Home › Soccer Betting › La Liga Betting › 2017-18 FC Barcelona
Can Barcelona overtake Real Madrid and hold off Atletico Madrid in La Liga in 2017-2018? It won’t be easy for Blaugrana, as they no longer have one of their top players, as Neymar left for PSG. Barcelona also has a new manager, as Ernesto Valverde takes over for Luis Enrique. If you listen to Valverde, he is confident that his squad will be better later in the season than they are at the beginning. "We're Barca and we want to have the best team.” Valverde said in a press conference. "Until the end of August, there's time, although I’d like to focus on those I already have here, despite losing. And despite the fact that in this period there will surely be changes in the team." Barcelona is listed as the second choice in the betting odds to win La Liga for 2017-2018 behind Real Madrid.
Barcelona La Liga Futures Odds
Odds To Win La Liga: +105
Odds to Finish in Top 4: -50,000
Barcelona is getting a lot of respect from the oddsmakers, as the team is listed at +105 to win La Liga, even without Neymar. The club was not anticipating Neymar leaving, so the pressure will be on Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez to deliver this season. Messi did sign a new deal this summer to keep him with the club until 2021 but his new deal has been nearly forgotten because of the loss of Neymar.
Barcelona Competitions in 2017-18
Spanish La Liga
Copa del Rey
Champions League
Super Cup
What's New?
Barcelona added Marlon Santos from Fluminense, Gerard Deulofeu from Everton, Nelsninho from Benfica and Paulinho from Guangzhou Evergrande. Barcelona also got Douglas back from Sporting Gijon, Thomas Vermaelen back from Roma, Sergi Samper back from Granada and Munir El Haddadi back from Valencia.
Valverde realizes that he may need more players to play the type of style Barcelona fans are used to. "I know all the previous coaches worked with Barca's stamp, that style which is recognized around the world," said Valverde. "Fans know just by seeing the style which team it corresponds to. I know it. I've been here. I have to re-adapt, but my idea is to go even deeper with that style and to keep progressing."
Sergio Busquets is one player who said that the club needs to do more if they are to beat Real Madrid this season. He said after Barcelona lost the first leg of the Super Cup that signings were needed "no matter what."
The addition of Paulinho for $40 million may not have been a good one for Barcelona. He didn’t do much for Tottenham before going to China. He may not be any better in the midfield than what Barcelona already had. Barcelona badly wants to land Philippe Coutinho or Ousmane Dembele but so far they have been rebuffed by Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund respectively.
What's Gone?
Barcelona lost Neymar to PSG, Jordi Masip to Real Valladolid, Cristian Tello to Real Betis, Borja Lopez to Hajduk Split, Jose Aurelio Suarez to Girona, Gerard to Leganes and Jeremy Mathieu to Sporting CP.
Barcelona 2017-18 Predictions
Barcelona is going to be very good again in 2017-2018 because Barcelona is always very good. The question isn’t whether they will finish in the Top 3 because that always happens, as they haven’t finished outside the Top 3 since 2002-2003. The question is whether Barcelona can beat Real Madrid and hold off Atletico.
Barcelona still has Messi and Suarez but without Neymar they are definitely weaker than they were a year ago. They did get a little help with Cristiano Ronaldo being suspended for Real for the first five games but if Barcelona is to win La Liga in 207-2018 they will need to make at least one major addition, and no, Paulinho is not a major addition.
Barcelona is getting a lot of respect from the oddsmakers at odds of +105 to win the league and that might be too much respect, as it is not at all a stretch to see Barcelona finishing behind both Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid in 2017-2018.
Come today at JustBet Sportsbook and check the current Spanish La Liga Betting Odds on your mobile device and start betting on the best soccer leagues and tournaments around the world at JustBet Sportsbook!
