To help commence La Liga’s 2022 season, Barcelona hosts Rayo Vallecano at Camp Nou Saturday. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. ET (ABC/ESPN+). Below, we preview the Barcelona vs. Rayo Vallecano odds and lines, and make our best La Liga bets, picks and predictions.
In a midst of turmoil right now, Barcelona will still enter the new season with one of the league’s most talented rosters. Barcelona finished 2nd last season, 13 points behind Real Madrid.
Barcelona was one of 4 teams to hit the 70-point mark. F Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang joined Barcelona in the middle of last season and Polish superstar F Robert Lewandowski was added this past offseason.
Rayo Vallecano finished in 12th place last season, scoring 39 goals and allowing 50. It had 11 wins, 18 losses, and 9 draws. Ray did draw Man U in a preseason friendly which it totaled more shots on target.
F Sergi Guardiola, their leading scorer last season with 8 goals, is no longer with the club, giving more opportunity to F Álvaro García, who had the 2nd-most goals on the team last season with 7.
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Barcelona vs. Rayo Vallecano odds, lines, picks and predictions
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 8:37 a.m. ET.
- Money line: Barcelona -400 (bet $400 to win $100) | Rayo Vallecano +1000 (bet $100 to win $1,000) | Draw +520
- Over/Under: 3.5 (O: +125 | U: -160)
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Prediction
Barcelona 2, Vallecano 0
Money line (ML)
PASS.
Barcelona has too many scoring options to even think it would lose to a lower-tier club like Vallecano. An interesting note is that Vallecano recorded two 1-0 wins against the elite Spanish side last season.
While I’d still shy away from Vallecano (+1000), it’s the only thing with any sort of value here. I’d rather turn to the total though.
Over/Under (O/U)
BET UNDER ALTERNATE LINE 2.5 (+150).
As noted, both of Vallecano’s matches against a star-studded Barcelona finished 1-0 last year. Considering the losing side had more than double Vallecano’s expected goals in each match, I don’t expect that success to continue.
However, in 3 of the 4 matches in which Vallecano played either Real Madrid or Barcelona, there were Under 2.5 goals scored. Against all top-4 teams, 6 of the 8 matches went Under 2.5 goals.
Vallecano also lost its top goal scorer in Guardiola. While Barcelona added an elite Lewandowski, he could easily struggle to learn to play in La Liga with his new teammates.
Considering the pace Vallecano should want to play, I’d suggest the alternate line of UNDER 2.5 (+150).
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