Barcelona to make it 8 straight wins as they host Celta Vigo
Barcelona will be bidding to make it eight straight wins in Spain’s top flight when they continue their campaign at home to Celta Vigo today.
Hansi Flick‘s side are currently top of the La Liga table, nine points ahead of second-placed Real Madrid, while Celta are sixth, two points clear of seventh-placed Real Sociedad.
Barcelona have been comfortably the best team in Spain’s top flight this season, picking up 79 points from 31 matches courtesy of a record of 26 wins, one draw and four defeats.
Barcelona are bidding to make it eight straight wins in Spain’s top flight, with their last league fixture ending in a 4-1 success over Espanyol in the Catalan derby on April 11.
Flick’s team were knocked out by Atletico Madrid in the quarter-finals of the Champions League, though, and it is expected to be a busy summer transfer window for the Catalan outfit, with a new centre-back and starting centre-forward likely to arrive.
Barcelona’s last two fixtures with Celta have been thrilling affairs, with the Catalan outfit winning 4-3 at home in the corresponding match last season and 4-2 in Vigo in the reverse game earlier this term.
Celta also suffered disappointment in the quarter-finals of the Europa League, losing 6-1 on aggregate to German outfit Freiburg, so La Liga is the team’s sole focus at this stage of the campaign.
The Sky Blues are currently in sixth, which as it stands, would see them qualify for next season’s Conference League, but they are only two points behind fifth-placed Real Betis.
Celta are capable of making this a tricky match for Barcelona, and we are expecting it to be close in terms of the scoreline, especially considering Celta’s away record, but the hosts should be able to get the job done to take another huge step towards winning the La Liga title.
Credit: sportsmole.co.uk
Man Cityto go top of the League log if they beat Burnley
Manchester City could climb to the top of the Premier League table and relegate Burnley in the process if they claim maximum points at Turf Moor on Wednesday night.
The Citizens, fresh from their vital victory over leaders Arsenal, eased to a 5-1 win in the reverse fixture against the Clarets at the Etihad Stadium, courtesy of a brace from Erling Haaland and two own goals from Maxime Esteve.
Four weeks on from their EFL Cup final triumph over Arsenal at Wembley, Man City seized control of the Premier League title race with a massive 2-1 victory against the Gunners in an epic Etihad encounter, courtesy of goals from Rayan Cherki and Haaland.
At full time, Citizens supporters wasted no time in unveiling a banner, mocking Arsenal’s perceived lack of bottle following a run of four straight domestic defeats.
Currently three points behind Arsenal with a game in hand, Man City travel to Turf Moor having accumulated more away points than any other Premier League team since the start of December, with their only defeat during this run suffered against rivals Man United at Old Trafford in January.
The Citizens also have an exceptional record against Burnley, winning 14 of their last 15 Premier League meetings by an aggregate score of 45-6 since losing 1-0 at Turf Moor in March 2015.
Considering the gulf in class between these two teams, their contrasting runs of form and their head-to-head record in recent seasons, it is difficult to look beyond a comfortable Man City victory here.
Credit: sportsmole.co.uk
Atletico Madridto avoid a 4th straight defeat away to Elche
Atletico Madrid will be aiming to avoid a fourth straight defeat in Spain’s top flight when they continue their league season against Elche on Wednesday evening.
Diego Simeone‘s side are currently fourth in the La Liga table, 11 points ahead of fifth-placed Real Betis, while Elche are 18th, one point behind 17th-placed Alaves.
Elche have a record of seven wins, 11 draws and 13 defeats from their 31 league matches this season, with 32 points leaving them in 18th spot in the table, one point behind 17th-placed Alaves.
Incredibly, Elche actually have the sixth-best home record in La Liga this season, picking up 28 points from 16 matches, suffering just two defeats in the process.
Atletico will enter this match off the back of a penalty-shootout defeat to Real Sociedad in the Copa del Rey final.
Simeone’s side are through to the semi-finals of the Champions League, with Arsenal their opponents in the final four, but they have incredibly lost six of their last seven matches in all competitions, including their last three in La Liga.
Atletico’s domestic form is incredibly poor, and they will be taking on an Elche team that have been largely excellent at home this season, so we are struggling to predict an away win and have instead settled on a low-scoring draw.
Credit: sportsmole.co.uk
High-flying Bournemouth welcome Leeds United
High-flying Bournemouth will endeavour to climb into the top seven of the Premier League table when they welcome survival hopefuls Leeds United to the Vitality Stadium on Wednesday night.
A week after deservedly beating leaders Arsenal at the Emirates, Andoni Iraola began his farewell tour as Bournemouth head coach with another 2-1 away victory on Saturday, this time against an out-of-form Newcastle United outfit.
At a time when Bournemouth are keen to give Iraola a fitting send-off by securing European qualification for the first time in their history, the club have already confirmed his successor, with former RB Leipzig boss Marco Rose appointed on a three-year contract starting in the summer.
April has been a hugely positive month for Leeds United, following up progression to the FA Cup semi-finals (beating West Ham on penalties) with back-to-back Premier League victories over Man United and Wolves to boost their survival hopes.
The Whites are unbeaten in eight away games in all competitions (W2 D6), but they travel to the Vitality Stadium this week since suffering a 4-1 defeat to Bournemouth in their only previous Premier League visit in April 2023 under former boss Javi Gracia.
Both Bournemouth and Leeds have scored at least two goals in each of their last three matches, and an entertaining contest between two in-form sides could be in store.
Credit: sportsmole.co.uk
Premier League Fixtures
Bournemouth 20:00 Leeds United
La LigaFixtures
