The closing game of the Spanish La Liga Round 12 is set for Monday, November 20th, 2017, when Eibar hosts Betis at Ipurua Municipal Stadium, and in this preview, we would like to take a closer look at this clash, as we expect to see some entertaining football from two talented teams.
Don’t waste your time, and check out our fresh betting tips and predictions, like always here on GetMoreSports.
EIBAR vs. BETIS
3-Way: 1: Eibar +154; X: +260 Draw; 2: Betis +210 at BetDSI Sportsbook
Spread 0: Eibar -125; Betis +123
Total +2.5: Over -105; Under +102
EIBAR
The Gunsmiths put on another bad performance in the previous round of the Spanish La Liga, when they were easily beaten by Real Sociedad at Anoeta, 3:1. It was their fifth loss in last seven La Liga games and they haven’t won a match since September 15th when they’ve beaten Leganes at Ipurua, 1:0. Meanwhile, The Gunsmiths recorded two draws at home and four defeats on the road with a 4:20 goal difference.
Eibar started the match at Anoeta quite aggressively, and they had the first scoring chance of the match in the 4th minute when Kike’s left-foot shot from the edge of the box was saved by Geronimo Rulli. Eight minutes later The Gunsmiths had another chance to take the lead when the striker Sergi Enrich tried to catch Real Sociedad’s keeper out of his goal, but he couldn’t get enough power on his shot from about 40 yards. Immediately after Sergi Enrich’s attempt, Real Sociedad took the lead. The home team needed a couple of passes to find Alvaro Odriozola on the right wing, and after his beautiful cross Eibar’s defense was helpless against Willian Jose’s header.
Since the opening goal, Eibar’s players lost their sharpness, and they made some amateur moves which led to the second goal. First, they were lucky after David Lomban’s awful back-header, when Adnan Januzaj missed the empty net. The second one in the 28th minute was lethal when the whole defense allowed Xabi Alonso to sneak behind them, rushing out after a corner kick. Sociedad’s captain had an easy job to find Januzaj for his first goal of the season. The Gunsmiths held out until the halftime, so their fans thought they could brace up, but in the 50th second of the second half, they allowed a ridiculous through ball from the opposition half. They were three goals down, and there was no way back. The talented midfielder Joan Jordan scored a real beauty in the 72nd minute, but it was nothing more than a consolation goal.
With all problems at the back, Eibar conceded 25 goals in 11 La Liga games this season, and the manager Jose Luis Mendilibar even tried with three centre-backs and two wing-backs again Real Sociedad. The Gunsmiths created 86 scoring chances, scoring only six goals, and they are the second most inefficient team in the Spanish La Liga. They are laying at the 17th spot of the table, just two points above the relegation zone. At home, Eibar earned five points out of five games with a 3:7 goal difference, while on the road they were disastrous with a 1-0-5 record and a 3:18 goal difference. The 33-year old striker Charles, who arrived from Malaga this summer, is a team’s leading scorer with two goals in ten appearances, while the last-year top scorer Sergi Enrich bagged only one goal in 11 matches this season. The best assist-maker is the left-back Jose Angel, who joined Eibar this summer from Porto on a free transfer, with two dishes in nine games.
The first choice between the sticks Yoel Rodriguez is recovering from ruptured cruciate ligament, and he’ll be sidelined for at least a month. The midfielder Fran Rico, and the winger Pedro Leon are both suffering from a knee injury, while the midfielder Gonzalo Escalante (sprained ankle) and the defender Ivan Ramis (knee injury) are still doubtful for the next match.
BETIS
The Big Greens played another thrilling game in the previous round of the Spanish La Liga when they managed to come back from a two-goal deficit to earn a 2:2 draw against Getafe in front of the home fans. It was their second draw of the season, the first at Benito Villamarin where they recorded four wins and one loss before the clash with Getafe.
Betis started the match with a huge chance in the 2nd minute when Jordi Amat’s header went just over the bar. The Big Greens continued to attack, but it was Getafe who took the lead in the 18th minute after Markel Bergara’s beautiful diving header. In the 34th minute, Getafe hit Betis on the counter to make it 2:0, and the fans at Benito Villamarin started to worry. Two minutes later the forward Sergio Leon had a massive opportunity from the edge of the six-yard box to cut the lead, but Vicente Guaita made a save of the week.
In the second half Getafe had a couple of great chances to triple the lead, and after they missed those opportunities, Antonio Sanabria scored on the other side from Betis’ first decent chance after the halftime. In the 87th minute, The Big Greens managed to level the game after Ryad Boudebouz’s brilliant right-foot strike from about 25 yards. They deservedly earned a point from this game, and it was a cruel punishment for Getafe’s players for their missed opportunities to conclude the match with a third goal.
After the first 11 rounds of the Spanish La Liga Betis is sitting at the eighth place with 17 points, a 21:20 goal difference and a form of DLWLD. They are just two points behind Sevilla at the sixth spot which leads to the UEFA Europa League next season. The team had a great start of the season, but in the last five games, their form is slightly descending. The 21-year old striker Antonio Sanabria is topping the club’s scoring chart with seven goals in the appearances, while Sergio Leon netted four times in nine matches this season. The 31-year old versatile midfielder Andres Guardado is still the best assistant with six dishes in 11 games, but he made the last one against Real Sociedad in the seventh round. Obviously, there are some problems at the defensive end, as only three teams conceded more goals than Betis.
The manager Quique Setien doesn’t have serious injury worries, but he will probably miss the centre-back Zouhair Feddal (leg injury), and the winger Joel Campbell (sprained ankle) for the next game against Eibar.
EIBAR VS. BETIS – Match Prediction
This one will be interesting to watch, as the home side desperately needs a win, while the visitors are playing attacking football with certain problems at the back. I think we’ll see some goals in this match, so I’ll go with the over.
MY PICK: Over 2.5 Goals (-105)
