📰 Table Of Contents
Recommended bets
[RECOMMENDED_BETS]
Athletic Club have won five of their last seven meetings with Betis, although the only one of these away from San Mamés was a penalty shootout victory in the Copa 13 months ago. Their last six league clashes at the Benito Villamarín have produced two wins apiece.
Both teams to score is 3/4.
Iñaki Williams is 11/2 to break the deadlock and 7/4 to score anytime.
Juanmi is 13/2 to score first and 11/5 to add to his tally of 16 goals this season.
Match preview
After a mixed week or so, will Real Betis reignite their push for Champions League football?
Ten days ago, los Verdiblancos reached a first Copa del Rey Final for 17 years, beating Rayo Vallecano 3-2 on aggregate thanks to a last-minute Borja Iglesias tap-in.
However, since then, their aspirations in two other competitions have suffered big blows.
First, last Sunday night, Manuel Pellegrini’s side were beaten 3-1 by Atlético Madrid, following on from their el Gran Derbi defeat a week earlier.
So, having suffered back-to-back La Liga defeats, Béticos have slipped out of the top four places for the first time since November.
Then, on Wednesday evening, they were beaten 2-1 by Eintracht Frankfurt in the first leg of their Europa League round of 16 tie.
All three goals came in the first half with Nabil Fekir scoring a sumptuous equaliser, only for the visitors to regain the lead mere seconds later.
So, Betis face a real uphill battle to keep their European campaign alive at Deutsche Bank Park this forthcoming Thursday.
Before then, can they get their top four aspirations back on track?
This could’ve been a Copa del Rey Final dress-rehearsal, but Athletic Club Bilbao were beaten 2-1 by Valencia on aggregate in their semi-final.
So, if the Lions are to get back into UEFA competition for the first time since 2017/18, it’s going to have to come via a top seven finish in La Liga.
Marcelino’s men were last in action on Monday night when they, eventually, beat bottom of the table Levante 3-1 at San Mamés.
Mikel Vesga opened the scoring with 63 minutes on the clock before Iñaki Williams and Oier Zarraga, the latter a penalty, also struck to secure the victory.
Athletic have now won five of their eight league matches in 2022 so are eighth, two points below Villarreal in the final European spot.
Will there be a winner at Estadio Benito Villamarín?
Real Betis team news
Given that this’ll be Betis’ 18th game in just 70 days, Manuel Pellegrini will continue with the heavy squad rotation.
40 year old Joaquín started in La Liga for the first time all season last Sunday and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he was in the XI here too.
At right-back, with Martín Montoya injured and Héctor Bellerín a doubt, Youssouf Sabaly will keep his place.
Willian José could continue to lead the line, chosen over Borja Iglesias.
Athletic Bilbao team news
Marcelino’s men, having had two days extra to prepare, will be hoping to make that advantage count.
Iñaki Williams will continue to lead the line having now feature in 222 successive La Liga games, last missing one 17 April 2016 against Málaga.
As was the case against Levante, Oihan Sancet could partner Williams, chosen over Raúl García and Asier Villalibre.
Elsewhere, Iñigo Martínez hobbled off in that match so Dani Vivian could come in at centre-back, alongside Yeray Álvarez.
La Liga table:
– 101 Great Goals may earn commission from links on this page. Our content is always original. Note that all of our reviewers are compensated for contributing content to 101 Great Goals. Learn more.
