Villarreal vs Betis prediction: SPAIN: LaLiga betting tips on match 2023-03-11 17:30.
Two Spanish clubs who failed to win their respective midweek continental matches will look to continue pushing for their places in next season’s UEFA competitions via the league, and on the back of some winning momentum. Having now won two La Liga (LL) games in a row, Villarreal will look to close the gap on fifth-placed opponents Real Betis from four points to one with a win here, which would put them back in the mix for a return to the Champions League (UCL) after spending this season in the third-tier Europa Conference League.
Their next four LL fixtures, which include trips to El Sadar and the Bernabeu on either side of a visit from Real Sociedad, are truly going to put Villarreal where they belong – for better or worse. Quique SetiĂ©n’s men are certainly going to have to improve on their poor LL record (W3, L8) against clubs that start this matchweek in the top half of the standings if they are to keep pace in the UCL race.
After former Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini admitted he enjoyed watching Manchester United’s recent 7-0 loss to Liverpool, he then suffered the bitter humiliation of a 4-1 Europa League loss away to the Red Devils. That leaves a top-five LL finish as their only realistic path back to either of UEFA’s top-two competitions next season, therefore maintaining their four-point buffer in fifth place must be Pellegrini’s ultimate focus.
After three straight wins against bottom-half opponents, Betis reminded the elite LL competitors they were capable of matching them by then securing a point at home to second-placed Real Madrid (0-0). That, in combination with four wins from their last five LL away trips (L1) and a 1-0 win in the reverse H2H, should inject Betis with the confidence they need to grab all three points here.
Players to watch: With his match-opening goal against AlmerĂa, Villarreal’s Gerard Moreno has now scored in seven wins across all club competitions this season. Of the seven Betis players to have scored across their last five LL away games, Borja Iglesias is the only one to do so twice in that period.
Hot streak: Betis’ last ten LL matches were either drawn or decided by a one-goal margin (W5, D2, L3).