The top two teams in La Liga will go head to head this Saturday at the Santiago Bernabeu. Both Real Madrid and Real Betis enter this contest with nine points, having won all three of their games so far this season.
This will be a gritty contest in what will be the home opener for Madrid. Two late goals from Karim Benzema led Los Blancos past Espanyol last weekend, while Betis was able to hold off Osasuna to grab a 1-0 victory at home.
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This matchup features two of the top three goal scorers this season in Borja Iglesias and Benzema. Iglesias has tallied an impressive four goals in the first three games, while Benzema is only one behind him. Even more impressive is that Iglesias has only attempted six shots so far this season, so he is currently sporting a 67% goal conversion rate.
Let’s look at the betting odds for this Week 4 matchup between Real Madrid and Real Betis.
Ani Sridhar’s 2022-23 La Liga Betting Record: 8-5 (+4.2 units)
Real Madrid v Real Betis Odds
- 3-Way Handicap: Real Madrid -225 | Draw +375| Real Betis +550
- Over/Under Goals: Over 2.5 ( -200) | Under 2.5 (+140)
- Both Teams to Score: Yes -145| No +105
Espanyol v Real Madrid odds are current as of Aug. 30 at 11:30 a.m. ET on BetMGM Sportsbook.
A close game is expected in Madrid this weekend as the last six matches between the two sides have resulted in either a draw or been decided by only one goal. Additionally, the last three meetings of these teams at the Bernabeu have finished in 0-0 draws.
Betting on a draw at (+375) looks like great value considering the history between the two clubs, but it is tough to go against Real Madrid in their home opener.
Real Madrid v Real Betis Betting Tips
Battle of philosophies will decide Madrid vs Betis outcome
Manuel Pellegrini is a possession-minded manager and will play five Betis midfielders in this contest to control the pace of play. He has usually instituted a 4-4-2, but with Betis he prefers a 4-2-3-1. This allows for a slow build up in the attack with almost everyone in the lineup touching the ball before it reaches the final third.
Unfortunately for Betis, this could leave them vulnerable to the counter attack, which Madrid thrived on last season. They scored eight goals on the counter last year, which was the most in La Liga and fourth most amongst all European clubs.
Real Madrid is built for the counter with speedy winger Vinícius Jr. running onto balls from midfielders Toni Kroos and Luka Modrić, who have excellent vision to pick out the right pass. Their attack usually flows through Kroos, who more likely than not will play a bit behind the midfielders and take on the role of connecting the backline and the attack.
Real Madrid v Real Betis Prediction
Real Madrid 2-0 Real Betis
I thought last week would be the first shutout of the season for Madrid, but I’m going back to the well this Saturday. The last time Betis scored against Madrid was in 2020 when there were no fans in the stadium.
Two of the last three meetings between these teams ended in a 0-0 draw with only a 1-0 Madrid victory in 2021 in between them.
Goals are a luxury in this matchup.
Real Madrid v Real Betis Best Bets
➕ Both Teams to Score: No (+105) at BetMGM Sportsbook
WAGER: 1 unit
As I mentioned earlier there haven’t been a lot of goals in this matchup recently. I’m not confident enough to bet another 0-0 draw, but there is value here for one of these teams to be held off the scoresheet.
With the possession-based style that Betis plays, the pace of play will also be slow, so they will have to capitalize on the minimal chances they get.
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➕ Under 2.5 Goals Scored (+140) at BetMGM Sportsbook
WAGER: 1 unit
It’s a bit surprising that the betting markets are favoring the over in this contest when recent history shows that this matchup is usually a defensive battle. I expect a low-scoring affair so I’m backing the Under on 2.5 goals scored.
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