Thursday night sees the return of league action to our TV screens. In La Liga, Barcelona play their game-in-hand against Osasuna and can take a three-point league over Real Madrid in the title race.
In England’s League One, Leyton Orient host Stevenage at Brisbane Road, and they’ll both be confident of taking the three points on offer.
Our football tipster, Paddy Murphy, has dived into the stats to find four value picks.
Thursday’s Multi-Match Bet Builder tips
*Both games kickoff at 8pm
8pm Barcelona v Osasuna
Both teams to score, yes
Lamine Yamal to score or assist
Ante Budimir to have 2+ shots on target
8pm Leyton Orient v Stevenage
Both teams to score, yes
- A Multi-Match Bet Builder with these bets pays at approximately 10/1 with Paddy Power. CLICK HERE TO ADD IT TO YOUR BETSLIP.
Barcelona v Osasuna
La Liga match at Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, Barcelona
TV: Premier Sports, LaLigaTV, 8pm
First of all, let’s address the controversy surrounding this match. Barcelona’s two South American players, Ronald Araujo and Raphinha, are both due to line out for Uruguay and Brazil on Tuesday night at 8pm and 12am, respectively. They’ll be picked up, bundled onto a private jet, and flown back to Barcelona in time for this match.
Which is bonkers. Add into the mix the obvious fact that a fair chunk of Barcelona’s players have been playing for their countries up to Monday night, while for Osasuna, only their Croatian striker, Ante Budimir, was in action over the international break.
This is all to say that most of Barca’s players have travelled to and from games with their national teams and will have picked up wee knocks, as well as the inconveniences that are long flights, hotel beds, and whatnot, while Osasuna have had a full 10 days to prepare. Right, that’s out of the way; let’s get to the picks.
Both teams to score, yes
The away side were 4-2 winners in the reverse fixture back in late September, but they’ve only won twice as the away side when visiting the Catalans over the last 17 years, meeting 15 times in all competitions.
Vicente Moreno’s side have scored in all but two of their last 10 games and three over their last five away matches in La Liga.
Yes, Barcelona, of course, have one of the best home defensive records with just nine goals conceded in Spain’s top tier, but you can’t help but think their players are going to be a bit weary after their international excursions.
The Catalans should be scoring, though; they’ve netted 14 goals over their last five home league games and 16 over their last five in all competitions.
Lamine Yamal to score or assist
It’s hard to see Robert Lewandoski starting here. He played in both games for Poland over the break, scoring against Lithuania and coming on for the last half 30 minutes against Malta when the Poles were already 2-0 up. He’s at the ripe age of 36 now, and Barcelona have the second leg of their Copa del Rey semifinal against Atletico Madrid next week.
We reckon Lamine Yamal should start, though; he scored in Spain’s Nations League second-leg match against the Netherlands and has two over his last three for his club side as well.
He’s miles ahead of the rest of the Barca squad when it comes to assists, with 11 for the season in La Liga, so we’re happy to take him to score or create here.
Ante Budimir to have 2+ shots on target
Without the heroics of the aforementioned Ante Budmiir this season, Osasuna would be far lower down the La Liga standings. He’s scored 15 times this season in the league, scored three in four in the Copa del Rey, too, and scored for Croatia in their 2-0 home win over France in the first leg of their recent Nations League clash.
The Barca defence will surely tire over the 90 minutes here; most of them will start the game tired, so Budimir should have plenty of opportunities, particularly as he’s been averaging 2.5 shots per game this season.
Leyton Orient v Stevenage
League One match at Brisbane Road, London
TV: Sky Sports Football, 8pm
Both teams to score, yes
Have Leyton Orient stopped the rot? The hosts had endured a slog of five losses on the trot before beating Blackpool 1-2 in their last game, thanks to a brace from Charlie Kelman.
Their home form is a wee bit better, winning two and losing three over their last five, scoring eight and conceding seven.
Stevenage have won one, drawn two, and lost two over their last five League One games, while on the road have won two, drawn one, and lost two, scoring five and conceding six.
Granted, the hosts have the better goal-scoring record when we compare the home/away form, but we just can’t trust the hosts to take the win here, and seeing the odds for both teams to rattle the onion bag being priced pretty generously, we have to have a nibble on that thanks very much, Paddy.
Thursday’s betting tips
Barcelona v Osasuna
Both teams to score, yes
Lamine Yamal to score or assist
Ante Budimir to have 2+ shots on target
Leyton Orient v Stevenage
Both teams to score, yes
- A Multi-Match Bet Builder with these bets pays at approximately 10/1 with Paddy Power. CLICK HERE TO ADD IT TO YOUR BETSLIP.
*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
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