Saturday Football Tips: Trejo to star in card fest

Andy Schooler
18 March 2023
1:30 min read

Oscar Trejo: Card magnet

Rayo Vallecano vs Girona
Sat 18 Mar, 15:15

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One of Europe's highest-carding refs should ensure cards when Rayo Vallecano and Girona meet in La Liga on Saturday, according to our football props column.

Top ref for cards in charge
Trejo averaging a card every other game
Back 5/2 cards-based Bet Builder

One of Europe's highest-carding referees takes charge of this La Liga battle on Saturday afternoon and that fact is worth paying attention to.

Pablo Gonzalez Fuertes is averaging a massive 6.62 yellow cards per game in Spain's top flight this season, while he has also produced two reds in his 13 matches.

It's probably no surprise that the 42-year-old also tops the charts for fouls awarded per game - his figure is above 30 with the league average at 26.38.
Here he takes charge of what should be a competitive game - Europe-chasing Rayo sit seventh, just five points better off than their visitors.

Rayo Vallecano

Girona

Rayo Vallecano 2 2 Girona
Celta de Vigo 3 0 Rayo Vallecano
Rayo Vallecano 0 0 Athletic Club
Cádiz 1 0 Rayo Vallecano
Rayo Vallecano 1 1 Sevilla
Getafe 1 1 Rayo Vallecano

Rayo Vallecano 2 2 Girona
Girona 0 1 Atlético de Madrid
Getafe 3 2 Girona
Athletic Club 2 3 Girona
Girona 6 2 Almería
Cádiz 2 0 Girona

Rayo Vallecano vs Girona Saturday 18 March, 15:15

Full stats

Rayo are eighth in Spain's bookings table with Girona in 11th and while those figures could be better, neither is enough to suggest Gonzalez Fuertes will be kept quiet on the cards front.

I've no qualms about placing over 5.5 cards on our Bet Builder coupon but the better bet looks to be old friend Oscar Trejo to be among those carded.

The Rayo captain has been mentioned on these pages in the past with his fouls and card figures both long-term eyecatchers.

In terms of fouls per game, Trejo leads La Liga this season, averaging 2.5, while when it comes to cards, the midfielder has now been carded in 34 of his last 66 La Liga starts, figures which suggest that even with an average ref, he should be around even money.

Yet he's available at 13/8 with one of Europe's wildest refs in charge.

To those used to betting on the Premier League, those odds for a card may seem short but really that's a value price here.

Add it to the over 5.5 cards bet and we get a 5/2 shot.

Back Trejo to be shown a card & over 5.5 cards @

3.5

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