Expert Picks From La Liga Play

Stephen Fry gives out his expert selections on two matches from this weekend`s La Liga action.

Villarreal V Barcelona

Last weekend Barca beat fierce rivals Real Madrid 2-0 to remain top of the table and eight points clear of the nearest rivals Valencia.

Whilst Villarreal lost 1-0 away to third placed Sevilla.

Barcelona are yet to lose at home this season and have some outstanding credentials to go with it, scoring 28 goals and only conceding 5, that said their away form is just as impressive scoring a league topping 18 and only letting in 4, their only defeat was on the opening day of the season to Numancia 1-0 (away).

With form like this and the fact that Villarreal are yet to win a match in all competitions in December you really can`t see past betting on the league leaders.

Barcelona rate as a 4/5 shot for the away victory and this is this week`s selection.

Bet Barcelona to beat Villarreal in 90 minutes at 4/5 or better.

Real Madrid V Valencia.

Madrid seem to be in free fall at the moment, injuries galore and some awful results lately, they have lost their last three league matches and all does not appear well in the Madrid camp.

Valencia are also a team that does not appear capeable of stringing a good set of results together, winning last week but getting thimped 4-0 by Barca the week before.

That said I do not think that they are the leagues worst team and I think that they are more than capeable of beating a depleated Madrid team, depandat on the Madrid team selection and the who`s who list of injuries, I would wait until the last minute to make a bet.

Valencia are the choice against a weakend Mardid team, but if Madrid see some light at the end of the tunnel and get some of their stars back, then I would be tempted to bet the draw.

Bet Valencia at 3/1 + if Madrid team news is bad for Mardid, or bet the draw if the Madrid stars start to return at 5/2.

The next round of Spanish League matches is the weekend of the 4th January 2009.

Have a very Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.