Atletico Madrid vs Real Betis
Atletico Madrid aim to return to winning ways as they host Real Betis at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano this Sunday evening. Diego Simeone’s men are merely wrapping up their 2024-25 La Liga campaign, having already secured a Champions League berth next season, and they’re keen on ending the season on a positive note. Los Rojiblancos are coming off a 2-0 defeat against Osasuna, snapping their three-game unbeaten run. They remain the third seed in the Spanish top-flight standings.
On the other hand, Real Betis are running out of time to qualify for the Champions League. It has been a frustrating week for Manuel Pellegrini’s men since they couldn’t get maximum points from their last two league matches against Rayo Vallecano and Osasuna. Los Verdiblancos are in sixth place with 59 points.
Real Betis will only qualify for the Champions League if they win their last two games and Villarreal lose their last two.
Talking Points
Atletico Madrid have a complete squad
Atletico Madrid had a fully fit squad against Osasuna, and no fresh issues have been reported, so Diego Simeone can deploy a strong lineup against Real Betis on Sunday.
Julian Alvarez is back in the mix after serving his one-match suspension against Real Sociedad. He started up front with fellow striker Alexander Sorloth against Osasuna but failed to find the back of the net. The Argentine striker is the team’s second-leading scorer with 15 league goals and two assists.
Antoine Griezmann, Samuel Lino, Nahuel Molina, and Conor Gallagher were rotated from the bench last week, and Simeone could reintroduce them into the starting lineup, relegating Alexander Sorloth, Koke, Pablo Barrios, and Giuliano Simeone. Thomas Lemar, Clement Lenglet, Rodrigo Riquelme, Reinildo Mandava, and Axel Witsel are additional options for the manager. Veteran goalie Jan Oblak is probably the only non-negotiable in the starting XI.
Los Rojiblancos boast the third-best home record in La Liga this season, with 43 points from 18 matches. However, Los Verdiblancos have been solid on the road, with 26 points from 18 away matches.
Real Betis must thread carefully
Manuel Pellegrini faces the difficult task of striking a balance between chasing a Champions League spot and winning the Europa Conference League final next week against Chelsea. In a perfect world, Real Betis would win all their games with a fully fit squad, but that is not the case.
Los Verdiblancos will likely miss the services of Diego Llorente and Chimy Avila due to their hamstring injuries. Juanmi, Marc Roca, and Hector Bellerin were given the doubtful tags ahead of Sunday night.
Real Betis are also sweating on the fitness of Youssouf Sabaly after he limped off the pitch in the first half against Rayo Vallecano. Aitor Ruibal will likely take Sabaly’s place in the starting XI if he doesn’t make it.
Antony and Isco have been talismanic for Real Betis in the second half of the 2024-25 campaign, and the pair is expected to lead the line with Cucho Hernandez.
History
Real Betis won 1-0 against Atletico Madrid in the reverse fixture last October, as they benefited from an own goal by Jose Maria Gimenez. It was their second La Liga home victory over Los Rojiblancos in their last 16 meetings (D4, L10). Manuel Pellegrini’s men can secure a league double over Atletico Madrid for only the fourth time in their history after 1986-87, 1994-95, and 2004-05.
However, Atletico Madrid have not lost any of their last 11 home games against Real Betis in La Liga (W10, D1). They’re on a six-game winning streak, their best run of consecutive home wins against Los Verdiblancos in their Spanish top-flight history. Los Rojiblancos’ last La Liga home loss against Los Verdiblancos was a 2-0 result in December 2011 before Diego Simeone took the managerial job.
Betting Tip
The La Liga 2025 odds back Los Rojiblancos to beat Los Verdiblancos this weekend. Atletico Madrid are favoured to win at 1.90, whereas Real Betis are pegged at 3.57, and a draw is at 3.40 in the 1X2 market.
Atletico Madrid are keen to put on a show in front of their home crowd, and with Real Betis as their opponents, SBOTOP football fans should expect some goals and La Liga 2025 highlights this Sunday, hence our recommended bet. Bettors can also consider options like Over 2.50 at 1.78 and Over 2.75 at 1.99.
However, if you fancy the visitors to score another upset, check out the Correct Score of 1-0 in their favour – the result of the reverse fixture – given its tempting 12.00 offer.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR (⭐) BETS ARE WORTH:
⭐⭐⭐= €20 (HIGHLY CONFIDENT)
⭐⭐= €10 (CONFIDENT)
⭐= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT)
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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