Sevilla derby to kick-off La Liga restart
Spanish La Liga is back and it kicks-off with the Sevilla derby. Sevilla sit third in the table and host Real Betis at Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán Stadium. Will the favourites take the points or could Rubi’s underdogs have a sting in their tail? Have a read of our preview here:
Best of the rest yet still miles off
Sevilla are the side currently sat in third place in La Liga, yet they are miles, or more accurately, nine points behind the front two. They have very little chance of catching Real Madrid or Barcelona but are still a side that oozes quality.
Julen Lopetegui arguably has a point to prove and he has a decent chance will a progressive side like Sevilla.
The usual suspects are again having an excellent campaign with midfielder Ever Banega notching up six assists and two goals in 22 appearances. His drive from midfield has allowed Lucas Ocampos and Luke de Jong to prosper.
They have netted 10 and five goals respectively and are widely seen as the top stars in this team.
Form has been solid but certainly not spectacular. Unbeaten in four and just one defeat in seven is decent, yet draws against Espanyol and Deportivo Alaves plus a loss at Celta Vigo have highlight why they are not in the title fight.
They will be expecting to win on Thursday and kick-start the return of Spanish football.
Real Betis playing for pride
Just two wins in their last 11 matches has put pay to any hope Real Betis had of challenging for a place in Europe.
Before the lockdown and pause in the football schedule, they did manage to beat Real Madrid 2-1 at the Estadio Benito Villamarín which handed Barcelona a key advantage in the title race while also serving to boost the confidence of Rubi’s beleaguered side.
It had been a tough run between mid-December and the end of February. The four defeats they suffered during this time coincided with a run that saw them beat only Real Sociedad in a ten-game spell.
It will be interesting to see if the win over Real Madrid can spark a decent run and the derby will certainly add to their motivation.
Loron Moron is their top scorer, but evergreen Joaquin has eight goals to his name as well as two assists at the age of 38. His influence cannot be understated. Another important player this season has been the Brazilian Emerson who leads the team with five assists.
Hard to see Sevilla slipping up, but Betis will certainly be no pushover.
Sevilla v Real Betis betting tip
Despite Betis beating Real Madrid, it is hard to back against Sevilla in this one. They have been on a good run and have some exceptional players. That’s is why we are going for a home win at odds of 1.95 with 888sport in this one.
Post bet chat James's Tips:
Sevilla took the local bragging rights as goals from Ocampos and Reges saw off Real Betis in a 2-0 win.