Sofascore LaLiga Gameweek 8: captain picks, best buys
Sofascore LaLiga Gameweek 8 preview: best buys, captain picks and the Gameweek 9 double
Sofascore LaLiga Gameweek 8 is the league's return from the international break, and on paper it is Barcelona's week: they host Getafe with a 91% win probability and 3.73 expected goals, the biggest number any side has this round. But the decision this Gameweek is really about the next one. Athletic Club and Levante both play twice in Gameweek 9, because their postponed meeting sits in that round, and with one free transfer a week the managers who own that double will be the ones who start moving now.
So this preview ranks every pick on the next three Gameweeks, not just this one. Projected points below cover Gameweeks 8 and 9; Gameweek 10 is judged on fixture strength. For every player's number, the Sofascore LaLiga player picks table has the full projections, and the optimal teams for Sofascore LaLiga page solves the best squad live.
Gameweek 8 to 10: whose next three are worth owning
Barcelona have the best three-Gameweek run in the game at 8.22 expected goals: [H]GET → [A]BET → [H]RMA. Getafe at home is the standout fixture of the round, the Betis trip is still a 61% win chance, and the Clásico at home in Gameweek 10 is the week to plan around rather than a reason to avoid them. Real Madrid follow at 6.97 with two home games before that trip: [H]VIL → [H]SEV → [A]BAR.
The two programs that matter most for transfers belong to Athletic Club and Levante, the only teams with four fixtures in the window. Athletic's [A]RAY → [A]VAL + [A]LEV → [H]GET adds up to 1.47 expected clean sheets, the most of any defence, and their Gameweek 9 is two away games at a 45% and 45% win chance. Levante's [H]SEV → [A]COR + [H]ATH → [A]RSO is weaker per game, but four matches still out-score three for their attackers. Atlético Madrid are the quiet third option: [A]ALA → [A]ESP → [H]COR carries 1.17 expected clean sheets and ends with a 76% home win chance against Coruna.
| Team | GW8 fixture | Win probability | Expected goals | Clean sheet | Program | 3-round xG | 3-round CS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BAR | [H]GET | 91% | 3.73 | 58% | [H]GET → [A]BET → [H]RMA | 8.22 | 1.09 |
| RMA | [H]VIL | 74% | 2.84 | 35% | [H]VIL → [H]SEV → [A]BAR | 6.97 | 0.94 |
| ATM | [A]ALA | 49% | 1.66 | 33% | [A]ALA → [A]ESP → [H]COR | 5.81 | 1.17 |
| ATH | [A]RAY | 41% | 1.46 | 29% | [A]RAY → [A]VAL + [A]LEV → [H]GET (4 fixtures) | 5.80 | 1.47 |
| RSO | [H]COR | 55% | 1.80 | 36% | [H]COR → [A]MAL → [H]LEV | 5.00 | 0.92 |
| LEV | [H]SEV | 36% | 1.25 | 29% | [H]SEV → [A]COR + [H]ATH → [A]RSO (4 fixtures) | 4.90 | 0.91 |
| VIL | [A]RMA | 11% | 1.04 | 6% | [A]RMA → [H]ELC → [A]VAL | 4.81 | 0.65 |
| BET | [H]OSA | 57% | 1.88 | 36% | [H]OSA → [H]BAR → [A]CEL | 4.58 | 0.66 |
| CEL | [A]ELC | 37% | 1.29 | 29% | [A]ELC → [H]ALA → [H]BET | 4.31 | 0.93 |
| SAN | [H]VAL | 48% | 1.70 | 30% | [H]VAL → [A]OSA → [H]ESP | 3.86 | 0.74 |
| ALA | [H]ATM | 25% | 1.11 | 19% | [H]ATM → [A]CEL → [H]MAL | 3.85 | 0.98 |
| RAY | [H]ATH | 31% | 1.24 | 23% | [H]ATH → [A]GET → [H]ELC | 3.78 | 0.91 |
Sorted by 3-round expected goals; 3-round CS is expected clean sheets across the window. Athletic Club and Levante carry four fixtures, so their totals are not a like-for-like comparison with the three-fixture teams. The Sofascore LaLiga fixture schedule shows the full run beyond Gameweek 10.
Best goalkeepers for Gameweek 8
Unai Simon (6.5m, ATH) is the goalkeeper to own for the double: [A]RAY → [A]VAL + [A]LEV → [H]GET, projected 4.4 → 9.1 points. Gameweek 8 at Rayo is ordinary, but the Gameweek 9 double more than doubles his score and Getafe at home follows it. Nearly one in five managers already has him, so if you are buying one keeper this is the safe choice.
Mathew Ryan (5.7m, LEV) is the cheaper route into the same double, on [H]SEV → [A]COR + [H]ATH → [A]RSO. His 4.6 → 8.7 trajectory is almost identical to Simón's for 0.8m less, and only 8.1% own him. Levante's fixtures are tougher one by one, so he is a two-round pick more than a long hold.
Alfonso Herrero (4.6m, MAL) is the budget option, with 1.07 points per million in Gameweek 8, the best of any keeper. His program [H]ESP → [H]RSO → [A]ALA is fine for two rounds, but the Gameweek 10 trip to Alaves is only a 11% win chance, so treat him as a second keeper rather than a starter for the whole run. Owners of Jan Oblak (25.3% owned) can hold: Atlético's [A]ALA → [A]ESP → [H]COR is one of the strongest three-round defensive runs.
Best defenders for Gameweek 8
This round's defender ranking and the two-round ranking disagree, and the two-round one should win. Pau Cubarsi is the top defender for Gameweek 8 alone at 6.0 points thanks to Barcelona's 58% clean-sheet chance against Getafe, but he drops to 4.1 at Betis. The Athletic and Levante defenders sit about two points behind him this week and three to four points ahead of him once the double lands.
Adrián De La Fuente (6.1m, LEV) leads all defenders over the two rounds at 13.0 points, 4.5 → 8.5, on [H]SEV → [A]COR + [H]ATH → [A]RSO. He is Levante's listed penalty taker, which is rare for a defender and is what lifts him above the Athletic back line despite weaker clean-sheet odds.
Aymeric Laporte (6.4m, ATH) is the clean-sheet pick on [A]RAY → [A]VAL + [A]LEV → [H]GET, projected 4.1 → 8.2. For a differential in the same defence, Yuri Berchiche (6.1m, ATH) is on 3.8 → 7.6 and only 2.8% own him, against 19.4% for Laporte.
Antonio Rüdiger (5.5m, RMA) is the value defender outside the double. Real Madrid's [H]VIL → [H]SEV → [A]BAR gives him 5.3 → 4.6 points for 5.5m, 0.96 points per million this round, and only 3.3% own him. The Barcelona away game in Gameweek 10 is the week to bench him, not a reason to skip him.
On a tighter budget, José Giménez (5.0m, COR) rises 4.0 → 5.1 on [A]RSO → [H]LEV → [A]ATM. The home game against Levante is the reason, and Gameweek 10 at Atlético is the moment to move him on, so this is a two-round rotation pick. Alejandro Grimaldo owners should keep him: [A]ALA → [A]ESP → [H]COR is a flat, reliable run at 5.0 → 5.2.
| Player | Team | Price | Owned | GW8 → GW9 points | GW8+9 total | next three fixtures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adrián De La Fuente | LEV | 6.1m | 6.3% | 4.5 → 8.5 | 13.0 | [H]SEV → [A]COR + [H]ATH → [A]RSO |
| Aymeric Laporte | ATH | 6.4m | 19.4% | 4.1 → 8.2 | 12.3 | [A]RAY → [A]VAL + [A]LEV → [H]GET |
| Yuri Berchiche | ATH | 6.1m | 2.8% | 3.8 → 7.6 | 11.4 | [A]RAY → [A]VAL + [A]LEV → [H]GET |
| Antonio Rüdiger | RMA | 5.5m | 3.3% | 5.3 → 4.6 | 9.9 | [H]VIL → [H]SEV → [A]BAR |
| Pau Cubarsi | BAR | 7.4m | 23.3% | 6.0 → 4.1 | 10.1 | [H]GET → [A]BET → [H]RMA |
| José Giménez | COR | 5.0m | 2.4% | 4.0 → 5.1 | 9.1 | [A]RSO → [H]LEV → [A]ATM |
Best midfielders for Gameweek 8
Lamine Yamal (12.9m, BAR) is the highest-projected player in the game for Gameweek 8 at 12.0 points, and he stays top-two in Gameweek 9: 12.0 → 9.6 on [H]GET → [A]BET → [H]RMA. At 47.5% ownership he is the template, and leaving him out is the biggest risk you can take this round. Raphinha (11.3m, BAR) (30.2% owned) is Barcelona's penalty taker and follows at 10.2 → 7.9; both are holds through Gameweek 10.
The picks that separate managers are the Athletic midfielders. Nico Williams (7.0m, ATH) is projected 5.9 → 11.2 on [A]RAY → [A]VAL + [A]LEV → [H]GET, the highest Gameweek 9 score of any player in the game, and at 8.7% ownership he is far from template. He is the premium buy of the round, and this is the week to make it because it frees next week's transfer for a second double player.
Oihan Sancet (5.1m, ATH) is the hidden gem. He costs 5.1m, is owned by 2.7%, and goes 5.0 → 9.5, the best two-round points per million (2.84) of any midfielder. Robert Navarro (5.2m, ATH) is the deeper differential at 0.6% ownership, projected 4.2 → 8.1 on the same [A]RAY → [A]VAL + [A]LEV → [H]GET.
For Levante exposure at the lowest price, Roger Brugué (4.7m, LEV) goes 3.7 → 7.5 on [H]SEV → [A]COR + [H]ATH → [A]RSO and is owned by fewer than one in a hundred managers. Outside the doubles, Inigo Vicente (5.4m, SAN) is a strong one-round buy at 6.3 points in Gameweek 8, the best midfield value of the round at 1.17 points per million. Santander's [H]VAL → [A]OSA → [H]ESP fades after the Valencia game, so plan to move him on after Gameweek 9. Jude Bellingham (7.7 → 7.2) is a fair hold for his owners but not a buy at 10.9m when Nico Williams costs 7.0m.
| Player | Team | Price | Owned | GW8 → GW9 points | GW8+9 total | next three fixtures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lamine Yamal | BAR | 12.9m | 47.5% | 12.0 → 9.6 | 21.6 | [H]GET → [A]BET → [H]RMA |
| Raphinha | BAR | 11.3m | 30.2% | 10.2 → 7.9 | 18.1 | [H]GET → [A]BET → [H]RMA |
| Nico Williams | ATH | 7.0m | 8.7% | 5.9 → 11.2 | 17.1 | [A]RAY → [A]VAL + [A]LEV → [H]GET |
| Oihan Sancet | ATH | 5.1m | 2.7% | 5.0 → 9.5 | 14.5 | [A]RAY → [A]VAL + [A]LEV → [H]GET |
| Robert Navarro | ATH | 5.2m | 0.6% | 4.2 → 8.1 | 12.3 | [A]RAY → [A]VAL + [A]LEV → [H]GET |
| Roger Brugué | LEV | 4.7m | 0.9% | 3.7 → 7.5 | 11.2 | [H]SEV → [A]COR + [H]ATH → [A]RSO |
| Inigo Vicente | SAN | 5.4m | 3.1% | 6.3 → 4.9 | 11.2 | [H]VAL → [A]OSA → [H]ESP |
Best forwards for Gameweek 8
Kylian Mbappé (12.6m, RMA) is the one forward everybody needs: 9.5 → 9.1 on [H]VIL → [H]SEV → [A]BAR, and 56.4% of managers own him. Two home games before the Clásico make him a firm hold.
Ivan Romero (6.1m, LEV) is the forward for the double, going 4.1 → 8.1 on [H]SEV → [A]COR + [H]ATH → [A]RSO. He is priced like a mid-table striker and scores like a premium in Gameweek 9, which is exactly the shape of pick a free transfer should go on.
The budget forward is Sergio Camello (5.6m, RAY), projected 5.2 → 4.8 on [H]ATH → [A]GET → [H]ELC. That is steady rather than spectacular, and the Elche home game in Gameweek 10 is Rayo's best fixture of the three, so he can stay in the squad for the whole run. Check the Sofascore LaLiga predicted lineups before you commit to any forward, because rotation after an international break is common.
Who to captain in Gameweek 8
Captain Lamine Yamal (12.9m, BAR). His 12.0 projected points are the highest in the game, and Barcelona's 3.73 expected goals against Getafe make this his ceiling week. Raphinha (11.3m, BAR) at 10.2 is the alternative, with penalties on his side, and Kylian Mbappé (12.6m, RMA) at 9.5 is the third option against Villarreal.
The captaincy plan changes after that. In Gameweek 9, Nico Williams' 11.2 projected points top Yamal's 9.6, which is one more reason to bring him in now rather than a week late. The Sofascore LaLiga market probabilities page shows the goal and assist odds behind each option.
Who to sell before Gameweek 8
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (6.3m, COR) is the clearest sell. 30.9% of managers own him, and he is projected 1.0 → 1.3 on [A]RSO → [H]LEV → [A]ATM because the model sees him mostly coming off the bench. Nothing in the next two Gameweeks changes that, so every week you hold him is a dead squad spot. Sell now, so the transfer goes straight into the double.
Julián Álvarez (8.5m, ATM) is a harder call. Atlético's [A]ALA → [A]ESP → [H]COR is a good run, and the fixtures are not the problem; his projected minutes are, which leaves him at 1.6 → 2.0. If you have a bigger problem elsewhere in the squad you can wait a round on him, but the 8.5m is better spent on Nico Williams before Gameweek 9.
The Villarreal pair, Nicolas Pépé (7.1m, VIL) and Carlos Romero (6.0m, VIL), are owned by 15.2% and 16.0%. Both project low minutes and only 1.9 → 3.0 and 1.0 → 2.2 points, and Gameweek 8 away at Real Madrid is Villarreal's worst fixture of the run. Villarreal's [A]RMA → [H]ELC → [A]VAL improves after that, but their minutes do not, so there is no reason to wait.
Joan Garcia (6.8m, BAR) is listed unavailable with a return date of 6 October and projects 1.9 → 1.6. If he is your first-choice keeper, Unai Simón or Mathew Ryan is the natural switch, and making it now puts your keeper into the Gameweek 9 double.
Vinicius Junior (11.5m, RMA) is a downgrade to consider rather than an urgent sell. Real Madrid's [H]VIL → [H]SEV → [A]BAR is a good run, and 6.4 → 6.6 points is a respectable return. But at 11.5m he is out-scored by Nico Williams over the two rounds for 4.5m less, and making that swap in Gameweek 8 keeps the Gameweek 9 transfer free for another double player.
Gameweek 8 transfer plan
With one free transfer a week, the plan is two moves over two Gameweeks: this week, a dead spot (Aubameyang first) out for Nico Williams or Ivan Romero; next week, a second Athletic or Levante player such as Oihan Sancet or Adrián De La Fuente. Keep Yamal, Raphinha and Mbappé. More Sofascore LaLiga analysis is in our Sofascore LaLiga preview hub, and the fantasy guides cover strategy beyond this round.
FAQ
Who should I captain in Sofascore LaLiga Gameweek 8?
Lamine Yamal is the top captain pick with 12.0 projected points at home to Getafe, ahead of Raphinha (10.2) and Kylian Mbappé (9.5).
Which teams have a double Gameweek in Sofascore LaLiga Gameweek 9?
Athletic Club and Levante play twice in Gameweek 9, because their postponed meeting sits in that round. Nico Williams (11.2), Oihan Sancet (9.5) and Unai Simón (9.1) have the highest Gameweek 9 projections from those two clubs.
Should I sell Aubameyang before Sofascore LaLiga Gameweek 8?
Yes. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is owned by 30.9% of managers but projects only 1.0 and 1.3 points over the next two Gameweeks, and that transfer is better spent on a Gameweek 9 double player.
Who are the best budget defenders for Sofascore LaLiga Gameweek 8?
Antonio Rüdiger (5.5m) projects 5.3 → 4.6 across two Real Madrid home games, and José Giménez (5.0m) rises to 5.1 in Gameweek 9 when Coruna host Levante.
What are the best differentials for Sofascore LaLiga Gameweek 8?
Oihan Sancet (2.7% owned, 5.0 → 9.5), Robert Navarro (0.6%, 4.2 → 8.1) and Yuri Berchiche (2.8%, 3.8 → 7.6) all ride Athletic's Gameweek 9 double at low ownership.
This preview was written by TheFantasyTool AI.