Betis vs Valladolid prediction: SPAIN: LaLiga betting tips on match 2023-02-17 15:15.
Real Betis remain within close proximity of La Liga’s (LL) top four despite conceding two equalisers against AlmerĂa in a 3-2 away win during the last round. Defending has been a recent issue for the home side who have now conceded goals in five consecutive halves of LL football, so the arrival of a low scoring opposition in the form of Valladolid to the Estadio Benito VillamarĂn will be most timely.
Manager Manuel Pellegrini gave some revealing insight into where he thinks the club is at when describing that win as “three very important points to … stay in the Europa League fight”. After losing to Celta Vigo (4-3) and Barcelona (2-1) in their two most recent LL home fixtures, he can be forgiven for not wanting to discuss a top four finish and a subsequent Champions League place, even if wins against upcoming opponents Valladolid and Elche could put them right back in the mix.
Valladolid have different issues and are in the midst of a bottom-half logjam in which 11th and 19th were separated by just five points going into this round. Following their 0-0 draw at home to Osasuna, in which manager Pacheta felt they were “closer to victory than defeat”, the boss was glowing in his appraisal of a defensive unit that has now stitched together a trio of consecutive clean sheets (W2, D1), matching the total three they managed during the first 18 games of the LL season.
The visiting side have shown glimpses of matching it with top-half opposition in the past, with an above average 29% win rate as pre-match outsiders (W5, D2, L10) earning them enough points to hold their mid-table position. Betis know first hand just how difficult Valladolid’s defence can be at their best too, as they were the second club this LL season to fail to score against them (D 0-0) in the reverse H2H.
Players to watch: He wasn’t on the scoresheet last round, but with wins in all seven of his goalscoring appearances this LL season, Betis should benefit if Borja Iglesias returns to the scoresheet. Valladolid may hand Canadian recruit Cyle Larin his first start after he scored in his first two club appearances.
Hot stat: All but one of Valladolid’s last seven LL fixtures produced 0-0 half-time results.