Betis take on the visitors Athletic Bilbao in the round 3 match of Spanish LaLiga. The match will be played on Sunday, August 31st at Estadio de La Cartuja (Sevilla).
Real Betis showed optimism last season. The “Cucumbers” seemed to be gradually losing ground under their experienced coach, who couldn’t repeat the success of the Copa del Rey triumph and was finishing lower in La Liga every year. But last season they managed to collect a solid 60 points — enough to secure a confident 6th place finish. Most importantly, they reached the UEFA Conference League final, although they were heavily beaten by Chelsea there, and at the same time lost their shining loanee, Antony. They couldn’t keep him, and other setbacks followed — from key sales to another serious injury for Isco. Perhaps because of that, they opened the new campaign only with a draw away to newly-promoted Elche, conceding an equaliser in the 81st minute for 1-1. Then they beat Alaves 1-0, and this week played their rescheduled fixture against Celta — again trading goals in another 1-1 draw. Betis still look solid in attack, but their defensive lapses remain a concern. At the same time, their home form continues to give them confidence, as they rarely drop points at the Benito Villamarín.
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Athletic are a historic powerhouse of Spanish football, but with their unique policy of fielding only local players, albeit with some exceptions. Still, since reuniting with Ernesto Valverde, they’ve managed to achieve remarkable progress. It didn’t work out on the first attempt — Osasuna stood in the way. But in 2024, Athletic finally lifted the Copa del Rey, their first major trophy in exactly 40 years. Last season, they went all the way to the Europa League semi-finals before being stopped by Manchester United, and at the same time finished 4th in La Liga with 70 points. This year, after keeping hold of Nico Williams, they started with a thrilling 3-2 victory over Sevilla at San Mamés, followed by a narrow 1-0 win over Rayo Vallecano. Their ability to grind out results in tight games is impressive, especially with their strong defensive organisation. Moreover, their attacking line, led by the Williams brothers, looks increasingly dangerous with every passing week.
Two seasons ago, the clubs exchanged home wins. In the 2024/25 campaign, however, both meetings ended in draws. Both managers are known for their pragmatic style, so “under 2.5 goals” seems like the most logical bet.
Prediction for the match: Under 2.5 scored goals.
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