Real Betis vs Zenit Predictions & Match Preview

Real Betis vs Zenit predictions and match preview for Thursday’s UEFA Europa League fixture. Read on for the head-to-head, team news and predicted lineups as Manuel Pellegrini’s men target a place in the last 16.

Real Betis vs Zenit Preview

Betis and Zenit face off in the 2nd Leg of their Europa League tie in Seville this Thursday. The Spanish side hold a 3-2 advantage from the 1st Leg having done brilliantly in Russia last week despite a number of key absentees.

First Half goals from Guido Rodriguez, Willian Jose and Andres Guardado put Betis firmly in command although it’s not quite the knockout blow it might have been had the away goals rule still been in place. A draw would see Betis through on the night but they’ll be hoping to take care of business a bit more comfortably than that.

Manuel Pellegrini will also have one eye on this weekend’s Seville derby, always a huge game and even more so this year with Sevilla and Betis currently 2nd and 3rd in LaLiga. It’s likely Betis may leave one or two big names on the bench, in case they are required, but they have done a pretty good job of rotating this term and they have sufficient depth to do that again here and still make the last 16.

Betis were 2-1 winners at the Benito Villamarin at the weekend in LaLiga with Mallorca the visitors on that occasion. Zenit meanwhile did not have a game with their league currently on its winter break although the Russian top flight is scheduled to return this weekend when Zenit will entertain Rubin Kazan in Saint Petersburg.

Zenit are top of the Russian League and showed in the 1st Leg they are capable of asking questions of this Betis defence. Russian international striker Artem Dzyuba and former Barcelona winger Malcom are among their main attacking weapons and both were on target in the 1st Leg as Zenit sought to respond to the flying start from the Spanish side.

Head to Head

• Betis won 3-2 in Russia last week in the 1st Leg.
• The sides had never previously met.

Team News

Juan Miranda and Martin Montoya are the main absentees for Betis.

Stanislav Kritsyuk is out injured for the away team. Dejan Lovren is a doubt.

Possible Lineups

Real Betis vs Zenit Predictions

Score Prediction: Betis 2-1 Zenit (Aggregate: 5-3)

Having done the hard work in Russia, Betis should finish the job here, particularly with a stronger squad available to them this time. Pellegrini is still likely to rotate but they are playing with such confidence right now that you have to fancy the Spanish side to book their place in the next round.

UEFA Europa League Match Previews

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