THE ULTRA ON SUNDAY: Our football tipster The Ultra previews Sunday’s top European action with a recommended BETDAQ bet. The first match previewed is SEVILLA v REAL BETIS in La Liga at 3.15pm.
SEVILLA V REAL BETIS
3.15pm The fantastic fixtures around Europe just keep coming and we have another excellent day ahead on BETDAQ Betting Exchange on Sunday. We have some huge games in La Liga and Serie A today, and we start with a massive game between Sevilla and Real Betis. This game is probably bigger from a Real Betis point of view because Sevilla dropped further points last weekend and they started this weekend six points behind Real Madrid at the top of the table. As I have been saying, I always felt Real Madrid wouldn’t have feared Sevilla at all, but it would have been nice if Sevilla could get close and put the pressure on. They were given multiple chances by Real too as they have lost once and drawn twice already in 2022 but Sevilla could never take advantage. Given Atletico Madrid have fallen out of the Top Four in recent weeks and Barcelona are seemingly going in the right direction now, Atletico fans will be looking towards Real Betis hoping they fall out of the top four.
Since losing 2-0 to Villarreal at the start of the month Betis haven’t put a foot wrong. They have recorded two wins in La Liga with good xG figures, and they saw off Zenit St Petersburg in the Europa League. They only needed a draw on Thursday night and they delivered a pretty textbook boring 0-0 given they lead from the first leg. Sevilla did pretty much the same thing on Thursday – they lost 1-0 but they had a two goal advantage from the first leg so they just had to play out as boring a second leg as possible away from home. Sevilla haven’t really been firing up front lately, and although they tend to grind out games more so than blow teams away. Real Betis have been much better up front this season, scoring nearly two goals per La Liga game. As always, it all comes down to the odds and I feel the value play is the Sevilla lay at 2.36. Betis have been very impressive this season, and they are going to make life very difficult for Sevilla here. There’s every chance they create more and win the game, but the Sevilla lay also gives us the draw on our side too.
The Ultra Says:
Three points lay (liability) Sevilla to beat Real Betis at 2.36 with BETDAQ BETTING EXCHANGE.
You can view all markets here -> https://bit.ly/BDQSvlBet
REAL SOCIEDAD V OSASUNA
5.30pm We stay in La Liga next as Real Sociedad host Osasuna. This is a very interesting game from a betting point of view with Sociedad trading odds on. They come into this game out of form in my view, and you only have to look at their xG figures to see that they are struggling. Whether or not Osasuna are good enough to take advantage is another question, but I believe the 1.9 on Sociedad is too short. After going into the second leg at 2-2 with home advantage against RB Leipzig, they were totally outplayed by RB Leipzig on Thursday. That came off the back of a 4-0 loss to Athletic Bilbao last weekend, and apart from a win against Granada recently they have been playing poor football in general lately. They did similar last season, started really fast and finished very poorly. This seems an ideal time to take on Sociedad in my opinion, and I can’t have them at odds on here. Osasuna lost 3-0 to Atletico Madrid last weekend, but they didn’t play that badly and can say they were unlucky to lose based purely on xG figures. Osasuna have actually been very impressive away from home this season too.
Based purely on away form, Osasuna are sitting in the top four this season. That’s very eye-catching, especially when you consider that Sociedad are clearly struggling at the moment. Osasuna are actually scoring more goals away from home this season than Sociedad at home, which is another eye-catching stat. I can see this being a very close and competitive game, and if I had to get involved in the goal markets I’d happily back under 2.5 goals. However, I can’t get away from the Sociedad lay at 1.9. I just can’t have them at odds on here looking at everything going into this fixture. It seems an ideal time to take on Sociedad and you have a side in Osasuna who have been fantastic away from home this season. The away form table is a telling stat here in my opinion and I’m happy to have a Max Lay on Sociedad at the odds. I feel the market is totally wrong here.
The Ultra Says:
Five points lay (liability) Real Sociedad to beat Osasuna at 1.9 with BETDAQ BETTING EXCHANGE.
You can view all markets here -> https://bit.ly/BDQSocOsa
LAZIO V NAPOLI
7.45pm Next we move to Serie A for a massive game between Lazio and Napoli. It hasn’t been a good week for Napoli, and they desperately need a win here. They had an excellent chance to join AC Milan at the top of the table but had to settle for a draw away to Cagliari on Monday night, and then they got knocked out of the Europa League on Thursday against Barcelona. I was happy to lay Napoli on Monday night as Cagliari have been playing some excellent football lately despite being in the bottom three – they were playing their best football of the season. It was a little disappointing to see Napoli concede four goals on Thursday to Barcelona, especially as they had home advantage and a good result after the first leg draw. Barcelona have been improving recently though, and when they get things right they can do that to any side. Nevertheless, Napoli have to dust themselves down and focus on the situation in Serie A here. AC Milan dropped more points on Friday night, and a win here for Napoli will see them match AC Milan. With a win here, the main danger will become Inter Milan who still have a game in hand.
While all the focus might be on what Napoli can do at the top of the table, Lazio will have something to say about that. They started the weekend sitting in 6th and they will have their eyes firmly fixed on Atalanta above them who have been dropping points for fun lately. Although Lazio will be looking up, they can’t forget that Fiorentina and Roma are just behind them and pushing for that Europa League spot too. It’s not a surprise to see an open market here, and it’s hard to see anything bar a very close game here. Lazio have been very strong at home this season, and I know Napoli sit above Inter Milan on the away form table for example, I can still see them making life very difficult for Napoli. Although you can understand why Napoli are favourites, I would have the sides closer together in the market – I would even have them at very similar odds. I can’t see past a very close game here and although the Napoli lay is tempting from a value point of view, the draw makes a lot of appeal at 3.5 in what should be a very close game.
The Ultra Says:
One point win Draw at 3.5 with BETDAQ BETTING EXCHANGE.
You can view all markets here -> https://bit.ly/BDQLazNap
BARCELONA V ATHLETIC BILBAO
8pm We move back La Liga to finish a superb day as Barcelona host Athletic Bilbao. Barcelona fans have had a very difficult season, they have lost their “god” in Messi and watched their side play like a mid-table La Liga side at times. Since Xavi arrived though they have definitely improved and got back on track. They have a long way to go to start challenging Real Madrid for the title again, but they are making progress. They are back in the top four and they recorded an impressive win against Napoli in the Europa League. They are favourites to win the Europa League now, and although a lot of football fans look down their nose at the competition, for Barcelona at the moment to lift a trophy this season would be a fantastic achievement from where they came from a couple of months ago. They arrive into this fixture having scored eight goals in two games, and they are starting to create a lot of chances again. You’ll see xG figures like 2.07, 2.14 and 1.81 – that’s getting back to the old Barcelona – although the old Barcelona might have created closer to 3.0!
Athletic Bilbao crushed a poor Real Sociedad side 4-0 last weekend, and it’s getting close to their Copa Del Rey Semi-Final second leg now. We all know that Bilbao are a Cup side, and they will already be preparing for that game. They have work to do in that fixture as they are away from home and it’s 1-1 after the first leg. They did knock out Barcelona on the way there however, and they have been playing decent football this season. They are your average mid-table La Liga side but they can always give the top sides a game and really up their level for the Cups. As I have been saying, you really have to pick your spots as to when to back Barcelona this season. Based on the odds, I feel they are a little short here at 1.6 – perhaps the market is getting a little too excited after the two wins with four goals, but I’d have Barcelona a little bigger. This game screams goals to me though, and over 2.5 goals looks great value at 1.94. I’m happy to avoid the match odds market because although Barcelona feel a little short, I do expect Bilbao to have an eye on that Copa Semi-Final. I can see a very open end-to-end game here, and overs looks the best play.
The Ultra Says:
Three points win Over 2.5 goals at 1.94 with BETDAQ BETTING EXCHANGE.
You can view all markets here -> https://bit.ly/BDQBarBil
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