The closing game of the Spanish La Liga sixth round between Betis and Levante set for Monday, September 25th is going to be one of the derby matches as both teams have been in good form recently. The visitors are still undefeated after the first five rounds, while Betis got their third win of the season shocking Real Madrid at Santiago Bernabeu in the previous round.
Both teams showed us some tremendous performances heretofore, so we are hoping for another thrilling match. What else could we expect after a Betis’ upset against Los Blancos, and Levante’s magic goals versus Real Sociedad? In this preview we would like to give you more details about these two teams, so you can stay tuned and pick the best betting solution.
BETIS vs. LEVANTE
3-Way: 1: Betis -108; X: +270 Draw; 2: Levante +390
Spread -0.5: Betis -115; Levante +108
Total +2.5: Over +114; Under -116
BETIS
The Los Verdiblancos have shocked the whole world in the previous round of the Spanish La Liga beating the defending champion Real Madrid at Santiago Bernabeu, 1:0. Quique Setien’s team was working hard throughout the game, fighting bravely against one of the strongest teams on the Earth, and the reward came deep in the stoppage time when Antonio Sanabria netted for the biggest upset from the start of the season. Betis’ victory was deserved, for it came as a result of a disciplined team play and organized defending. A lot of credit goes to the manager Quique Setien who prepared his guys for the clash, knowing exactly how to attack the fragile defense of Real Madrid.
Betis had the first big scoring chance of the match in the third minute when Sanabria’s shot past the goalkeeper, but Dani Carvajal cleared it from the goal line. Seven minutes later the same situation was on the other side when Ronaldo’s shot was cleared by Javi Garcia. Betis had another great opportunity to take the lead in the 34th minute when Fabian Ruiz’s shot was tipped over by Keylor Navas. His colleague Adan also had a couple of top-notch saves in the first half.
In the 55th minute, Betis had one more chance to score, when Francis Guerrero was all alone in front of Keylor Navas, but he blasted it way over the crossbar. From that moment Betis was pretty lucky as Real Madrid missed some excellent scoring chances. The punishment came in the injury time, when Antonio Sanabria’s header shocked the Real’s fans, after a Barragan’s beautiful cross. It was Betis’ fourth big scoring chance of the game, and a well deserved winning goal.
The Los Verdiblancos will now have to fight against complacency, as they are approaching the clash against Levante. Quique Setien can count on some experienced players, hoping they will do the job on Monday. Javi Garcia proved he’s going to be a great addition to the squad after arriving from the Russian side Zenit. Antonio Barragan, Andres Guardado, and Joaquin could be helpful, as they have a lot of matches in their feet. However, there are some young guys among the squad like Antonio Sanabria, Victor Camarasa and Francis Guerrero who could feel the pressure after this kind of success.
It is going to be difficult to keep the focus, as Quique Setien surely knows how to do it. He can count on all players for the match against Levante, except the winger Joel Campbell who’s out with a knee surgery. The left-back Alin Tosca is doubtful due to a hand injury.
LEVANTE
Thanks to the Levante’s players we had a chance to see two magnificent goals in the previous round of the Spanish La Liga when they defeated Real Sociedad, 3:0, in front of the home fans. The Frogs took the lead just before the halftime when Chema’s tremendous volley finished in the top right corner of Sociedad’s goal. The Macedonian midfielder Enis Bardhi certified the victory with a beautiful free kick shot, while this time the ball ended in a top left corner.
Levante is one of the biggest positive surprises so far, as they are still undefeated after the first five rounds. With two wins and three draws (one of them was against Real Madrid at Santiago Bernabeu), the Frogs are sitting at the fifth place of the Spanish La Liga table. We have to mention that they have played four games at home, but it doesn’t diminish their success. Beating Villarreal and Real Sociedad at home is surely a great result.
The Levante’s manager Juan Ramon Lopez Muniz is approaching the attacking football, preferring a 4-5-1 formation. His team has created 48 goal scoring chances in the first five games, scoring eight times. However, six of them came after set pieces. The 22-years old Enis Bardhi is playing his first La Liga season after he arrived from the Hungarian side Ujpest this summer, and he is already a go-to-guy in the Levante’s midfield. Bardhi has created ten scoring opportunities for his teammates, adding three goals to his name so far. The Frogs’ fans can’t wait to see more from the talented youngster.
At the defensive end, the team is playing pretty responsible, as they’ve conceded just four goals in five matches. A lot of credit goes to their goalkeeper Raul Fernandez, as his teammates are winning just 41% of duels per game. However, they are not making any crucial mistakes, and that is important information for Levante’s manager.
There are some injury worries among the squad as the defensive midfielder Jefferson Lerma is sidelined due to a muscle injury, along with the right-back Ivan Lopez who damaged a muscle fiber. The striker Roger Marti will be unavailable until the next year because of the ruptured cruciate ligament.
BETIS vs. LEVANTE – Match Prediction
This match is surely one of those with the uncertain outcome, and it’s going to be difficult to predict the final result. Levante is still unbeaten, and maybe it is time for the first defeat. Betis showed some excellent attacking skills against Real Madrid in the previous round, and if they play as they did at Santiago Bernabeu, they have a great chance to win.
I’m looking for a tight game with a huge battle in the midfield, and I think one goal could decide the clash. Betis is my favorite in this one, and I’ll put my money on the Los Verdiblancos. If I had to place the bet on goals, I would go with Under 2.5 goals.
MY PICK: Betis to Win (-108)
ADDITIONAL PICK: Under 2.5 goals (-116)
