Real Betis (8-10-11) at Athletic Bilbao (9-12-8)
La Liga Soccer: Saturday, June 13, 2020 at 11:00 am (Estadio San Mames)
The Line: Athletic Bilbao +110 / Draw +220 / Real Betis +265 -- O/U: 2.5 Click Here for the Latest Odds
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Athletic Bilbao host Real Betis in La Liga soccer action from the Estadio San Mames on Saturday morning.
Athletic Bilbao come into this one in 10th place on 39 points with a record of 9 wins, 12 draws and 8 losses following a 2-2 draw with Eibar in their last match. In the tie with Eibar, Raul Garcia gave Bilbao the lead from the penalty spot in the 8th minute, but Eibar would be quick to respond in the 19th minute, tying the game at one. Bilbao caught a break in the 50th minute when Eibar went down to ten men with a straight red card, but Eibar would actually take a 2-1 lead in the 78th with a spot kick goal of their own. Bilbao would tie the game at two just three minutes later and would hold on for the draw, sharing the spoils with Eibar away from home. Garcia leads Athletic Bilbao in scoring with 10 goals while Ander Capa has a team-high 4 assists this season. Unai Simon is Bilbao’s top goaltender, conceding just 0.85 goals per 90 minutes with 10 clean sheets in 26 league appearances this season.
Real Betis enter this game on 34 points in 14th place with a record of 8 wins, 10 draws and 11 losses following a 2-2 draw with Granada last time out. Granada took the lead in the 25th minute and the lead would hold into the half and for much of the second half before craziness ensued in the 85th minute. Sergio Canales would tie the game at one from the penalty spot for Betis before Cristian Tello made it 2-1 Betis just three minutes later. Granada would equalize in the first minute of second half stoppage time, also leaving Betis to settle for the score draw and a splitting of the points. Loren Moron leads Betis in scoring with 9 goals on the year while Joaquin has 8 goals and Nabil Fekir has 8 goals. Emerson leads Real Betis in assists with 5 this season while three other Betis players are tied right behind with 4 helpers on the year. Joel Robles leads Betis in goal, conceding 1.37 goals per 90 minutes with 4 clean sheets in 28 league appearances this season.
I considered the draw here as we have two sides in relative limbo in the middle of the table. However, Betis has to be kicking themselves for letting one slip away against Granada, rallying from a goal down to holding a 2-1 lead in stoppage time only to let that lead get away and settle for a point. That’s not good for the mind when you consider that Betis has won just once in 14 away games this season taking on a Bilbao team that’s tough at home and took Atletico Madrid to the bitter end at home earlier this week. I’ll take my chances with Bilbao ML at home here.
Chris’s Pick Athletic Bilbao ML +110
AUTHOR: Chris Ruffolo
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