The Kings of Europe have had a rough year. Real Madrid have won the last three Champions League competitions, but it has been an uphill struggle since Zinedine Zidane and the club parted ways. Julen Lopetegui’s short tenure was disastrous and the club got off to a rough start, and that has continued despite promising early returns under Santi Solari. Real Madrid are fifth in the La Liga table, and they are looking to crack into the top four before the official halfway point of the year. This week, they travel to one of the hardest venues to play in to take on Real Betis.
Don't miss the Spanish La Liga action from Estadio Benito Villamarin in Seville, Spain at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, January 13, 2019. Catch every moment of the match live on beIN Sports.
Spanish La Liga Betting at BookMaker.eu
Real Betis +226
Real Madrid +110
Draw +276
Over/Under 3
Odds Analysis
Real Betis are continuing their ascent up the La Liga table. They finished in sixth place last year and qualified for the Europa League, and they are back to sixth place again this season. Betis pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the year two months ago when they knocked off Barcelona 4-3 in Camp Nou, and they have mostly held serve since that win. The club is 3-1-2 since defeating the Blaugrana, but they can’t be happy after being beaten by bottom of the table SD Huesca after two late goals last weekend.
Solari was able to steer Real Madrid to another trophy in late December when the club claimed another FIFA Club World Cup. Their results in league play have been woeful though, and the Bernabeu has not been the house of horrors that it typically is for opponents. After a Santi Cazorla brace earned Villarreal a draw against Madrid last week, they were expected to at least grab three points from Real Sociedad. The visitors had other plans though, shutting out Real Madrid after an early penalty kick put them up.
Injury Report
Sidnei will be out for Real Betis due to a shoulder injury that has plagued him for the last few weeks. Wilfrid Jaures Kaptoum is also a scratch because of a muscle injury, and Junior Firpo will miss one more match due to a thigh injury. Sergio Leon and Takashi Inui are both questionable.
Lucas Vazquez is going to be suspended for this match after being sent off against Real Sociedad last week. Gareth Bale will miss the match due to a strained calf, and many others have been ruled out as well. Toni Kroos, Marcos Llorente, Marco Asensio, and Thibaut Courtois won’t be able to go here. With so many injuries, Real Madrid are hopeful that Karim Benzema can return to the pitch.
Player to Watch
Luka Modric was named the best player in soccer last year, winning the Ballon d’Or for his efforts. He broke Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi’s joint grip on the award by taking Croatia all the way to the World Cup Final, and he was superb throughout Real Madrid’s run last year. He has vowed to shoot more as the club has not been as prolific on the attack as they usually are, and we’ll see whether or not that actually happens here.
La Liga Prop Bet – Will both teams score? Yes -188
Neither of these teams have played in particularly high scoring matches, but both of them should be able to create enough offense to break through at least once. Betis have the benefit of playing at home, while it’s hard to imagine Madrid being shut out in two straight matches.
Free Soccer Betting Pick
The draw is a great bet in this one given Real Madrid’s injury woes. This is not the overpowering juggernaut we have seen in recent years, and they are largely coasting on name alone.
Spanish La Liga Odds: Real Madrid 1, Real Betis 1
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