Getafe vs. Villarreal (Sunday, 1.00pm)
![Villarreal manager Marcelino Garcia Toral during the pre-season friendly match at the City Ground, Nottingham on August 2, 2024 [on August 5, 2024]](https://sm.imgix.net/24/32/marcelino-garcia-toral.jpg?w=640&h=480&auto=compress,format&fit=clip "Villarreal manager Marcelino Garcia Toral during the pre-season friendly match at the City Ground, Nottingham on August 2, 2024 [on August 5, 2024]")
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Top-four hopefuls Villarreal will be aiming to bounce back from successive defeats when they resume their La Liga campaign against Getafe on Sunday afternoon.
The visitors are fifth in the La Liga table, now eight points behind fourth-placed Athletic Bilbao with a game in hand, while Getafe, who have been victorious in their last two league fixtures, are 11th.
We say: Getafe 1-1 Villarreal
Villarreal desperately need a win to boost their Champions League hopes, but Getafe are a tough side to overcome - the last two league meetings between the two sides have finished 1-1, and we are predicting the same scoreline on Sunday afternoon.
> La Liga preview: Getafe vs Villarreal
Barcelona vs. Girona (Sunday, 3.15pm)
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Barcelona will be bidding to continue their excellent form when they welcome Catalan rivals Girona to Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys on Sunday afternoon.
Blaugrana beat Osasuna 3-0 on Thursday night to move three points clear of second-placed Real Madrid at the top of the La Liga table, while Girona occupy 13th spot, boasting 34 points from their 28 league matches.
We say: Barcelona 3-1 Girona
Barcelona have scored 78 times in 28 league matches this season, and we are finding it so difficult to back against them here; Girona will certainly be the fresher of the two teams, but we are struggling to imagine a scenario which does not involve Flick's side picking up all three points in routine fashion.
> La Liga preview: Barcelona vs Girona
> Raphinha, Cubarsi decisions made: How Barca could line up against Girona
> Cubarsi, Olmo updates: Barcelona injury, suspension news vs. Girona
Athletic Bilbao vs. Osasuna (Sunday, 5.30pm)
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Athletic Bilbao will be bidding to make it successive victories in La Liga when they continue their campaign with a home fixture against Osasuna on Sunday evening.
Ernesto Valverde's side are fourth in the La Liga table, eight points ahead of fifth-placed Villarreal, while Osasuna sit 14th, only six points above the relegation zone heading towards the final straight.
We say: Athletic Bilbao 2-0 Osasuna
Osasuna are a lot better than they have shown in recent weeks, but it is very difficult to back them to pick up a positive result against a strong Athletic side this weekend; in truth, we are expecting a routine home success at San Mames.
> La Liga preview: Athletic Bilbao vs Osasuna
Valencia vs. Mallorca (Sunday, 5.30pm)
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European hopefuls Mallorca will be bidding to stretch their unbeaten run of form to seven matches when they resume their La Liga campaign with a contest against relegation-threatened Valencia on Sunday evening.
Mallorca are currently seventh in the La Liga table, four points behind fifth-placed Villarreal, while Valencia are 16th, one point outside the relegation zone entering the final stages of the campaign.
We say: Valencia 0-0 Mallorca
Two five-man defences are expected to take to the field this weekend, so we are not predicting a high-scoring classic here; it was 0-0 when the pair locked horns at Mestalla last season, and we are backing the same scoreline to occur on Sunday.
> La Liga preview: Valencia vs Mallorca
Betis vs. Sevilla (Sunday, 8.00pm)
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The latest instalment of the Seville derby will take place at Estadio Benito Villamarin on Sunday evening, with Real Betis welcoming Sevilla for what is shaping up to be a blockbuster contest.
Real Betis are in excellent form, posting five straight league wins to rise into sixth spot in the La Liga table, while Sevilla have only been beaten in one of their last five top-flight fixtures.
We say: Real Betis 2-1 Sevilla
Real Betis are winless in their last 12 La Liga matches with Sevilla, but we are expecting that run to come to an end this weekend; Pellegrini's side are in terrific form, and we are backing them to continue their European charge with another victory here.
