Real Betis vs Manchester United Predictions & Match Preview

Real Betis vs Manchester United predictions and match preview for Thursday’s UEFA Europa League fixture. Read on for analysis as Betis aim to stage a famous European comeback.

Real Betis vs Manchester United Preview

Real Betis have something of a mountain to climb in the 2nd Leg of their UEFA Europa League tie against Manchester United. 4-1 down from the 1st Leg, Manuel Pellegrini’s side will need to produce one of the greatest nights in the club’s history if they are to turn this around.

To some extent, it was slightly disappointing to see Betis start at Old Trafford last week with the likes of Sergio Canales and Borja Iglesias only on the bench. With Nabil Fekir also sidelined through injury, it left them without their main attacking weapons, although Ayoze Perez’s 1st Half strike did ensure the sides were level at 1-1 at the break. It was one way traffic after that though as United exerted control after the interval with a dominant display to seal a three goal advantage.

Betis’ team selection was partly influenced by their weekend league game against a direct top four rival in the shape of Villarreal. They picked up a solid draw at the Ceramica and could potentially move into a Champions League position should they see off Mallorca this weekend at home. 

That will be the priority for Betis now this season you’d assume and we are likely to see a bit of rotation again from Pellegrini here. However with a big Benito Villamarin crowd set for the visit of the English giants, his side will be keen to show they can be competitive against elite level opposition.

Manchester United haven’t been anywhere near their best in their last two league games with an atrocious 7-0 defeat against Liverpool followed by a goalless home draw against lowly Southampton. They are competing on multiple fronts with an FA Cup Quarter-Final coming up this weekend so we’re likely to see some rotation from the Red Devils too but it’s unlikely to be wholesale changes with a bit of work still to be done here.

Score Prediction: Real Betis 1-2 Manchester United (Agg: 2-6)

Manchester United were too strong for Betis in the 1st Leg last week and it feels like some of the same issues will occur here too. Betis should be more competitive with home advantage but with Pellegrini likely to hold some players back for the weekend league game, they could well succumb to another defeat.

PLEASE NOTE – Our European football predictions are not betting tips! No profits are guaranteed if you’re using them to bet on Spanish teams playing in Europe. If you are gambling, do so responsibly and never stake more than you can afford to lose. BeGambleAware.