LaLiga is gearing up for another run with a lot of exciting new additions and returning teams who have an axe to grind on the itch with other teams who are still in the league.
The league that has been dubbed the “most technical” by online fans is now start-studded which means that odds will be lower than normal for the big sides. This also means that handicaps and other betting markets will be opportunities that bettors can tap into as they prepare their 2024/25 season betting strategies.
This Topbets expert LaLiga preview for the 2024/2025 season will delve into key aspects such as expected performances, potential league winners, top-four candidates, relegation battles, individual honours, and managerial outlooks.
Week 4 Review
The week before the first international break of the league season is done and dusted and there is a lot to review.
Kylian Mbappé finally got off the mark for Real Madrid just as Barcelona beat Real Valladolid by a score line that the club’s fans have only seen happen in video games in almost a decade.
The Athletic derby in San Mames ended in favour of the Madrid side while across the rest of the league, it was a story of grit, fighting and of course, red cards.
Here is a review of the best bits of action from matchday 4 of the 2024/25 LaLiga EA Sports season.
Barcelona demolish Valladolid 7-0; Mbappé gets off the mark for Madrid and Girona prove their quality in LaLiga
After the midweek action in matchday 3, Barcelona were given the honours of opening act four of the ongoing league season.
Hansi Flick came into a dire situation with optimism which he developed from studying Barcelona’s key asset – La Masia – for a long time. Where former manager Xavi Hernandez saw trouble, the experienced German saw opportunity.
Fielding a team of five La Masia youngsters – Alejandro Balde, Pau Cubarsí, Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo (brought back after more than a decade away) and Marc Casado – and with a bench that had only three non-La Masia players, the German oversaw a performance that had many managers and pundits talking.
Raphinha scored a hattrick and provided an assist while the league’s top scorer so far, Robert Lewandowski added to his tally and got off the mark in assists. The club’s poster child, Lamine Yamal, also assisted two goals in the game which was a pure whitewashing of the newly-promoted side.
Everything looks good for the Catalan giants who are the only team right now to be 4/4 so far going into the international break.
What followed this one-sided game was a very tough fixture thanks to a rivalry that is centuries old: Athletic Club Bilbao vs Atlético de Madrid. Both sides went at each other in the Basque country but it was the capital club that would break the deadlock in the dying minutes of the game through an Ángel Correa goal.
Back in Madrid, Real Madrid finally celebrated a Kylian Mbappé goal after the Frenchman’s struggles in the first three games of the season. He scored a brace to help Los Blancos down Real Betis in the Santiago Bernabeu and keep Barcelona on their toes.
Elsewhere, Michel is proving that his showing with Girona last season was not a fluke. After initial struggles in the first two games, he has picked up the pace as his newly-formed team continues to gel.
The league is getting hotter and the international break is not a welcome event. However, it gives other managers time to integrate their new transfers and solidify their plans after the initial testing phase of the season.
Results
Here are the results from a thrilling match week!
Table
The fourth game week of the 2024/25 LaLiga EA Sports season ends with the standings looking like this!
Top Scorers
Robert Lewandowski still leads the line having added another goal to his tally to take his total to four goals in four games. His teammate Raphinha’s hattrick means Barcelona occupy the top two spots in the goalscorers chart. They will have to watch their backs though, as Kylian Mbappe is finally off the mark with two goals in Madrid’s latest victory.
What is Expected of LaLiga Teams in 2024/2025?
What is expected of LaLiga teams this upcoming season? Our Topbets experts have reviewed all teams and believe these about the top six favourites:
Athletic Club
Athletic Club gave the big clubs quite a scare but their resurgence saw them finish in fifth at the end of the season.
Our experts believe they will not finish lower than that, especially if they can hold on to Nico Williams while replacing the leadership of Iker Munian effectively.
Atlético de Madrid
All signs point to the upcoming season being Diego Simeone’s swansong Atlético de Madrid. This means the man and his charges will be doing everything they can to usurp the powers that be.
Our experts believe it will end similarly to how it did last season for the team, however.
Barcelona
All eyes will be on Barcelona and Hansi Flick after what can only be described as their betrayal of Xavi.
Our experts agree that their season will be difficult to predict, but also agree that a top two finish is the worst fate that they will suffer after 38 games.
Girona
Girona’s rise has been calculated and our experts see them remaining in the top four conversation in the 2024/25 season and beyond. They have lost winger Savio and club captain Aleix Garcia and could lose Artem Dovbyk to either Arsenal, Atlético or Inter Milan. They will prove an interesting team.
Real Betis
Los Verdblancos are a team that knows how to fight for European spots. They also tend to start brightly but then fall by the wayside as the season progresses. Our experts believe they will remain in the top six race and will once again compete with Real Sociedad for places.
Real Madrid
Real Madrid are the odds-on favourite on various bookmakers to retain their 2023/24 league title but weariness could affect them as the season progresses thanks to the various international continental competitions in 2024. They also have to deal with the unpredictability of Hansi Flick who now manages their rivals.
Real Sociedad
Their round of 16 finish in the 2023/24 UCL after finishing top of their league was a great way to announce themselves as a serious team. Our experts believe that they will challenge for the top four again. Both Athletic Club and Atlético need to be wary of them.
Sevilla
The 2023/24 season is one that many Sevilla fans want to forget. However, they are currently rebuilding and look like they can hit their previous heights. Our experts expect them to be back in the race for the top six and even possibly return to the UEFA Champions League.
Which Team Would Win the 2024/2025 LaLiga Season Title? Outright Tips
Choosing outrights for LaLiga is a lot less difficult than it could be for many other leagues.
Making these predictions normally requires a keen analysis of squad depth, managerial acumen, and fixture difficulty, but Real Madrid, the 2023/24 season champions, and the clear favourites for the 2024/25 title, still have Carlo Ancelotti at the helm.
They have also added two incredible talents in Brazilian striker Endrick and football’s biggest talent since Neymar Junior, Kylian Mbappé. This is in addition to their super team that has brilliant young talents like Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo.
Bettors may choose to consider Barcelona as an option, however, as the Catalans are always a favourite even when they look like they are not. This hedge helps to balance risk and reward.
Who will Win the 2024/2025 LaLiga Season Title?
Real Madrid
You can bet on Real Madrid to win the league on the following bookies:
Soccershop @ 1.44 odds
Bettabets @ 1.55 odds
Which LaLiga Teams Will Qualify for Top Four in the 2024/2025 Season?
Current squad quality, squad depth, managerial strength and new signings are key things to look at before you predict the top four, but here are some insightful picks from our experts:
Real Madrid: They are the outright favourite to win the league.
Barcelona: They have only finished outside the top four in LaLiga once in 20 seasons. The last time they missed out on the top 4 was in the 2002/03 season.
Atlético: They are always favourites for the top four and the addition of defensive reinforcements in Robin Le Normand is enough reason to bank on them for the top four.
Athletic Club: Ernesto Valverde’s experience and their unity as a team is what our experts are hedging this choice on. These factors, in addition to Girona’s dismantling, are why Athletic Club is believed to be stronger candidates for the top four in 2024/25.
You can bet on these Top 4 outrights on the following bookies:
LaLiga Teams Expected to be Relegated Outright Tips
It is a rule of thumb to consider newly-promoted teams first when looking for relegation outright picks. This is because of their longer period of adapting to the top flight after time away.
Leganés, Espanyol and Real Valladolid have been here before but they have always been whipping boys every time they are in the top flight. They still need to demonstrate that they can compete at this level again.
Spreading bets across multiple potential candidates can mitigate risk.
Bet on:
Which Player Would be the EPL 2024/2025 Pichichi Winner?
Artem Dovbyk and Alexander Sørloth went head to head until the last day of the 2023/24 season but they could both be on their way out of their respective clubs (Girona and Villarreal). If they leave, that leaves only Robert Lewandowski as the next best option. If they stay, it will be safest to not bet on either of them as trends have shown that 2023/24 was an anomaly in LaLiga.
However, Kylian Mbappé, the winner of five-straight Golden Boot awards in France, is now joining Madrid and will become a focal point of their attack. This changes things for Barcelona’s Polish striker.
You can bet on Lewandowski to win the Pichichi on the following bookies:
Which Player Would Win the 2024/2025 LaLiga MVP?
Key players like Vinicius Junior, Jude Bellingham and now Kylian Mbappé at Real Madrid, Robert Lewandowski at Barcelona, and Antoine Griezmann at Atlético offer promising bets for the 2024/25 LaLiga MVP. Their influential roles and consistency make them strong contenders. Diversifying bets among these top performers can provide a balanced approach to this market.
You can bet on these players to win the EPL 2024/2025 league’s MVP award on the following bookies:
Who Will be the First LaLiga Manager to be Sacked in 2024/25?
The managerial merry-go-round is always a hot topic, especially in Spain where clubs tend to have three managers in one season. Managers of newly promoted sides are soft targets because of the gulf in quality between their teams and the teams they meet in the top flight. Sevilla’s new manager, García Pimienta, is an early candidate to be sacked especially after the Andalsuians took the risk to appoint him following just one season as a top-flight manager in which he led Las Palmas to finish in 16th place.
You can bet on García Pimienta to be sacked first in the league on the following bookies:
Who Will Win the Best Manager for LaLiga 2024/25?
Carlo Ancelotti’s track record and the potential sentiment of his final season position him as the favourite for the Best Manager award. Hansi Flick, if he can turn the fortunes around at Barcelona, is another strong contender. These bets carry lower risk but also lower odds, so consider combining them with other long-term bets for better returns.
You can bet on either manager to win this award in the league on the following bookies:
Conclusion
The 2024/25 LaLiga EA Sports season is one to look out for especially thanks to the introduction of the new face of football, Kylian Mbappé. Real Madrid’s super team will be under so much spotlight as they attempt to make history again by winning their 37th league title and possibly a 16th UEFA Champions League. Flick at Barcelona will also be interesting to watch, but all eyes will be on Girona to see if Miguel Ángel Sánchez Muñoz, also known as Michel, will be able to consolidate the work he has done so far. All these opportunities offer unique opportunities for fans and bettors.
By analysing team strengths, fixtures, and historical performances, this preview provides a comprehensive guide to navigating the upcoming season’s betting landscape. Whether betting on title favourites, top-four hopefuls, or relegation candidates, the 2024/25 LaLiga season promises a season of twists, turns, and unforgettable moments.
Article Last Updated on 2nd September 2024
Expert in sports content and a lover of football. I’ve written various content, tips, and reviews of various betting platforms. Also, I’m a Chelsea fan who watches and follows many European leagues and equally follows Nigerian & South Africa leagues.
