Real Betis vs Sporting Gijon Predictions, Betting Tips and Match Previews

Real Betis are a somewhat limited side but they have just a bit more quality in all areas of the pitch than Sporting Gijon, who have looked very poor in truth and appear to be heading for the drop. With home advantage Betis should have enough to claim maximum points here and they have been playing with a bit more confidence at the Estadio Benito Villamarín since Gus Poyet departed earlier in the season.

With Víctor Sánchez at the helm, they’ve won 4 out of 5 at home, drawing the other, so that gives them a bit of momentum to take into this match despite several recent defeats on their travels. While their 6-1 home loss to Real Madrid is hard to forget, they’ve actually defended well when they’ve hosted the weaker teams and Sporting certainly fall into that category. Betis have kept clean sheets in 56% of their home games in La Liga this term and have netted 1.33 goals per game on average themselves.

Their main goal threat remains veteran forward Ruben Castro. He has scored in all of his last 3 home appearances and has 8 goals in La Liga this term, 40% of Betis’ total. Against a weak Sporting Gijon defence, backing Ruben Castro to score anytime at 4/6 could be worth a punt.

Sporting Gijon have lost 9 of their last 10 matches in all competitions and have only taken 5 points from their last 15 league games. Therefore, it was no great shock to see coach Abelardo Fernández dismissed this week, despite the good work he did in getting them back to the top flight and keeping them there. The problem really is just a clear lack of quality in the squad, which is noticeably weaker than it was last year, when they survived by the skin of their teeth.

Rubi, who somewhat ominously steered Levante to relegation last season, is the man with the unenviable task of trying to keep them up but it’s hard to see that happening. Sporting have lost 78% of their away league games this season and have the worst overall away record in the division with just 2 points on their travels. With Betis looking better at home now, backing Real Betis to win at 8/11 looks like the most sensible bet here.