Europa League Betting Tips

Zenit Saint Petersburg vs Real Betis betting tips: Europa League preview, predictions and odds


Zenit Saint Petersburg have only lost two of their last 33 UEFA Cup/Europa League home games. Real Betis meanwhile won their last trip to Russia, beating Rubin Kazan 2-0 eight years ago.

Both teams to score is 3/4.

Draw and both teams to score is 7/2.

Claudinho scored twice for Zenit in the Champions League group stages this season. The Brazilian is 9/2 to break the deadlock and 7/2 to score anytime.

Match preview

This season's UEFA Europa League Final will take place in Seville so will Real Betis remain on track to be there?

Los Verdiblancos' European history is moderate with their best runs being to the Cup Winners' Cup quarter-finals in 1978 and again 20 years later.

However, this season, Manuel Pellegrini's team have got Betis fans everywhere believing they can achieve success.

In La Liga, Béticos sit third having hammered the division's bottom club Levante 4-2 on Saturday.

Also, they're on the verge of a first Copa del Rey Final in 17 seasons having won their semi-final first leg 2-1 away to Rayo Vallecano.

In Europe, Betis finished second in Group G, below Bayer Leverkusen but above Celtic and Ferencváros.

So now, they're dreaming of being at Estadio Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán, home of their great rivals Sevilla, on 18 May for the Europa League Final.

Zenit Saint Petersburg though cannot be underestimated.

The Zenitchiki actually won this trophy in 2008, beating Rangers 2-0, before adding the subsequent UEFA Super Cup at Manchester United's expense.

Since then though, they've only appeared in one European quarter-final which came in 2015 when Zenit were beaten by Sevilla.

This season, they competed in a third successive Champions League group stages and, unlike the previous two, avoided finishing bottom.

Sergei Semak's side accrued five points, notably hammering Malmö 4-0 at home before holding Chelsea to a crazy 3-3 draw.

This will be Zenit St Petersburg's first game for 67 days due to the Russian Premier League's elongated winter break.

In the table they are top, two points clear of Dynamo Moskva, aiming for a fourth successive title.

Will Zenit be travelling to Southern Spain having won this first leg at Krestovsky Stadium?

Zenit Saint Petersburg team news

Given that Sergei Semak's side have not played since 12 December, it's hard to know who's fit and who isn't.

One certainty is that captain Dejan Lovren has to be careful because a booking here would rule him out of the second leg next Thursday.

Zenit have chopped and changed in goal this season, using three different goalkeepers, but first choice Stanislav Kritsyuk could be back after injury.

Right-back Arsen Adamov could make his debut after joining from Ural Yekaterinburg this winter.

Also, since their last fixture, Zenit have bolstered their attacking options.

Ivan Sergeyev and Yuri Alberto have joined from Krylia Sovetov Samara and Internacional respectively so both could also debut here.

The latter might form an attacking quartet with fellow Brazilians Malcom, Wendel and Claudinho.

Former talisman Artyom Dzyuba is no longer the main man in attack.

Real Betis team news

In the time that Zenit have played no games, Real Betis have had no less than 13, so it remains to be seen which is more advantageous.

The headline news is that Nabil Fekir is suspended for this first leg having been sent off way back on matchday four against Bayer Leverkusen.

Thus, Juanmi will be the main danger man, looking to add to his remarkable 16 goals already this season.

Rui Silva has won the battle to be number one goalkeeper, ahead of Joel Robles and Claudio Bravo who's now injured.

Centre-back Germán Pezzella and winger Aitor Ruibal are one yellow card away from suspension; the latter is a guaranteed starter.

Russian Premier League table:

La Liga table:

 

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Ben Gray

Ben Gray

Arsenal fan – follow them over land and sea (and Leicester); sofa Celtic supporter; a bit of a football '"encyclopedia".


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