Barcelona vs Real Madrid

August 11, 2017
By: Milos Markovic

Having the two greatest Spanish sides Barcelona and Real Madrid go head to head in battle traditionally generates plenty of excitements and anticipation and such is the case once again as La Liga fierce rivals square off in the Spanish Super Cup. The first of the two legs is being played at Camp Nou on Sunday and this is our betting tip for the match.

No Neymar, No Problem?

Barcelona have received a hugely unexpected blow this summer. The last thing Catalans needed after a disappointing season during which they suffered disappointments in both La Liga and Champions League was to see one of their key players leave, but that’s exactly what happened. Brazilian superstar Neymar decided to pack his bags and move to Paris Saint Germain where he will pursue his happiness outside Leo Messi’s shadow. Barcelona did pocket staggering 222 million euro in a new world-record transfer deal, but the new manager Ernesto Valverde is left without a major influence in his team. Barcelona are actively searching for a proper replacement and it seems that Ousmane Dembele is the player to fill Neymar’s shoes at Camp Nou. Borussia Dortmund have determined the price for their youngster who has his heart set on a Barcelona move and it seems it is only matter of days before the talented Frenchman moves to Catalunya. In addition, Barcelona will use a portion of Neymar’s transfer money to finance a deal for a midfielder, preferably Liverpool’s Philippe Coutinho who is seen as a perfect successor of Andres Iniesta.

Ernensto Valvrede is hoping at least one of these two names will be at his disposal before the new La Liga season kicks off, but he will be forced to go with his current crop in the first leg of the Spanish Super Cup clash.

Valverde will have no selection worries ahead of this match.

Zinedine Zidane going from strength to strength

Many have been doubtful regarding Real Madrid’s decision to hand an expensive star-studded team to the managerial novice such as Zinedine Zidane, but the French icon proved that he has the potential to be a better manager than he was a footballer. Zidane stabilized the squad, restored team balance and positive spirit but more importantly improved the quality of his team’s play. Real Madrid are now finally playing in their full potential with every single player is the squad at their best. Los Blancos are slowly becoming what Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona was in terms of on-pitch dominance, possession play and fluent style which is both eye-pleasing and effective. Zinedine Zidane’s men are coming off from a highly successful season during which they grabbed the La Liga title and won the Champions League, but their new season also started in success. Real Madrid beat Manchester United in the UEFA Super Cup in Skopje last week, thus successfully launching an assault on the total of six trophies that are theirs for the taking in the forthcoming season. First of those is definitely the Spanish Super Cup against Barcelona. Los Blancos are fighting for more than a piece of silverware, however, as a possible triumph will provide them with an important morale boost and with bragging rights early in the season.

Zinedine Zidane should have a full squad to choose from.

Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo played a minor role in the UEFA Super Cup after joining the team later than others, but he could be given more minutes this time.

Verdict

A highly-competitive match is expected at Camp Nou, which is always the case when these two rivals meet. Barcelona’s team dynamics has been slightly disrupted by Neymar’s departure and although Valverde has plenty of talented players to fill in, we are prone to back Real Madrid here. Goals are another option as we don’t see too many of them at both ends.

Top Pick: Draw No Bet – Real Madrid    2.70 (17/10) @Unibet

Alternative pick 1: Both teams to score – No    2.80 (9/5) @Betfair

Alternative pick 2: Under 2.5 goals    2.90 (19/10) @888sport

We Highly Recommend These Places
Share your Opinion!