Valencia-Real Betis Betting Preview: Back both teams to score at Mestalla

Mar 16, 2013 10:00:00 AM

Our La Liga expert Phil Kitromilides believes Saturday night's clash in Valencia will see neither side keep a clean sheet

With Barcelona so far ahead at the top of the table, and the relegation battle threatening to end with a whimper weeks before the culmination of the season, the most exciting facet in La Liga at the moment is the race to finish fourth.

Both Valencia and Real Betis are in with a real chance of claiming the final Champions League spot, and three points on Saturday night against a direct opponent could be a massive boost for the European aspirations of both sides.

William Hill price the home team as the clear favourites at Mestalla with Valencia available at 8/13 (1.61). Betis meanwhile can be backed at 9/2 (5.50), yet the trouble with the side from Seville is their chronic inconsistency.

Having been unable to win more than two league matches in a row all season, Betis have hitherto failed to put together the kind of run which would give real credence to their Champions League credentials.

And yet they remain in sixth place, a point away from the glamour and riches of the world's greatest club competition.

With Betis erratic then, and Valencia in a slight slump, backing either side could be risky. Instead, both teams to score looks like a good option and is offered at 3/4 (1.75) a price well worthy of some serious consideration.

In a season of steady disappointment, the one constant for Valencia has been their ability to score at home having netted in 12 of their 14 home matches in the league.

Betis for their part are, as previously alluded to, hard to predict, but their tally of 20 goals away from home is the fourth highest in La Liga, and having netted eight times in their last three matches they seem, in theory, to have at least one goal in them.

For a value bet back Betis to score over 1.5 goals at 11/4 (3.75) with this selection having paid out in each of their last three matches.

BET

OF THE

DAY

BEST BET

VALUE BET

Both teams to score at 3/4 (1.75) with William Hill

Betis to score over 1.5 goalst at 11/4 (3.75) with William Hill

Sign up with William Hill for a free £25 bet and back Phil's selections for this match

Phil Kitromilides is a sports anchor working on TV in Madrid. You can also follow Phil on Twitter.

Live!

Champions League final - LIVE!

German giants Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund will battle it out at Wembley for European glory. Get involved by sending us your thoughts via Twitter or Facebook! Hosted by Mark Doyle.

9:23 PM BST

Dortmund on level terms but perhaps lucky to be so. First, Alaba draws another full-stretch save out of Weidenfeller, before Mandzukic fires into the side netting after being slipped in by Muller, who is furious that the referee did not penalise Subotic for pulling him back. If Rizzoli had, that would have been a red for the centre-half, who was Dortmund's last man. Anyway, 10 minutes to go in this cracking contest!

9:21 PM BST

Unsurprisingly, things are really heating up in the pub our man Jay Jaffa is watching the game in with fans from both sides:

"Ilkay Gundogan drew the loudest cheers of the night until Neven Subotic's unbelievable goalline clearance. There's a more divided feel to the support in Bierschenke now and every Dortmund fan celebrated Subotic's saving challenge as if it was the winner. What an enthralling final this has been!"

9:18 PM BST

BRILLIANT FROM SUBOTIC! The sliding Serbian somehow manages to hook the ball off the line, after Muller had skipped around Weidenfeller and fired goalwards. Terrific defending! Moments later, Lewandowski does find the back of the net, with a stunning dipping volley from distance, but the whistle had already blown for a handball by the big Pole. We'll give Neuer the benefit of the doubt and say that's why he didn't get a hand on it!

9:14 PM BST

To score a penalty in a Champions League final takes real bottle (just ask John Terry!), so for Gundogan to convert what was his first ever spot-kick for Dortmund is seriously impressive. Talk about ice in the veins.

9:12 PM BST

... AND HE SCORES!!! Gundogan sends Neuer the wrong way, firing low to the goalkeeper's left to level the Champions League final. What a response from Dortmund! But seriously, what a terribly executed challenge from Dante! He didn't even get near the ball!

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