La Liga Matchday 8 runs from Friday through Monday, but most of the biggest fixtures are packed into Saturday. Barcelona will try to extend their perfect start against Getafe, Real Madrid host Villarreal after a difficult opening stretch, while Atlético travel to an Alavés side that has started the season strongly. We look at the main games of the round and how the pre-match market at 888STARZ sees them.
After seven rounds, the gap between the main contenders is already starting to grow. Barcelona have won all seven matches, collecting 21 points and scoring 31 goals. Atlético and Betis follow on 16 points, while Real Madrid sit only fourth on 15 after two defeats.
Real Madrid vs Villarreal: Madrid Cannot Afford to Let Barcelona Pull Further Away
10 October
For Real Madrid, this match matters first and foremost in the title race.
After seven rounds, Madrid have 15 points — six fewer than Barcelona. Five victories have already been accompanied by two defeats, including a loss to Atlético in the Madrid derby in the previous round.
Now they return to the Bernabéu against an opponent that looks more manageable on paper.
Villarreal sit ninth with 8 points from seven matches, recording two wins, two draws and three defeats. They have still scored 13 goals, so this is not a side Madrid can afford to underestimate. Real themselves have scored 18 and conceded eight.
The 888STARZ market, however, is very clear.
888STARZ Odds
- Real Madrid to win — 1.36
- Draw — 6.10
- Villarreal to win — 8.45
Real are one of the strongest favourites of the entire round.
That is exactly why the result matters. With Barcelona already six points ahead, any more dropped points at home would put Madrid under serious pressure — especially if the leaders win again.
Barcelona vs Getafe: The Most One-Sided Market of the Round
10 October
Barcelona enters Matchday 8 with a perfect record.
Seven games, seven wins, 21 points and a goal difference of 31:7. The Catalans are not only top of the league — they have already opened up a five-point lead over their closest rivals.
Getafe are 11th with 8 points, having scored only four goals in seven matches.
The market leaves very little room for doubt.
888STARZ Odds
- Barcelona to win — 1.07
- Draw — 17.50
- Getafe to win — 45.00
This is the widest price gap among the key matches of the round.
Barcelona are priced at just 1.07, while a Getafe win sits at a huge 45.00.
So the question is no longer simply “who is the favourite?” but rather whether Getafe can do anything to slow down the league’s most prolific team.
This will also be one of the easiest matches to revisit in Monday’s digest. If Barcelona win comfortably, the market will have read the game exactly right. Anything else would be one of the biggest upsets of Matchday 8.
Alavés vs Atlético Madrid: A Favourite, But Not an Easy Away Trip
10 October
Atlético come into this round in a much better position than they were in just a few weeks ago.
After seven matches, they have 16 points and sit second, behind only Barcelona. Their previous round brought a derby win over Real Madrid, and now they have a chance to strengthen their position among the league leaders.
But the trip to Vitoria is not straightforward.
Alavés are sixth with 11 points and have conceded only six goals — one of the better defensive records in the division.
888STARZ still makes the visitors clear favourites.
888STARZ Odds
- Alavés to win — 4.37
- Draw — 3.84
- Atlético Madrid to win — 1.90
Atlético are priced at around 1.90 to win.
But Alavés’ position in the table makes this much more interesting than a routine favourite-versus-mid-table game. Sixth place after seven rounds and only six goals conceded is enough reason to take the hosts seriously.
If Atlético want to stay close to Barcelona, these are exactly the away games they need to win.
Two More Matches Worth Watching
Málaga vs Espanyol
This fixture opens Matchday 8 on Friday.
And the market is almost completely balanced:
- Málaga — 2.74
- Draw — 3.37
- Espanyol — 2.82
888STARZ barely separates the two sides, with only 0.08 between their win prices.
This is exactly the kind of match where Monday’s result will show whether even a tiny market lean pointed in the right direction.
Rayo Vallecano vs Athletic Club
Another closely priced Saturday fixture.
- Rayo Vallecano — 2.88
- Draw — 3.48
- Athletic Club — 2.63
Athletic are slight favourites, but the market clearly does not expect an easy away win.
The teams also begin the round close together in the standings, both on eight points, although Athletic have played one game fewer.
La Liga Matchday 8 Schedule
9 October
- Málaga vs Espanyol
10 October
- Rayo Vallecano vs Athletic Club
- Alavés vs Atlético Madrid
- Barcelona vs Getafe
- Real Madrid vs Villarreal
11 October
- Elche vs Celta Vigo
- Real Sociedad vs Deportivo
- Real Betis vs Osasuna
- Racing Santander vs Valencia
12 October
- Levante vs Sevilla
What the Market Is Telling Us Before Matchday 8
Compared with the Premier League, where the biggest fixture of the weekend is almost evenly priced, Spain gives us a completely different picture.
Barcelona are overwhelming favourites against Getafe: 1.07 compared with 45.00.
Real Madrid also have a huge market advantage over Villarreal: 1.36 against 8.45.
The gap is much smaller for Atlético, who are priced at 1.90 away to Alavés. Of the three headline fixtures, that one looks the most open to a possible surprise.
At the same time, Málaga vs Espanyol and Rayo vs Athletic give us two almost balanced markets where the outcome is much harder to read in advance.
That makes Matchday 8 a perfect fit for our preview → results format: two major favourites, one favourite facing a difficult away trip, and several genuinely close contests.
On Monday, we will look back at where the 888STARZ pre-match market got the balance right — and where La Liga went against expectations.
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