If you’re taking your lead from bwin’s Copa del Rey football betting market, then it’s Athletic Bilbao who have the best chance to prevent Barcelona or Real Madrid from claiming the trophy.
Marcelo Bielsa’s men head into tonight’s quarter-final second leg against Mallorca holding a 2-0 lead and well placed to secure a last-four clash with third-tier giant-killing experts Mirandes.
Bilbao are a remarkable set-up. Still sticking to their policy of only playing Basque players, Los Leones are only the third team alongside Barca and Real to have never been relegated from La Liga.
But despite their longevity, trophies have been more difficult to attain in recent years than in their glory days in the first half of the 20th century.
The last Athletic side to win a major honour were the 1983/84 double-winning vintage led by Javier Clemente, but the current crop under Bielsa are making good strides to end that drought.
Athletic currently sit seventh in La Liga but they are one of the form sides in the division. They were beaten 4-1 by Real Madrid at the Bernabeu on Saturday after taking the lead but aside from that, they’ve lost just one of their last 19 domestic fixtures.
All in all, Bilbao should progress from the quarters and I’m backing them to do it unscathed. They are difficult to beat and Mallorca are hardly firing on all cylinders, having won three of their last nine overall and just one of their last five at home.
So, given their first-leg lead and resolute defiance, Bielsa’s men are a very short-priced 2/25 to secure a passage through to the next round, with Mallorca 11/2 to overturn the deficit.
Over 90 minutes, bwin’s 3way football betting market has Mallorca slight favourites to win at 8/5, with Bilbao at 33/20 and the draw being 9/4.
Athletic have already visited the Iberostar Stadium this season and left with a point and at 9/4, a similar result which doubles your money may be the wisest way to go on this one.
Usually, Mallorca are strong on the island and it has traditionally been impressive form on their own patch that has kept them afloat. However, they’ve already lost four times in ten league games on home soil this season, so a miracle comeback looks a tall order.
One statistic which will carry weight going into the tie is these two sides’ respective half-time records. Bilbao are the first period draw specialists, having gone in at the break all square on 12 occasions, with Mallorca not far behind on nine.
Given that Bilbao could do with keeping it tight for as long as possible, that further increases the chances of this theme recurring and the half-time draw is a safe bet at 11/10, with the result to be the same at the interval and at full-time a lengthy 15/4.
All in all, Bilbao should progress from the quarters and I’m backing them to do it unscathed. They are difficult to beat and Mallorca are hardly firing on all cylinders, having won three of their last nine overall and just one of their last five at home.
Therefore, I’m plumping for the 1-1 draw at a very tempting 5/1. Punters who sign up for a bwin account are entitled to a free £25 bet and utilising that on a 1-1 draw could bring you home a tasty £150 if the scorelines materialises.
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