Barcelona v Real Madrid, La Liga, Sun 25 Oct, 8pm
It’s the first El Clasico of the season, with the current league-leaders, Barcelona, at home. Real Madrid are six points behind them in third place, so plenty is resting on this match.
Barca’s perfect record this season was ended by PSG in Paris on Wednesday in the Champions League, the home side winning 4-2 in an entertaining match. Barca have now failed to keep a clean sheet in their last 18 UCL matches. In the league this season they have kept just one clean sheet in their last eight games, but have won all nine of their games, scoring 39 goals and conceding 9.
Real Madrid have seven wins and two defeats in the league, scoring 23 and conceding nine. Kylian Mbappe has scored three goals in his last four league appearances. For Barca, Raphinha has six in their last four games, Gabriel Jesus has three, and Lamine Yamal has two (plus a missed a penalty) along with six assists.
Barca’s head coach Hansi Flick has now been involved in six El Clasicos since his appointment in 2024 and has lost just one, which came in Madrid.
Goals can be expected on Sunday, with a Barcelona win the most likely outcome too, in my view.
Selections:
Barcelona to win (64/100)
Barcelona to win and over 2.5 goals (4/5)
Barcelona v Real Madrid markets
Hull City v Brentford, Premier League, Sun 25 Oct, 2pm
After keeping three clean sheets in their first four games this season, Hull have now conceded in each of their last five games, although they have yet to concede more than two.
Brentford – The Bees lost for the first time in the league this season when Liverpool beat them 2-1 last weekend. To add insult to injury, they were at home, had led 1-0, and also had two players sent off.
However, they can get back to winning ways against a Hull side that has performed with great credit this season but, worryingly, has registered only 15 shots on target in their last five matches. Brentford have kept just two clean sheets this season from nine games but, as mentioned earlier, have lost just once (v Liverpool). They will be itching to get back to winning ways.
Brentford can control the fixture and win, with under 2.5 goals favoured.
Selection:
Brentford to win (7/10)
Man Utd v Bournemouth, Premier League, Sun 25 Oct, 4.30pm
This fixture finished 4-4 last season and Bournemouth have now scored eleven goals on their last four trips to Old Trafford.
Evanilson has scored one goal from two starts in those matches, and is suggested as an anytime scorer in the game.
Man Utd have suffered their worst league start since 1986 and will be licking their wounds following a midweek 4-1 thumping by Como in the Champions League. All is not well at the club and the head coach Michael Carrick is coming under increasing pressure. Will the team be able to turn the current trajectory around on Sunday? Their character will be put to the test.
These sides have met since 26 times in all comps since 1949 and there has never been a 0-0 score.
In 22 of the games at least two goals have been scored, and in 16 of them, over 2.5 goals have been scored, including in nine of the last twelve.
Man Utd have kept just one clean sheet this season, against Champions League minnows Saba.
I like the look of goals, with Evanilson to be included among their number, and over 2.5 goals, in general.
Selections:
Evanilson – We have an online boost of Evanilson to score or assist a goal in the game (9/5)
Over 2.5 goals in the game looks solid to at 8/13
TREBLE
The Barcelona to win (64/100), Hull to win (7/10), and Evanilson (anytime scorer, 9/4) treble comes in at 8/1
**All prices correct as at 15:00 on Sat 24 Oct.
