Athletic Bilbao vs Real Betis Preview & Prediction | 2023-24 Spanish Primera
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THE FACTS
When is Athletic Bilbao vs Real Betis on and what time does it start? Athletic Bilbao vs Real Betis will take place on Sunday 27th August, 2023 – 20:30 (UK)
Where can I get tickets for Athletic Bilbao vs Real Betis? Visit each club’s official website for the latest ticket information
What TV channel is Athletic Bilbao vs Real Betis on in the UK? Athletic Bilbao vs Real Betis will be televised live on LaLigaTV, but La Liga matches are also televised occasionally on Viaplay Sports and ITV
Where can I stream Athletic Bilbao vs Real Betis in the UK? Athletic Bilbao vs Real Betis can be streamed live on Viaplay, while ITV matches can be streamed live on ITVX
THE LOWDOWN
ATHLETIC BILBAO
Last season, Athletic Club missed out on a top seven finish and UEFA Europa Conference League qualification on the final day of the season, with a loss to Osasuna in the final weeks of the season proving crucial. Osasuna also defeated Athletic over two legs in the Copa del Rey semi-final last season so last week would’ve been sweet for the Basque club as they defeated the Pamplona club by two goals to nil.
Athletic players healthily acknowledged their lethargy in the opening game of the season when they were comfortably beaten by Real Madrid. They bucked their ideas up last weekend, though, as Ernesto Valverde had some of the pressure relieved on him with Inaki Williams and Gorka Guruzeta scoring early in the first-half to give them a 2-0 victory.
REAL BETIS
Manuel Pellegrini has had to put up with Real Betis, like many clubs across Spain and especially in Spain’s top-flight, having to sell and sell and sell before they can thinking about buying and it has been another summer transfer window performed on the cheap for the Andalusians but they have been quite shrewd with their business as both Isco and Hector Bellerin have already made an impact.
Betis began the season with a dramatic and last gasp 2-1 win away at Villarreal on the opening day of the season with former Real Sociedad striker Willian Jose scoring a 95th minute winner. They followed that up with a more then respectable goalless draw with likely title challengers Atletico Madrid at the Benito Villamarin last weekend in scorching temperatures which contributed to there being just one shot on target in the entirety of the match.
THE TEAM NEWS
ATHLETIC BILBAO
Ernesto Valverde are without several key players for this weekend’s clash with the likes of Yeray Alvarez, Yuri Berchiche and Oscar de Marcos injured, as well as Oihan Sancet due to suspension.
PREDICTED XI (4-2-3-1): Simon; Areso, Vivian, Paredes, Garcia de Albeniz; Vesga, Ruiz de Galarreta; I.Williams, Berenguer, N.Williams; Guruzeta
UNAVAILABLE: Sancet (Suspended), de Marcos (Injured), Nolaskoain (Injured), Garcia (Injured), Yeray (Injured), Berchiche (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE:
REAL BETIS
Manuel Pellegrini is also without some key players due to injury with William Carvalho and Nabil Fekir still out, as well as goalkeeper Claudio Bravo and so, conveniently, is Luis Henrique.
PREDICTED XI (4-2-3-1): Silva; Sabaly, Pezzella, Luiz Felipe, Abner; Rodriguez, Roca; Ruibal, Isco, Ayoze; Iglesias
UNAVAILABLE: Luiz Henrique (Injured), Bravo (Injured), Carvalho (Injured), Fekir (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE:
THE PREDICTION
Athletic Club are limited in their resources because of the ‘cantera’ policy which means they must only sign or register players of Basque heritage or born in the Basque Country. That means when they have a crisis in terms of personnel like they do this weekend, they are down to bare bones. They face a Real Betis side that are also missing key players but have still managed to collect four points from two matches. These two sides will simply try and stumble their way through to the end of the transfer window and the international break so a low-scoring encounter whereby not much happens is quite likely.
TIP: UNDER 2.5 GOALS
