Real Madrid, La Liga champions, face Copa del Rey runners-up Mallorca in the Spanish Super Cup semi-final on Thursday, January 9, at the King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Riding a seven-game unbeaten streak, Los Blancos aim to secure their place in the final, while Mallorca hopes to spring an upset in their debut in the tournament’s four-team format.

🤍Real Madrid Seek to Retain Trophy | Home Win = 1.41💵

Real Madrid are in sublime form, unbeaten in their last seven matches across all competitions. A 5-0 Copa del Rey thrashing of Deportiva Minera underscores their offensive firepower.

Carlo Ancelotti’s side boasts an impeccable Supercopa record, winning five of their last six matches in the competition. Luka Modric and Jude Bellingham are pivotal figures, with the latter netting the winner in their recent La Liga victory.

While Vinicius is not expected to suffer his red card suspension in La Liga in this competition, Real Madrid will be without the injured defensive duo of Carvajal and Militao with Alaba back in the squad. Mbappé, the team’s leading scorer, is expected to feature prominently too.

🔴Mallorca Chase History in Debut Semi-Final | Away Win = 7.61💵

Mallorca enters the semi-final after a disappointing 3-0 Copa del Rey loss to Pontevedra, dampening their recent form. However, Jagoba Arrasate’s side has displayed resilience in La Liga, currently sitting sixth.

Mallorca’s attacking duo, Cyle Larin and Vedat Muriqi, will be key to breaking down Real Madrid’s makeshift defence. The underdogs face a daunting task, having managed just one win in their last eight meetings against Real Madrid.

Injuries to key midfielder Samu Costa and fitness concerns for Antonio Raillo further complicate their challenge.

🗝️Key Players🗝️:

Real Madrid’s attack will hinge on Bellingham, Modric, and Mbappé, supported by Valverde’s versatility. Mallorca, meanwhile, relies on Sergi Darder's creative spark and the physical presence of Muriqi.

🔢Match Stats & Betting Odds🔢 | Draw = 5.24💵

⚽Real Madrid have scored 12 goals in their last three Supercopa appearances, demonstrating their attacking depth. Meanwhile, Mallorca have struggled against Real, with just a solitary win over them since February 2023. | Main Market: GG/NG (No) = 1.96

⚽Both teams have scored in six of Real Madrid’s last seven Supercopa games, suggesting a high-scoring encounter could be on the cards. | Main Market: GG/NG (Yes) = 1.82

⚽Mallorca have drawn one (1-1) and won one (1-0) of their last four (4) games against Real Madrid, losing the other two (2) by just one goal (1-0). | Specials Market: Draw/Away & Over 1.5 = 3.65

🔚Conclusion🔚:

With Real Madrid’s offensive form and Mallorca’s defensive vulnerabilities, Los Blancos are poised to progress comfortably to the final, further solidifying their status as Spanish football’s elite.

🔗You can check out the Spanish Super Cup game, Real Madrid vs Mallorca, on MSport.

#SuperCopa #SuperCup #RealmMadrid #Mallorca #Vini #Mbappe #Jude #Rodrygo #Ancelotti

Athletic, the Copa del Rey holders, meet Barcelona, La Liga runners-up, in a thrilling encounter between two top-four La Liga sides this season in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday.

With the Baulgrana club’s recent troubles, one wonders if perhaps this is the competition that would bring some joy to Barcelona and its fans as they try to forget their “Dani Olmo” woes.

Athletic Bilbao Aim to Extend Unbeaten Streak | Win = 4.07

Athletic Bilbao enter the semi-final in fine form, unbeaten in their last six La Liga matches and sitting fourth in the league. Their solid defence, conceding just 17 goals this season, has been key to their success.

Ernesto Valverde’s side has also demonstrated resilience, prevailing in tough matches like the penalty shootout win over Logrones in the Copa del Rey last Saturday.

However, their task on Wednesday won’t be easy, as they come up against a Barcelona side that is on the hunt for some good news and has only once before been beaten by Bilbao in regulation time (2020).

Barcelona Look to Rediscover Form & Joy | Win = 1.87

Barcelona are not seeing a lot of joy on or off the pitch in recent times with no wins in their last three La Liga matches, including damaging defeats to Leganes and Atletico Madrid, and trouble registering their players.

Despite their struggles, they boast the league's strongest attack, netting 51 goals this season. Robert Lewandowski leads the charge with 25 goals in all competitions.

Hansi Flick will look to try and get his Polish striker together with the rest of his team to get a great result against Bilbao in an effort to try and give their fans something to smile about and possibly change all the negative talk about the club in recent weeks.

Key Players & Team News:

Athletic Bilbao may miss Yeray Alvarez, Inigo Ruiz de Galarreta, and Oihan Sancet due to injuries. Barcelona, meanwhile, have fitness concerns over Ferran Torres and may not risk Yamal from the start.

Both managers are expected to rotate their squads, with key players returning after resting in their recent Copa del Rey matches.

Match Stats & Betting Odds | Draw = 4.00

The last two encounters between Bilbao and Barca, with Bilbao as the home team have been close, with a 0-0 draw in March 2024 when they met in Laliga, and a 2-2 draw in January 2024's Copa del Rey, which saw Athletic win in extra time. | Specials Market: Home/Draw & Under 4.5 = 2.12

Barcelona's semi-final pedigree in the Spanish Super Cup gives them confidence, having won their last two semi-final fixtures in this competition. | Specials Market: Away & Over 1.5 = 2.08

You can check out the Spanish Super Cup game, Athletic Bilbao vs Barcelona, on MSport.

#SpanishSuperCup #SuperCopadeEspana #Bilbao #Barca #Lewandoski #Flick #Nico #Williams #Inaki

Two weeks after Liverpool beat Spurs 6-3 in the English Premier League, the two sides met again in a high-stakes EFL Cup semi-final first leg on Wednesday, January 8, at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Both teams come into this having contrasting ambitions, with Spurs desperate for silverware and Liverpool looking to maintain their dominance in this competition.

Tottenham Look For Revenge at Home | Home Win = 4.19

Tottenham’s recent form has been disappointing, with just one point from their last four league matches and a mounting injury crisis.

Despite these struggles, Spurs eliminated both Manchester clubs in earlier rounds, beating United 4-3 and City 2-1 in the EFL Cup showing their potential in high-pressure matches.

Ange Postecoglou’s men must improve defensively however if they have any hopes of exacting their revenge on their Merseyside rivals, having kept just one clean sheet in 11 games.

Liverpool Seek EFL Cup Glory Again | Away Win = 1.65

Liverpool, the reigning EFL Cup champions, enter this clash as favourites. Arne Slot’s side remains unbeaten in 16 away matches and has consistently rotated their squad while maintaining high standards.

Despite conceding twice in a 2-2 draw with Manchester United last weekend, the Reds remain in excellent form.

Hopefully, Arne Slot’s side can put aside the disappointment of missing out on all 3 points against the Red Devils and find a way to repeat their performance against Spurs in the league on Wednesday.

Key Players & Team News:

Tottenham, faces a defensive crisis, with Destiny Udogie, Micky van de Ven, and Cristian Romero side-lined. New signing Antonin Kinsky might feature in goal as Postecoglou struggles to assemble a fit backline.

Liverpool’s squad rotation sees opportunities for Elliott and Quansah. Dominik Szoboszlai’s possible return adds creativity, while Diogo Jota provides a reliable attacking outlet in Salah’s absence.

Match Stats & Betting Odds | Draw = 4.66

Tottenham, who have already eliminated both Manchester United and Manchester City, beat Liverpool 4-2 the last time the two sides faced off in the EFL Cup. | Specials Market: Home/Draw & Over 2.5 = 3.20

Liverpool is unbeaten in their last 16 away games while Spurs’ defensive woes are evident, having conceded six goals to Liverpool in their last meeting (3-6). | Specials Market: Away & Over 2.5 = 1.91

The last five matches between these sides have seen high-scoring encounters, with at least three (3) goals in four (4) of them. | Main Market: Over 2.5 Goals = 1.75

Conclusion:

Tottenham’s injury-hit squad faces an uphill battle against a Liverpool side with depth and momentum.

While Spurs’ home advantage and desperation for a trophy might inspire them, Liverpool’s consistency makes them favourites to take a lead into the second leg at Anfield.

You can check out the EFL Cup game Tottenham vs Liverpool on MSport.

#EFLCup #CarabaoCup #Spurs #Liverpool #Salah #Son #Gakpo #Solanke

La Liga’s relegation-placed Valencia welcomes second-placed Real Madrid to the Estadio de Mestalla on Friday, January 3, for a game that had to be postponed due to the natural disaster the town of Valencia suffered.

The flood-hit town and club would hope to avoid dropping more points, especially against a Real Madrid side they have a complicated relationship with, and, who themselves aim to overtake Atletico Madrid on the table.

🟡Valencia Look to Get Back to Winning✔️ | Home Win = 8.42💵

Valencia enters this game in dire form, sitting 19th with only 12 points. A four-goal thriller against Alaves that ended in a draw saw Valencia sack their manager, Ruben Baraja, who had been in charge for almost a year.

Valencia, whose problems were revealed in how they conceded two late goals in that game, has however been competitive at Mestalla, securing 5 points in recent home matches against higher-ranked opponents.

Key injuries to Jose Gaya and Thierry Correia, along with Pepelu’s suspension, compound their challenges. However, new manager Carlos Corberan will look to striker Hugo Duro and captain Foulquirer to inspire a much-needed turnaround.

🤍Real Madrid Eyes Top Spot 🥇| Away Win = 1.39💵

Real Madrid’s La Liga campaign has been strong, sitting just one point behind leaders Atletico Madrid. Los Blancos’ recent 4-2 win over Sevilla showcased their attacking prowess, with standout performances from Jude Bellingham and Vinícius Jr.

Unbeaten in their last five matches across all competitions, Carlo Ancelotti’s side aims to extend their dominance away from home.

Key absences include Eder Militao and Dani Carvajal due to injuries, but Real Madrid’s depth, highlighted by players like Tchouaméni and Vasquez, who replace the aforementioned two, means they should fare just fine.

🗝️Key Players to Watch👀

For Valencia, Hugo Duro’s work rate and knack for scoring in crucial moments could unsettle Madrid’s backline. For Real Madrid, Bellingham’s midfield dominance and Vinícius Jr.’s flair on the wing will be central to their attacking strategy.

🔢Match Stats & Betting Odds🔢 | Draw = 5.17💵

Valencia has won just two of their last 13 home La Liga fixtures and struggled to keep clean sheets, with both teams scoring in three of their last four matches. | Specials Market: Away & Over 2.5 = 1.98

Real Madrid have defeated Valencia in just 1 of their last 6 away league encounters with the last meeting at Mestalla ending in a 2-2 draw. | Specials Market: Over 2.5 & Yes = 2.43

🔚Conclusion🔚:

This match presents a daunting challenge for Valencia as they aim to escape the relegation zone. Real Madrid, in contrast, has the momentum and quality to capitalize on Valencia’s vulnerabilities and secure a vital win in their title pursuit.

🔗You can follow Valencia vs Real Madrid on MSport here.

#Laliga #RealMadrid #Valencia #ViniJr #Jude #Mbappe #Carlo #HalaMadrid