Malaga v Real Betis Betting Preview – La Liga 18th December 8.00pm
Malaga are still struggling along in the relegation zone in La Liga and a lack of goals has really been hindering them. They did pick up a surprise away win last weekend though and it will be interesting to see if they can build on that back on home soil as they host Real Betis on Monday. Betis are on a poor streak of form having put together a tough winless streak and they could be vulnerable at La Rosaleda.
Malaga v Real Betis Betting Tips
Malaga have not had an easy season and they took just one point from their opening nine matches in La Liga this season, which is just about as rough as it can get. They have started to improve though, largely on home soil as they are now W3 D1 L2 in their last six in the Spanish top flight. Two of those three wins have been on home soil at La Rosaleda where they are unbeaten in the (W2 D1). They went out to the road last weekend and sprung a bit of assuring in taking a 2-0 win over mid-table Real Sociedad so they are starting to get those positives behind them. They only scored in two of their opening nine games, but have now tested at least two goals in four of their last six and in the William Hill correct score market there is a 7/1 price on a Malaga 1-0 victory turning up in this one, while a 2-0 home win collects a price of 9/1.
They have improved to an average of 1.3 goals per game now on home soil this season but there is still a bit of work to be done at the back for them. Malaga have been level at the break in five of their seven home games (W1 L1) and they have taken back to back clean sheets in the league for the first time this season heading into this one. Malaga to win to nil with William Hill is a decent poke of 13/5. Gonzalo Castro has hit a bit of form for them in front of goal and they have Borja Baston and Diego Rolan as well, so have the better firepower of the two sides working for them at the moment. This has to be another big opportunity for three home points even though they lost both league games against Betis last season by a one goal margin. Betis are W3 L3 in their last six La Liga games against Malaga but they have won their last two visits there.
But Real Betis are really struggling along at the moment as they have put together a six match winless streak, winning just one of their last eight league games. Real Betis have produced a poor W1 D1 L5 record this season in La Liga out on the road and they are on a three match winning streak on the road, having failed to score in each of those as well. Three of their last four defeats suffered in the Spanish top flight have all been by a 1-0 reverse. Real Betis have managed just the six goals on the road and four of them in a crazy 4-4 draw at Real Sociedad back in October. So they have failed to score in 57% of their road games this season and their top scorer for the season is Antonio Sanabria but he is currently out nursing a knee injury having missed their last three games so they are missing him. 74% of Real Betis’s goals have been scored in the second half of matches this season and just to sum up how much they have struggled on their travels, 78% of their points this season have come at home.
Malaga v Real Betis Betting Odds
Malaga 11/10, Draw 12/5, Betis 13/5
Malaga v Real Betis Predictions
Malaga have been competitive enough lately to get themselves a crucial win on the board which could heave them out of the drop zone. The away form of Betis hasn’t been there to suggest that they can make it three wins on the bounce away at Malaga. Look for a home win and probably by nothing more than a one goal margin.
