WASHINGTON — The lone African American member of President Donald Trump’s Cabinet said Monday he would “work with” the president on the issue of athletes taking a knee during the national anthem, though Trump has shown no signs of softening, tweeting over the weekend that he would not watch soccer or football if players don’t stand for the national anthem.

Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson said he believes that players are kneeling to protest police brutality, not because they disrespect the flag. He added that players need to make that clear.

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That was awful.

The only luck during the first weekend back in Spain’s top flight was of the bad variety, as four late goals and a red card relegated us to a winless Matchday 28. After the first few, I just became numb to it.

Let’s hope for some better luck on Matchday 29.

Granada (+320) at Real Betis (-115), Draw (+255)

Granada impressed in the first match back, coming from behind to beat Getafe – a result that has breathed life into their hopes of a top-four finish. Diego Martinez’s side leave the friendly confines of Nuevo Los Carmenes for this match, and while they’ve struggled on their travels, the circumstances surrounding this trip to Seville are much different given the absence of fans.

Real Betis rely heavily on the atmosphere at Estadio Benito Villamarin, but won’t have that crutch on Monday. Rubi’s side was dreadful going forward against Sevilla in the derby, but we can expect a more spirited performance here on home soil, where they have scored 27 times in 14 matches. They’ve struggled defensively though, failing to keep a single clean sheet this season at home.

Granada showed no signs of rust in their first match back, getting after a stingy Getafe side. They’ve struggled away from home but the result will give them plenty of confidence as they get set to face a Betis side that will undoubtedly produce a positive response following their derby loss. With the visitors pushing for the top four and the hosts hoping to avoid being dragged into the relegation scrap, a draw would be a positive result for both of them.

Pick: Draw (+255)

Espanyol (+335) at Getafe (+100), Draw (+210)

These sides experienced different fates in their first matches back. Espanyol ran out 2-0 winners at RCDE Stadium – the beneficiaries of an early Alaves red card – while Getafe uncharacteristically squandered a lead, losing to Granada.

Jose Bordalas is a terrific manager and we can expect him to get quite a reaction out of his players following that defeat. Bordalas’ Getafe play a miserable brand of football – long balls and a high press – and are an incredibly frustrating side to play against as a result.

On home soil they’re at their best with this approach, and it will give fits to an Espanyol side that really struggles outside of Barcelona. The Periquitos have lost seven of their last nine away matches, and have also tasted defeat in each of their last four trips to Getafe. The hosts have been dominant this season on home soil against clubs in the bottom half of the table, and we can expect more of the same here.

Pick: Getafe (+100)

Celta Vigo (+160) at Real Valladolid (+205), Draw (+195)

The threat of relegation looms large for Celta, while Valladolid are still far from safety – though a win at Leganes on Saturday certainly helped matters.

This has all the makings of an ugly match with both sides looking to maintain a cushion between them and the bottom three. A draw would suit Valladolid excellently here, keeping Celta six points back, while every point is precious at this stage for the visitors.

Valladolid have lost just three times in 13 home matches this season – all against clubs in the top half of the table – and are a strong bet to avoid defeat again here at Estadio Municipal Jose Zorrilla. Of those 13 home games, seven have ended in a stalemate, while four of Celta’s last five away matches have ended level. A point would suit both sides well here, and feels like something of an inevitability.

Pick: Draw (+195)

Full card:

• Levante/Sevilla draw (+290)
• Real Betis/Granada draw (+255)
• Getafe (+100)
• Villarreal/Mallorca BTTS (-130)
• Valladolid/Celta draw (+195)
• Eibar/Athletic draw (+210)

Alex Moretto is a sports betting writer for theScore. A journalism graduate from Guelph-Humber University, he has worked in sports media for over a decade. He will bet on anything from the Super Bowl to amateur soccer, is too impatient for futures, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.