Betting tips / Paul Bugeja / 05 May 2012 / Leave a comment Bet Now

Tobias Gourlay believes Real, and especially their star man, will remain fully motivated against Granada in their La Liga match this weekend, even if they are the champions.

Granada v Real Madrid
Granada 9.0, Real 1.4, draw 5.5

Real Madrid are champions of Spain for the thirty-second time. This column is very pleased for them, if only because it backed them to do it at the beginning of the season.

Jose Mourinho is king of Spain for the first time and he'll be very pleased with that, but now he wants Cristiano Ronaldo as his prince. Despite beating Messi 1-0 in the most recent clasico, the Portuguese forward has fallen 46-44 behind in the race to be La Liga's top-scorer.

Mesut Ozil and Fabio Coentrao are suspended, but Mourinho will likely name a strong team in support of his main man. There is another motivation too: if Real win both of their remaining games, they will finish the season with 100 points.

Granada could use another point or two, just to make sure of their place in the top flight next season. What they take from this match is not really up to them, however.

Ronaldo has scored in each of Real's last seven away games in the league and in 17/21 anywhere. Anything beyond 1.5 To Score and he's the bet of the week.

Recommended Bet: Back Cristiano Ronaldo To Score @ 1.55


Barcelona v Espanyol
Barcelona 1.14, Espanyol 26.0, draw 10.0

Barcelona have more to think about than Real Madrid: at the end of the month, they will play the Copa del Rey final against Athletic Bilbao. It's a chance for Pep Guardiola to nab a fourteenth trophy before leaving town and there's no doubt he has his eyes on the prize. Barca scored 11 goals in beating Champions League-chasing Malaga and relegation-threatened Rayo Vallecano in the last week or so.

Espanyol won this fixture in Guardiola's first season in charge of Barcelona. In his final season - for the moment - Catalonia's underdogs have little to play for and it seems unlikely they'll repeat the feat.

The Parakeets have comfortably lost each of their last five away games against the Big Two, falling behind before half-time in all of them. Defeat in el clasico aside, Barca have won their most recent 12 home matches by half-time. The double result is only 1.44, however.

Jose Pinto, the reserve keeper who plays in Barca's Copa del Rey, will replace Victor Valdes in this match too and it's worth thinking about Both Teams to Score at 2.2. It's paid out in six of Barca's most recent eight wins at the Camp Nou.

As with Real, the team will be making a special effort for their star man. Ronaldo's likely to score at least once on Saturday, so Lionel Messi will recognise he needs to do the same if he's to retain his lead at the top of the scoring charts.

The Argentinean's scoring pattern is more up and down than his rival's. He's scored nine hat-tricks this season in all competitions, but went on a three-game goalless streak a couple of weeks ago. His confidence is perhaps more shakeable than Ronaldo's, but, if he takes a chance early in a game, his once-in-a-generation talent helps him take another one soon afterwards.

Messi has scored twice or more in seven of his last 13 outings, which suggests he should not be odds-against to bag a brace or better this weekend.

Recommended Bet: Back Lionel Messi To Score 2 Or More @ 2.3</a>


Atletico Madrid v Malaga
Atletico 2.14, Malaga 3.85, draw 3.6

There's lots to play for at the Vicente Calderon. Sixth-placed Atletico are five points behind Malaga, who occupy La Liga's final Champions League spot.

Atletico have the Europa League final to think about - it's coming up on Wednesday night - but whoever Diego Simeone picks for this match they will play under instruction to go all out for the win that would keep their Champions League hopes alive.

Both teams have scored in five of Atletico's last seven home games. The same's happened in ten of Malaga's last 12 on the road. The visitors' weak defence precludes them from doing anything than going toe to toe with their hosts.

Recommended Bet: Back Both Teams to Score @ 1.65