3% Real Madrid Win To Nil (11:00 AM ET): Last week on the Power 5, I gave out a “Win To Nil” bet with Arsenal over in the English Premier League. Just to clarify, there’s two parts to this kind of wager. One, our side (in this instance, Real Madrid) must win the match. Two, they can’t concede any goals. Following what could only be categorized as a dismal performance (1-1 draw with Mallorca) during the opening match week, I expect the La Liga favorites to take no mercy on this week’s opponent, newly promoted Real Valladolid. It was a successful return to the Spanish top flight for Valladolid last week (against fellow newly promoted side Espanyol). But this is obviously a giant step up in class. 

Following a 2-0 win (over Serie A’s Atalanta) in the UEFA Super Cup, it’s been all bad news for Carlo Ancelotti’s side as Los Blancos first were forced to share the points with Mallorca, then they learned they’d be without Jude Bellingham for the next month due to injury. For most sides across Europe, losing a player the caliber of Bellingham would be a death knell. But for Real Madrid, they’re still fine thanks to the likes of Kylian Mbappe being out on the pitch. This is also an ideal “bounce back” fixture for Los Blancos, facing a side they’ve beaten 13 of the last 15 meetings including 5 straight in the league. Valladolid have not won at the Bernabeu since May of 2000! 

In terms of keeping a clean sheet on Sunday, Real Madrid typically dominates the “lesser” teams in La Liga, especially here on home soil. In 10 home matches against the bottom half of the league last season, they kept eight clean sheets and won seven of those. Los Blancos were #1 in the league in xGA (14.9) at home and overall (39.3). Keep in mind that was done without goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who is now back. Earlier I mentioned the five straight league losses for Valladolid against Real Madrid. Valladolid didn’t score a single goal in any of the five losses! 3% Real Madrid Win To Nil (Play to -140)