Real Betis vs Athletic Bilbao betting tips: La Liga preview, predictions and odds

By Ben Gray Published: March 11, 2022 2:53 pm

Real Betis Seville

1

-

0

Athletic Bilbao

Match ended

Show players

Akouokou, Paul
Gonzalez, Edgar

88'

84'

Vencedor, Unai
Serrano, Nicolas

84'

Sancet, Oihan
Garcia, Raul

80'

De Marcos, Oscar

Fekir, Nabil

80'

80'

Sancet, Oihan

Canales, Sergio

80'

77'

Williams, Nicholas

Ruibal, Aitor

76'

Iglesias, Borja
Carvalho, William

73'

71'

Vesga, Mikel
Zarraga, Oier

Miranda, Juan
Ruibal, Aitor

70'

59'

Williams, Inaki
Williams, Nicholas

58'

Berchiche, Yuri
Balenziaga, Mikel

Miranda, Juan

29'

Pezzella, German

25'

Iglesias, Borja

20'

16'

Berenguer, Alex

8'

Berchiche, Yuri

Starting lineup

Silva, Rui13

Sabaly, Youssouf23

Pezzella, German16

Bartra, Marc5

Miranda, Juan33

Canales, Sergio10

Akouokou, Paul4

Fekir, Nabil8

Rodriguez, Guido21

Juanmi7

Iglesias, Borja9

1Simon, Unai

18De Marcos, Oscar

12Vivian, Dani

5Alvarez, Yeray

17Berchiche, Yuri

7Berenguer, Alex

6Vesga, Mikel

16Vencedor, Unai

10Muniain, Iker

9Williams, Inaki

8Sancet, Oihan

Substitutes

Bravo, Claudio25

Robles, Joel1

Ruiz, Victor6

Gonzalez, Edgar3

Carvalho, William14

Rodri28

Lainez, Diego20

Joaquin17

Jose, Willian12

Ruibal, Aitor24

13Ezkieta, Jokin

15Lekue, Inigo

24Balenziaga, Mikel

3Nunez, Unai

2Petxa, Alex

33Serrano, Nicolas

19Zarraga, Oier

30Williams, Nicholas

22Garcia, Raul

20Villalibre, Asier

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.

Real Betis to draw 1-1 with Athletic Club Bilbao- 5/1!

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Match preview

BILBAO, SPAIN – AUGUST 20: Iker Muniain of Athletic Club reacts during the La Liga match between Athletic Club and Getafe at at San Mames Stadium on August 20, 2017 in Bilbao, Spain. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)

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.

They’ll travel across Seville to Estadio de La Cartuja on 23 April to face Valencia for the right to win that particular silverware.

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

SEVILLE, SPAIN – JANUARY 15: Alex Moreno and Edgar Gonzalez of Real Betis competes for the ball with Lucas Ocampos of Sevilla FC during the Copa del Rey match between Real Betis Balompie and Sevilla FC at Estadio Benito Villamarin on January 15, 2022 in Seville, Spain. (Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images)

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

BILBAO, SPAIN – MARCH 18: Aritz Aduriz of Athletic Club celebrates after scoring goal during the La Liga match between Athletic Club Bilbao and Real Madrid at San Mames Stadium on March 18, 2017 in Bilbao, Spain. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)

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:

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