The Matchday 22 clash in La Liga between Real Betis and Athletic Bilbao will take place on February 2 at the Benito Villamarín Stadium in Seville. Real Betis vs. Athletic Bilbao: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Real Betis
Thanks to a goal scored in the 96th minute, the Sevillians snatched a victory away at Mallorca (1-0) in the last round. The team managed to end a three-match winless streak in the league, which included a draw with Rayo Vallecano (1-1) and losses to Valladolid (0-1) and Alaves (1-3). The club is positioned mid-table, but the European competition zone is close—just two points away.
- The number "1" has appeared in the final score of the last five La Liga matches.
- Both teams have scored in 7 of Betis's last 10 matches in La Liga.
- Sevilla's team has won only two of their last 10 league matches (4 draws and 4 losses).
Athletic Bilbao
In their last league game, the Basques couldn't overcome Leganes at home, playing out a goalless draw with one of the league's strugglers. Nonetheless, the club has extended its unbeaten run in La Liga to 12 matches (7 wins and 5 draws). Ernesto Valverde's side is comfortably sitting in fourth place on the table, with a six-point gap over their nearest rival.
- Both teams have scored in 11 of Athletic's last 15 league games.
- The number "1" has appeared in the final score in 12 of the club's last 15 La Liga matches.
- The Basques have lost only once in the first half of their last 24 La Liga matches (11 wins and 12 draws).
Predicted lineups for Real Betis vs. Athletic Bilbao
Real Betis (4-2-3-1): Adrian Castillo – Angel Ortiz, Nathan, Sergio Arribas, Diego Llorente – Marc Roca, Joao Cardoso – Jesus Rodriguez, Abde Ezzalzouli, Isco – Vitor Hugo Roque.
Athletic Bilbao (4-2-3-1): Unai Simon – Yeray Alvarez, Andoni Gorosabel, Adama Bojro, Daniel Vivian – Mikel Vesga, Mikel Haurregui – Nico Williams, Inaki Williams, Alex Berenguer – Gorka Guruzeta.
The starting lineup for each team in their last match in this tournament is listed above.
Real Betis vs. Athletic Bilbao: Match Prediction
The Bilbao club last lost in the league at the beginning of October. They are on an impressive unbeaten run, the best active streak among all La Liga clubs. I predict this streak will not be broken after their visit to Betis. The Sevillians have not won at home for four La Liga matches (3 draws and 1 loss). It's also worth noting that in the current league, Betis has played five home games against teams from the top half of the table, winning only once (3 draws and 1 loss).
Meanwhile, Athletic Bilbao has not lost in six consecutive away matches in La Liga (3 wins and 3 draws). This season, the team has only lost away to Girona and Barcelona, claiming five wins and three draws. Only Real Madrid and Barcelona have collected more points in away matches in this La Liga campaign. Therefore, I give a slight preference to the Basques, who have only suffered one defeat this season against teams below them in the table.
My prediction: Athletic Bilbao with a handicap (0)
