La Liga Predictions, Matchday 15

Simon Lewis

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Last updated: 29 minutes ago

Simon Lewis 29 minutes ago

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Girona to keep the upper hand over hosts Elche in a tight draw.
It looks like a low-scoring draw between Valencia and Sevilla.
Lack of goals to punctuate the Espanyol-Rayo Vallecano clash.
Real Madrid to maintain their winning run over Celta Vigo.

Nobel Mendy of Rayo Vallecano celebrates a goal against Valencia (Getty Images).

Elche vs Girona

Four points separate them, with Elche parked in mid-table and Girona starting the round in 18th. Elche are winless in seven La LIga matches, but home draws with Real Madrid, Real Sociedad and Athletico Bilbao show they’re awkward hosts rather than soft touches.

Girona have only one loss in their last five league games, and that included draws with Real Madrid and Betis plus a 1-0 home win over Alavés. They’ve also won their last three matches against Elche with a 6:1 aggregate score. Form leans slightly to Girona, but with Elche’s home stubbornness this feels like a tight flip – I’m looking at a draw or an away win to be on the safe side of the form book.

Valencia vs Sevilla

Two out-of-sorts names meet on Sunday: Sevilla are 13th on 16 points, Valencia 15th on 14 in a jammed lower half of the La Liga table. Valencia come into Sunday’s game with a three-match unbeaten run in La Liga, with a win over Levante and draws with Betis and Rayo. It was just over a month ago that they were smashed 4-0 by Real Madrid and lost 2-0 at home to Villarreal, so the foundations of their defence are still a tad shaky.

Sevilla have lost five of their last six La Liga matches, including defeats to Espanyol, Betis and Atlético in the last month. Right now they aren’t travelling with much conviction. With two of their last three league meetings ending level, neither side is screaming “back me” at the moment, so we could be in for a nervy, low-scoring draw.

Espanyol vs Rayo Vallecano

Espanyol are quietly sitting sixth with 24 points, while Rayo are ninth on 17 – so they are both in the European conversation but with very different momentum driving them. Espanyol have four La Liga wins in their last six matches, with tight victories over Celta and Elche underlining how hard they’ve become to break down.

Rayo’s recent run of form (one win, three draws and a heavy 4–0 loss at Villarreal) includes three blanks in front of goal, despite gritty draws with Real Madrid and Valencia. Espanyol have also won their last three La LIga clashes against Rayo with an 8:2 aggregate score, although their mutual lack of form in front of goal suggests another low-scoring match.

Real Madrid vs Celta Vigo

Real Madrid are second in La Liga, having lost the top spot to Barcelona after a run of three draws on the bounce. They bounced back to winning ways with a 3–0 statement away win at Athletic Bilbao. Star striker Kylian Mbappé has been scoring in almost every match, with 16 goals in 14 La Liga appearances and 55 in the year in all competitive matches. He is chasing Ronaldo’s calendar-year club record, so the front line is in full attack mode.

Celta are 14th in La Liga with a mixed run of three wins and two defeats in their last five games, shipping four at home to Barcelona and losing to Espanyol but nicking away wins at Alavés, Levante and Osasuna. Madrid have won the last 10 La Liga meetings with Celta, who haven’t beaten Real Madrid in any competitive match over their last 19 meetings stretching back to 2017.

Verdict

Spanish La Liga

Elche and Valencia look set to host tough draws, while a lack of goals seems on the cards as Espanyol host Rayo Vallecano. Real Madrid to see off Celta Vigo once again.

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