Real Betis host Athletic Bilbao in La Liga on Friday evening, with just three points separating the duo in the standings. Despite the visitors being on a run of five matches without defeat, it is the home side who are the favourites for victory, in what is their last match before the winter break in Spain.
Spanish La Liga – Estadio Benito Villamarín, Sevilla – Friday 22nd December – 18:30 UK Time
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Draw Best Odd of: 9/4 at Bwin |
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Real Betis
Athletic BilbaoReal Betis vs Athletic Bilbao – Match Preview
La Liga mid-table teams Real Betis and Athletic Bilbao meet at the Estadio Benito Villamarin on Friday evening, with the duo looking to end the year on a high after making indifferent starts to the league campaign in Spain. Many are predicting a close encounter in Sevilla, with both teams having shown signs of improvement over recent weeks. Managers Quique Setién and José Ángel Ziganda will go head-to-head, with both looking to provide the tactical difference that could sway the result in their favour. For those still unsure of who to back, be sure to check out our top betting tip below. However, let’s first take a closer look at the two teams, starting with the home side.
Real Betis Team News & Form
The home side come into this match off the back of an impressive 2-0 away win at Malaga, leaving them in 11th position in the standings with 21 points from their 16 matches. Real Betis are among the leading scorers in La Liga, however the also have one of the worst defensive records, which has hindered their progress to date. On-loan Arsenal attacker Joel Campbell is one of the biggest threats for the home side, alongside Mexican midfielder Andres Guardado. Meanwhile, striker Antonio Sanabria has seven La Liga goals to his name this season.
Athletic Bilbao Team News & Form
Bilbao have recovered well after a poor start to the season in Spain, with José Ángel Ziganda having led his side on a run of five matches without defeat. However, with four wins and just one win from such matches, the visitors will be hoping to earn just a fifth three points of the campaign. The likes of Iker Munain, Aritz Aduriz and Inaki Williams are among the biggest threats for the visitors, who have conceded just 19 goals in La Liga to date, giving them one of the best defensive record in the league.
Head to Head
The two teams have met 28 times in the past, with Athletic Bilbao having won 11 of such meetings, as well as registering eight draws. However, with both teams having won their respective home match last season, another close encounter is expected.
Real Betis vs Athletic Bilbao – Betting Odds and Predictions
Given the fact that just three points separate the two sides leading into the game, it comes as little surprise that the odds are too close to call with the majority of bookmakers. In fact, William Hill offer the duo equal odds of 17/10 for victory, with a draw available at 23/10 with the same bookmaker.
Top Betting Tip: Real Betis vs Athletic Bilbao
However, our top betting tip for the match is to bet on both teams scoring during the 90 minutes, which is available at odds 4/6 ahead of kick-off at Ladbrokes.