La Liga: Thursday betting preview, TV details and tips

Real Sociedad v Real Betis

Eleven Sports & Premier Sports, 8.30pm Thursday

Real Sociedad are clear of relegation and unlikely to push for the European places in La Liga but they can open the scoring against Real Betis.

Mikel Oyarzabal, who is the club's top scorer with 11 goals, looks the prime candidate to draw first blood in this contest.

Often deployed on the left of a front three, he has three goals in Real Sociedad's last three matches and can exploit the space left down the flanks by opponents who are likely to line up with a back three.

La Liga standings

Recommendation
M Oyarzabal to score first
1pt 5-1 Betfred

Key stat
Six of Oyarzabal's 11 league strikes this season have come in 2019.

Bet on this game at Soccerbase.com

Leganes v Valladolid

Mid-table Leganes have recovered impressively from a slow start to the campaign and can dispel any lingering relegation fears by defeating struggling Valladolid at Estadio Municipal de Butarque.

Consistent home performances have been key for Leganes, who are on course for the highest top-flight finish in their history (they were 17th in 2016-17 and 2017-18).

This season they have beaten Barcelona 2-1 and drawn 1-1 with Atletico Madrid at their tight stadium and only two visiting teams, Villarreal and Girona, have come away with maximum points.

Mauricio Pellegrino may not be able to call on his top scorer, Moroccan international Youssef En-Nesyri, who returned from international duty with a knee injury.

But Leganes coped well enough without En-Nesyri when winning 2-0 away to highflying Getafe on Saturday.

Solid defence has been a feature of their campaign and they have been especially miserly at home, conceding just 12 goals in 14 matches.

Pellegrini's side have kept clean sheets in four of their last seven home fixtures and have a good chance of containing Valladolid, the lowest scorers in the division.

Valladolid's lack of firepower is a massive handicap. Three players – strikers Enes Unal and Oscar Plano and midfielder Ruben Alcaraz – share top-scorer status with just three goals each.

And their attack is weaker than usual for the trip to Leganes with Unal suspended and wingers Toni Villa and Pablo Hervias out injured.

Valladolid have failed to score in six of their 12 matches this year and are likely to fire more blanks against Leganes, who look worthy favourites.

Recommendation
Leganes
1pt 88-100 Hills

Bet on this game at Soccerbase.com

Sevilla v Alaves

6.30pm

A 4-0 hammering at home to Atletico Madrid was not the preparation Alaves would have wanted for this top-four six-pointer but they can respond by unsettling Sevilla.

Alaves have won their last two away fixtures at Villarreal and Huesca after holding a strong Real Betis side in their most recent trip to Andalusia.

They look overpriced to beat Sevilla, who have looked unconvincing since their Europa League exit, grinding out a 1-0 win at Espanyol and losing at home to Valencia.

Recommendation
Alaves draw no bet
1pt 21-5 Betfair, Paddy Power

Key stat
Alaves have lost only one of their last four meetings with Sevilla.

Bet on this game at Soccerbase.com

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