that today. However, the window of opportunity is there for Malaga with Raul Garcia out for the hosts. I’m not convinced that they’re good enough – yet – to do it but they’re good enough to control the game. If they do that, then Malaga should at least earn a draw today. Osasuna are a very hard side to play against and I expect a gritty display from them. A good number of Malaga away games this season wouldn’t have gone over 2.5 goals had Malaga not conceded goals and given that I don’t see them conceding more than once today without horrendous defending, I think that going under 2.5 goals is well worth a bet at evens.
Verdict: Under 2.5 goals at evens.
Monday’s Picks
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 to prevent endless questions about my thoughts on certain games!
Argentinian Primera Division:
Arsenal de Sarandi vs Newell’s Old Boys (6) 1-0
Bulgarian A PFG:
Lokomotiv Plovdiv vs Slavia Sofia (7) 2-1
Kaliakra vs Levski Sofia (7) 0-1
Czech Republic Gambrinus Liga:
Sigma Olomouc vs Bohemians 1905 (8) 2-0
Danish Superligaen:
OB Odense vs AGF Aarhus (6) 1-1
English Championship:
Leicester City vs West Ham United (5) over 2.5 goals
Finnish Veikkausliiga:
HJK Helsinki vs Jaro Pietarsaari (6) 1-0
Norwegian Eliteserien:
Molde FK vs Lillestrom (7) 2-0
Polish Ekstraklasa:
LKS Lodz vs Korona Kielce (5) 1-1
Portuguese Liga Sagres:
Academica de Coimbra vs Olhanense (6) 2-1
Romanian Liga:
FC Brasov vs Universitatea Cluj (6) 1-0
Gaz Metan Medias vs Pandurii Targu Jiu (4) 2-2
Targu Mures vs Sportul Studentesc (6) 1-0
Spanish Primera Liga:
Osasuna vs Malaga (6) 0-0
Swedish Allsvenskan:
BK Hacken Goteborg vs IFK Goteborg (4) 1-2
Malmo FF vs Syrianska Sodertalje (6) 1-0
Orebro vs Elfsborg Boras (7) 1-2
Swedish Superettan:
Landskrona BoIS vs Varberg (7)
Hammarby vs Brommapojkarna (6)
Swiss Challenge League:
Wohlen vs Stade Nyonnais (6)
Enjoy your free betting tips!