Villarreal vs Real Betis
La Liga fans should take note of the upcoming clash between Villarreal and Real Betis at the Estadio de la Ceramica this Sunday evening.
The reason why this SBOTOP writer came up with such conclusion is because this will pose big ramifications as far as the European qualification spots are concerned.
Villarreal and Real Betis are close to each other in the updated Spanish top-flight standings, placing between fifth to seventh, so a win or a loss here would help determine on whether they can achieve their season objectives.
As of the moment, the hosts own the edge since they have 36 points compared to Real Betis’ 30. Meanwhile, the club that is standing between them is the sixth-seeded Real Sociedad, who have 35 points.
It’s no secret that Villarreal and Real Betis have aspirations of making it to Europe by the end of this term. However, given their recent La Liga 2021 results, more improvements are needed to be made.
Villarreal have had too many draws as of late, whereas Real Betis are coming off of a tough loss against Barcelona after gathering important victories few weeks ago.
Seasoned tacticians Unai Emery and Manuel Pellegrini will figure in a chess match, so first let us examine both of these clubs in this match preview.
Talking Points
Villarreal find it hard to close teams out
Team manager Unai Emery has done a commendable job in guiding his men at the cusp of an European berth. But the job is not yet finished and there’s still more work to do.
For sure he isn’t fully satisfied with their results recently, despite going undefeated since the start of 2021.
In their last five league games, the Yellow Submarine have tallied one win and four draws, which is somehow disappointing since most of those games were considered winnable.
Closing out games down the stretch has been the Achilles heel for Villarreal as they would often have the early lead, only to see it vanish towards the end of the game.
This was the case in all of their four draws against Granada, Huesca, Real Sociedad, and Elche in the last time out.
Besides Gerard Moreno and Paco Alcacer, who have accounted for 21 goals and five assists, Villarreal need their other players to step up big.
But unfortunately for the Yellow Submarine, most of their midfielders have experienced knocks – leaving Dani Parejo as the only influential presence that can help create more attacking opportunities.
Nabil Fekir needs to re-assert himself for Real Betis
When Nabil Fekir joined Real Betis from Lyon in 2019, many have dubbed him as one of the up-and-coming stars in La Liga.
He has shown glimpses of his full potential as his ballhandling trickery and searing pace helped him record seven goals and seven assists, although his team only finished 15th last season.
But this term, the Frenchman has yet to hit his stride since he only has one goal and five assists under his belt.
Sergio Canales has taken the lead playmaking role and is successful under coach Manuel Pellegrini’s system, which sometimes makes Fekir looking like a surplus.
But you can never have too much depth in the midfield especially in this day and age. And in order for Los Verdiblancos to earn an European qualification, Fekir must take it upon himself to adjust and deliver for his club.
History
Since the turn of the century, Villarreal and Real Betis have locked horns in 31 occasions.
The Yellow Submarine have the upper hand in the head-to-heads with 13 victories, while Los Verdiblancos won in nine games along with nine draws.
This Sunday marks the second time that they’ll meet this 2020/21 La Liga season.
In the reverse fixture last December 13, both teams shared the spoils via a 1-1 draw as Pau Torres and Aitor Ruibal exchanged goals.
Prior to that, Villarreal have won three of their last four meetings versus Real Betis by scoring at least two goals.
Betting Tip
 |
 |
Villarreal vs Real Betis | Under 2.50 @ 1.92 |
| February 14, 04:00 (GMT+8) |
The La Liga 2021 odds are leaning towards a victory for the Yellow Submarine, albeit via a small margin.
Villarreal are priced at 1.92 to win, while Real Betis are placed at 3.90 and a draw is at 3.45 in the 1×2 market.
Although I agree that the hosts have a better chance of winning, I am leaning towards recommending for you to place your wagers on having a low-scoring affair, making Under 2.50 @ 2.12 the best bet.
With high stakes involved, Villarreal vs Real Betis is easily one of the matches to look forward to in Week 23 as this game can go either way.
Just like in the reverse fixture, we should expect nothing less but a contest filled with intensity and drama.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR ( ) BETS ARE WORTH: |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| = €20 (Highly confident) |
 = €10 (CONFIDENT) |
= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT) |
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Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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