Real Betis vs Barcelona Betting Tips, Prediction, Odds
The Supercopa de Espana kicks off on Wednesday, as Spanish football’s mini-tournament will crown the winner of the Super Cup. The 2021-22 Copa del Rey winners, Real Betis, will face off with last season’s La Liga runners-up Barcelona on night No 2 of the tournament. The game will take place on Thursday, January 12, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Real Betis and Barcelona will meet for the first time this season on Thursday night, with the chance to progress to the Super Cup final. Betis go into the game in good form with three straight games in all competitions ending without defeat. Manuel Pellegrini’s team picked up a 2-1 win against Rayo Vallecano in La Liga last time out.
Barcelona are unbeaten in seven straight games in all competitions. The Blaugrana won 1-0 against Atletico Madrid at the weekend in the Spanish capital.
On the other side of the bracket are last season’s La Liga winners Real Madrid and Copa del Rey runners-up Valencia. Which sides will reach the Supercopa de Espana final on Sunday, January 15?
Sportsbooks have Barcelona as the favourite to win the fixture at odds of 1/2. Real Betis are underdogs at odds of 5/1. Bookmakers have the teams at odds of 10/3 to draw at full-time.
Real Betis vs Barcelona Team News
The Supercopa de Espana is Xavi’s first chance to win silverware as Barcelona manager. With all of the financial issues Barcelona face, winning the Super Cup will be seen as a victory for the club. Barcelona face an uncertain future due to their financial issues and poor money management over the last decade. Xavi should play a strong side to lead the La Liga leaders into the mini-tournament's final.
Xavi has no fitness issues going into the game. Robert Lewandowski was suspended for Barcelona’s weekend La Liga win over Atletico. Striker Ferran Torres will be suspended for Barcelona’s next La Liga match.
Barcelona wonderkid Ansu Fati could be given the chance to play on Thursday. The 20-year-old is still suffering from complications from four knee surgeries. He has played 23 times in all competitions scoring four goals and assisting three. Due to his fitness and injury problems, Fati has completed 90 minutes just once this season for Barcelona.
Betis manager Pellegrini will also play a strong XI. This could be Betis’ only shot at silverware after winning the Copa del Rey last season. Defender Youssouf Sabaly is ruled out until February with an ankle injury. Midfielders Paul Akoukou and Juan Cruz are both major doubts due to muscle injuries.
Real Betis vs Barcelona H2H
Barcelona have won the most Supercopa de Espana trophies with 13 all-time. The Blaugrana’s record is in danger this season, however. Real Madrid won their 12th Super Cup last season and could tie Barcelona’s mark of 13 this season.
Barcelona dominated their head-to-head series of matches against Real Betis across the teams’ last 10 head-to-head encounters. The Blaugrana won eight times and lost twice to Los Verdiblancos. Betis picked up a 1-0 win at Camp Nou last season while Barcelona won the reverse fixture 2-1.
Eight of the last 10 games between these teams in all competitions ended with over 2.5 goals. Seven of the last 10 matches between these teams saw both teams score goals.
Pellegrini has faced Barcelona 30 times in his long career as a manager. The Real Betis boss has a pitiful record against the Blaugrana with five wins, four draws, and 21 losses. Xavi, on the other hand, has faced Betis just two times with both games being played in 2021-22. He won once and lost once against Los Verdiblancos.
Real Betis vs Barcelona Betting Tips
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Barcelona’s defence is playing relatively well in all competitions but they do concede goals. Three of their last four games in all competitions saw them concede goals and both teams scored during the match. The teams are at odds of 7/10 to both score on Thursday night in the Super Cup semifinal.
A Betis double chance win or draw is at the attractive odds of 6/4. Pellegrini will play a strong XI with the chance to win a trophy. The Super Cup would mean everything to Betis’s supporters, especially if they defeat Barcelona and Madrid to get it. A draw would see the game go to extra time.
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Barcelona are odds-on favourites to win the game. Yet, leading bookmakers have them at odds of 1/2. The Blaugrana aren’t massive favourites ahead of kick-off. Eight of the last 10 games between Betis and Barcelona saw over 2.5 goals. The teams are at the best odds of 8/13 to end the night with more than 2.5 goals scored.
Barcelona have played well defensively. However, many of their clean sheets have come against inferior La Liga teams. The amount of money to spend on top players is not available in Spain like it was at one time. This has allowed Barcelona to ease past teams in the lower half of the table. Barcelona’s 12 clean sheets in 23 games in all competitions could very well be misleading.
Real Betis vs Barcelona Prediction
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Real Betis should give Barcelona a difficult game on Thursday night. Betis have scored 35 goals in all competitions for an average of 1.52 per game. Their defence has been fantastic, conceding 18 times for an average of 0.78 goals against per match.
Although Betis and Barcelona have a long La Liga history against each other, the teams have not played this season. Betis went to Camp Nou and won 1-0 against Barcelona last season, showing they can defeat the Catalans.
Bookmakers’ betting odds on a draw at full-time are 10/3. Barcelona drew two of their last three games in all competitions, and Betis are good enough to get a full-time stalemate to force extra time. Betis will be up for this game and the chance to win silverware. Our betting tips prediction is for a 2-2 draw at full-time, with Barcelona unable to put away last season’s Copa del Rey winners.
