Sevilla v Real Betis: La Liga betting preview, free tips and where to watch

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for Sevilla v Real Betis in La Liga on Thursday.

Where to watch

LaLigaTV, 9pm Thursday

Best bet

Sevilla
1pt 10-11 BoyleSports

Team news

Sevilla
Top scorer Lucas Ocampos is a doubt having missed training due to a muscle issue. Midfielder Nemanja Gudelj is ruled out through suspension.

Real Betis
Juanmi is expected to be available having missed most of the season with a foot injury but he may have to be content with a place on the bench.

Match preview

La Liga’s lockdown is set to end in style when fierce rivals Sevilla and Real Betis clash in the 131st edition of El Gran Derbi.

Known as Spain's most colourful and passionate derby, the latest meeting between the Andalusian adversaries restarts the country's love affair with football after three long months without a ball being kicked in anger.

There is still plenty to be decided in La Liga with 11 rounds remaining, including whether Sevilla can secure Champions League qualification.

Sevilla have outperformed pre-season expectations following another summer littered with the departures of key men. Former Spain and Real Madrid boss Julen Lopetegui has managed to rebuild his reputation at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, establishing an aggressive 4-3-3 system which has powered the club into third place.

However, there can be no let-up from Sevilla with just five points between them and seventh-placed Valencia.

Real Betis had also hoped to be in the fight for Europe this season after landing France international Nabil Fekir last summer. While Fekir has performed well, he has been let down by his teammates and Betis are 12th, nearly as far from the European places as they are from the relegation zone.

With little to play for in the league, victory in the derby will be a big target for Rubi’s Betis side who went into the enforced break basking in a shock 2-1 win over Real Madrid which snapped a seven-game winless streak.

However, that triumph over Real came at home, where Betis have collected the large majority of their points this season. If they manage to beat Sevilla it would be only their second away win of the campaign.

That will be easier said than done as Sevilla have been beaten at home just twice in 18 matches. They are odds-on to claim the three points for the third derby in a row, having won the reverse fixture 2-1 in November.

One concern for the hosts is the potential absence of top goalscorer Lucas Ocampos, who had scored in four straight league games going into lockdown.

Even without the Argentinian talisman, Sevilla should get chances against a generous Betis defence who have conceded an average of more than 1.5 goals per game. And Lopetegui’s men look worth backing to ring in the return of La Liga in the best way possible for those of a red-and-white persuasion in Seville.

Key stat

Five of the last six meetings between Sevilla and Real Betis have featured over 2.5 goals.

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