Kick Off: 1945, 12/03/2017
Stadium: Santiago Bernabeu
TV: Sky Sports 1
After surviving a tricky Champions League trip to Napoli in midweek, Real Madrid will be keen to enhance their La Liga title hopes by seeing off Real Betis at the Bernabeu on Sunday night.
Zinedine Zidane’s side have already beaten their opponents 6-1 away this season and enjoyed a 5-0 romp at this venue last term, so most punters will be expecting another emphatic victory.
A Look At Real Madrid’s Betting Odds
Real Madrid were made to sweat a bit in Italy on Tuesday after a Dries Mertens strike pulled the aggregate score back to 3-2 but Sergio Ramos eased their nerves when equalising on the night and the European Cup holders went on to make it back-to-back 3-1 victories over the Serie A side.
Ramos declared: “It was my 100th game in the Champions League and I wanted to help with a goal at a tricky time. We suffered but we got through it together. Sometimes things don’t go as you have worked on them. It’s a game to reflect on, especially in the first period. I’m happy to go through but we need to reflect on the errors we made.”
Zidane will be looking for a more clinical approach from his team after recently losing at Valencia and drawing 3-3 at home to Las Palmas in La Liga, so now could be a good time to back the hosts to improve on a record of just four clean sheets in 13 Primera Division games at the Bernabeu this season.
A more conservative approach could affect Real going forward but we like 9/5 they win 1-0, 2-0 or 3-0 here.
A Look At Real Betis’ Betting Odds
Real Betis edged further away from the relegation battle when drawing 1-1 at Deportivo La Coruna in midweek but will have travelled home frustrated at not picking up maximum points after conceding an equaliser from the penalty spot in time added on.
The green and whites have now won just one of their last nine matches, although it is worth noting they have been defensively quite sound during that period and only once lost by more than one clear goal.
A 1-0 defeat at Atletico Madrid in mid-January highlights how Victor Sanchez has put together a well-drilled unit which is rarely taken apart and the former Real Madrid midfielder will be determined to put up a decent effort against his old club.
Among the tempting Real Madrid v Real Betis odds is 21/10 for the visitors to hold out for a draw at half-time.
Additional stats
Last result:
Napoli 1-3 REAL MADRID – Dries Mertens (og), Sergio Ramos, Alvaro Morata
Deportivo 1-1 REAL BETIS – Cristiano Piccini
Head-to-head: Real Betis 1-6 Real Madrid, Real Betis 1-1 Real Madrid, Real Madrid 5-0 Real Betis, Real Betis 0-5 Real Madrid, Real Madrid 2-1 Real Betis
