Barcelona and Real both targeting wins on the road in La Liga
Published:The absence of Lionel Messi from the Barcelona team travelling to Athletic Bilbao is no doubt a big blow but that should not prevent them from leaving with maximum points.
Barcelona have a more than reasonable record against Bilbao as they have lost only once in the last 19 meetings and they are 8/13 to triumph again this season.
Goals have never been a problem either as they have netted at least once in their last 14 visits to Bilbao, including when winning three of the four showdowns between the pair last season.
Bojan is likely to start in Messi’s place and he netted twice in the most recent victory over Bilbao in April.
He is 11/2 to open the scoring this season, while David Villa is 5/2 to break the deadlock and add to the two La Liga goals he has already scored since moving in the summer from Valencia.
Barcelona’s chief La Liga rivals Real Madrid are also on the road, but should find it much easier to take the three points and remain top of the table with a win at Levante.
Real have scored 18 goals in their six meetings with Levante and have scored at least twice in all of their three away matches.
They are 1/4 to beat Levante in the La Liga betting odds and make it four league victories in a row under Jose Mourinho.
The home side ended a four-game losing streak by beating Almeria in their last game and have previously beaten Real Madrid when winning 1-0 at the Bernabeu in 2007.
Real Madrid have only conceded one La Liga goal this season and will rate keeping a clean sheet as one of their main priorities.
They are 5/6 to win without conceding and 8/13 just to keep a clean sheet.
With Madrid opting to keep things tight, the 11/10 on offer for the game to feature under 2.5 goals may also be tempting.
Barcelona are just favourites at 5/4 to win La Liga this season. See the whole La Liga winners betting market.
