Preview - Real Betis vs Atlético Madrid 03 February 19

[Harry85]

Match Day 22
Real Betis vs. Atlético Madrid
Sunday, February 3rd 2019
23:15pm (GMT+8 Timing)
Stadium: Benito Villamarín

Real Betis: 
Last five matches form: D L L W L
Average goals per match: 1.19
Average goals against per match: 1.24
Top Scorer: Canales (5)

Atlético Madrid:
Last five matches form: W D W W W
Average goals against per match: 1.53
Average goals against per match: 0.62
Top Scorer: Antoine Griezmann (10)


Another typically solid season from Atlético has seen the Madrid side emerge as the only real credible threat to Barcelona in the race for the La Liga title. They are going to need help from Barcelona slipping up, but continue to churn out the results to ensure they are ready to pounce on any mishaps. Next up for Diego Simeone's men it's a potentially tough trip to Real Betis on Match Day 22.


Atlético posted trademark 1-0 wins over Betis both in this game last season and at the Wanda Metropolitano earlier in the current campaign. They would no doubt happily take the same again here.


Wiliam Carvalho and Cristian Tello are out for Betis. Atlético must do without Diego Costa, Koke, Diego Godin and Stefan Savic. New loan signing Alvaro Morata is in line to make his debut.


Betis have struggled to really get anything going this season and head into this having lost three of their last four, conceding two or more in three of those games. They have lost only three of eleven at home so far - to Levante, Real Valladolid and Real Madrid.


Atlético have impressively lost only one of their opening 21 fixtures. With six wins in their past seven and three successive clean sheets they look to be arriving at this game right at the top of their game. They are rather prone to draws away from home though with six of their ten games on the road ending up all square.


Betis aren't particularly prolific and may struggle to break through. We fancy one goal may be enough for Atlético once again.




Prediction: Real Betis 0 - 1 Atlético Madrid

[Harry85]

Half time:  0 - 0
Full time: 0 - 1
Shots:  4 - 10
Shots on target: 3 - 5
Corner Kicks: 1 - 7
Possession: 51% - 49%

Four bookings for Real Betis in this one, with Aissa Mandi, Junior Firpo, Sergio Leon and Pau Lopez all seeing yellow. Referee Davide Medie Jimenez also took the names of Santiago Arias, Angel Correa and Lucas Hernandez of Atlético Madrid.

This is never an easy place to come, particularly when Betis are on their game defensively, and they were certainly up for this one. Atlético Madrid were predictably ahead on the shot count but couldn't find a way through, and in the end one goal was enough for the home side to pick up a big three points and deal a major blow to Atlético's title chances.

Betis went close inside the first ten minutes here when Jan Oblak was forced into a stunning one-handed stop to keep out a Zouhair Feddal header following a corner from the right. Both sides remained pretty solid after that. 0-0 at the break.

Antoine Griezmann had a decent chance for Atlético at the start of the second half when drifting an effort wide from just inside the area.

The games definitive moment came in the 65th minute. Filipe Luis handling in the area when the ball came in from the right and the referee pointing to the spot. Sergio Canales stepping up to drive home the penalty kick. Jan Oblak getting a hand on it but being unable to keep it out.

Atlético nearly equalised immediately when Griezmann curled in a fine effort from 25 yards to the right, only to see his effort come back off the left-hand post. Unlucky. And that's as close as the visitors would come to an equaliser. 1-0 finals score.


With Barcelona being held to a draw at home to Valencia, this could have been worse for Atlético. They stay second but are now six points behind the league leaders. Real Betis move all the way up into sixth and into the Europa League qualifying positions.