Betis
0 – 1
Gent
Real Betis will welcome Gent to the Estadio Benito Villamarin for Thursday’s second leg of their Conference League knockout round playoff clash.
The Spanish hosts already have one foot in the last 16 after cruising to a 3-0 victory in last week’s first leg in Belgium.
© Imago
Betis are on the brink of setting up a last-16 tie against Chelsea or Vitoria de Guimaraes after producing a dominant display in the first leg of their knockout round playoff tie with Gent.
After the two sides played out a goalless first half, Manchester United loanee Antony opened the scoring within two minutes of the restart, before Cedric Bakambu and Sergi Altimira found the net to wrap up a 3-0 win.
Los Verdiblancos produced a repeat of that scoreline in Sunday’s La Liga clash against 10-man Real Sociedad, with Antony netting his third Betis goal before substitute Marc Roca scored twice in five minutes to secure a comfortable victory, moving Manuel Pellegrini’s side up to eighth place in the league table.
That result ended Betis’ five-game winless home run in the top flight, representing their first league win at the Benito Villamarin since beating Atletico Madrid at the end of October.
In contrast to their league form, Los Verdiblancos have had no problem picking up home wins in the Conference League, having won three of their four home matches in this season’s competition (D1).
They will certainly be confident about protecting their sizeable first-leg advantage, especially as they have lost by three goals or more in just one of their 37 competitive matches this season, which was a heavy 5-1 defeat in last month’s Copa del Rey tie against Barcelona.
© Imago
Gent are competing in the Conference League knockout phase for the third consecutive season after they finished in 17th place in the league phase – two points behind Betis in 15th position.
The Belgian side reached the quarter-finals in 2022-23, before they were eliminated in last season’s playoff round by Maccabi Tel Aviv.
They are now on the verge of another playoff round exit after they suffered their first home defeat of their 2024-25 Conference League campaign.
Gent managed to avoid another defeat in Sunday’s league clash against Beerschot, coming from 2-1 down to record a 3-2 home victory thanks to a brace of Dante Vanzeir penalties.
They will now travel to Spain dreaming of pulling off a miracle, which is made even more improbable by the fact that they have won just one of their previous 14 competitive away matches (D7, L6).
The visitors may be able to draw inspiration that they have won by three goals on two occasions in this season’s Conference League, recording a 3-0 away victory over Vikingur in qualifying before they offered a repeat of that scoreline in their home meeting with TSC in the league phase.
© Imago
Betis will be without Roca and Giovani Lo Celso after the pair picked up foot and hamstring injuries in the win over Real Sociedad.
Los Verdiblancos are also expected to be without the services of Hector Bellerin, William Carvalho, Angel Ortiz and Pablo Fornals.
Winter addition Cucho Hernandez is unavailable for selection after being left out of Betis’ squad for the Conference League knockout rounds.
As for the visitors, they have omitted Aime Omgba, Andrew Hjulsager and Max Dean from their Conference League list due to their respective injury issues.
Tom Vandenberghe and Samuel Kotto have also been left out of Gent’s European squad, while Noah Fadiga is currently unavailable for selection.
Defender Jordan Torunarigha will come back into the fold after being suspended for Saturday’s league win over Beerschot.
Real Betis possible starting lineup:
Vieites; Sabaly, Bartra, Natan, Perraud; Altimira, Cardoso; Antony, Avila, Ezzalzouli; Bakambu
Gent possible starting lineup:
Roef; Mitrovic, Watanabe, Torunarigha; Samoise, Ito, Lopes, Brown; Kums; Vanzeir, Gudjohnsen
Gent will need to take risks if they are to work their way back into this tie, but we think that attacking approach could play into Betis’ hands, which is why we believe that the hosts could claim another comfortable win to ease through into the last 16.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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League Phase
| Team | P | W | D | L | PTS | |
| Q | Chelsea | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 18 |
| Q | Guimaraes | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 14 |
| Q | Fiorentina | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 13 |
| Q | Rapid Vienna | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 13 |
| Q | Djurgarden | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 13 |
| Q | Lugano | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 13 |
| Q | Legia | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 12 |
| 8 | APOEL | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 11 |
| 9 | Shamrock | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 11 |
| Q | Cercle Brugge | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 11 |
| 11 | Jagiellonia | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 11 |
| 12 | Heidenheim | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 10 |
| 13 | Pafos | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 10 |
| 14 | Panathinaikos | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 10 |
| 15 | Betis | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 10 |
| 16 | Ljubljana | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 10 |
| 17 | Gent | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 9 |
| 18 | Vikingur | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 8 |
| 19 | Copenhagen | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 8 |
| 20 | Borac Banja Luka | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 8 |
| 21 | Hearts | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 7 |
| 22 | Celje | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 7 |
| 23 | Omonia | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 7 |
| 24 | Molde | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 7 |
| 25 | Backa Topola | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 7 |
| 26 | Istanbul | 6 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 6 |
| 27 | Mlada Boleslav | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 6 |
| 28 | Astana | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| 29 | St Gallen | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| 30 | HJK Helsinki | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 |
| 31 | Noah | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 |
| 32 | Dinamo Minsk | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 3 |
| 33 | New Saints | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 3 |
| 34 | Larne | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 3 |
| 35 | LASK | 6 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| 36 | Petrocub | 6 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 2 |
A Passage to the Round of 16 or a Potential Setback for Betis
Real Betis is set to host Gent, holding a commanding 3-0 lead from the first leg, which opens the door for a potential comfortable passage into the round of 16. Manager Manuel Pellegrini has opted for a rotation strategy, looking ahead to their upcoming match against Getafe. The spotlight is firmly on Vitor Roque.
Despite the challenges that lie ahead, Betis remains optimistic about their Conference League aspirations. They are determined to shed the image of a shaky and uncertain team that plagued them at the start of the European campaign, aiming instead to become an offensive powerhouse that captivates the Villamarín crowd with the talents of Isco and Antony. The commanding 3-0 victory in Ghent provides a golden opportunity for today’s match to serve as a stepping stone towards the round of 16. Should they progress, they could face formidable opponents such as Chelsea or Vitoria Guimarães, and all eyes are on the upcoming draw this Friday. The players are also aware that a challenging fixture against Getafe could significantly impact their current league journey. However, in football, uncertainty reigns, and nothing can be taken for granted. Pellegrini understands this, as does the expectant crowd at Villamarín.
Gent arrives in Seville to test the reliability of a Betis side that has shown marked improvement since winter brought a change in fortune. Antony has emerged as a beacon of hope, with his contributions pivotal in the tie, while Isco dazzled with his performances on the pitch in Belgium. The question remains: will either of them start today? Pellegrini is likely to rotate players, mindful of avoiding overconfidence. However, he is also cautious about overextending his squad, especially with recent injuries to Marc Roca and Giovani Lo Celso, which will see them sidelined for several weeks. The team has adapted to these setbacks in the past, learning to cope without key players.
This match, drawing considerable external attention, also seeks to address Pellegrini’s concerns regarding certain players eager to establish themselves. There is a spotlight on Abde, who has struggled to assert his position in the lineup, overshadowed by a young talent named Jesús Rodríguez. Additionally, Altimira will need to step up, ensuring that injuries do not derail the midfield’s performance. Isco is expected to rest to redistribute the creative responsibilities among his teammates. Managing the workload of the Málaga native is one of Pellegrini’s key objectives as they prepare for the clash against Getafe.
If they are to seize the opportunity, Bakambu and Vitor Roque are also under pressure to cement their status as the leading striker in this Conference League campaign. With Cucho unavailable, the Brazilian faces the added scrutiny of a growing cloud of uncertainty regarding his future. Pellegrini’s rotation strategy will facilitate a balanced approach to gameplay and share the minutes among the squad. Meanwhile, the Villamarín awaits the anticipated reward of a guaranteed ticket to the round of 16, which ought to be a straightforward affair… or a potential calamity.
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talkSPORT betting tips – Best football bets and expert advice for Thursday 20 February
Kick Off with Hugh Woozencroft & Lianne Sanderson
There is a huge night of European action on Thursday as the second legs of the Europa League and Conference League play-offs take place.
Republic of Ireland’s Shamrock Rovers have a chance to make history as they hold a 1-0 lead over Molde in their Conference League tie ahead of their clash at the Tallaght Stadium in Dublin.
In the Europa League, Turkish giants Galatasaray have a mountain to climb to avoid an early exit as they trail AZ Alkmaar 4-1 and the tie between Roma and Porto is finely poised at 1-1 ahead of their showdown in Rome.
With 16 games to consider, we have picked out three bets ahead of Thursday’s action.
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FCSB to win vs PAOK @ 13/8
FCSB have been one of Europe’s surprise packages this season and they are well placed to secure a Europa League last 16 berth after a 2-1 win over PAOK in Greece in the first leg of this tie.
The Romanian side did have to come from behind to win, but they thoroughly deserved their victory as they carved out 13 chances to PAOK’s five. The Greek side were reduced to 10 men just before the break and that clearly worked in FCSB’s favour, but they were still the better side even when PAOK had their full complement on the pitch.
FCSB have won their last three games and are facing a PAOK outfit who have lost three of their last five away fixtures. With home advantage, FCSB can finish this tie off with a win inside 90 minutes.
Galatasaray -1, Dries Mertens 2+ Shots on Target, corner handicap Galatasaray -4 @ 11/1
Galatasaray have it all to do if they’re to avoid being dumped out of the Europa League but with home advantage they have a chance.
Gala had a man sent off early in the second half in the Netherlands and AZ took advantage, but the Turkish heavyweights have been excellent in Istanbul and will feel they have a chance to overturn a three-goal deficit.
Galatasaray are unbeaten in 16 at home and have scored multiple goals in 14 of those games, while AZ are unlikely to take too many risks going forward even if they do fall a goal or two behind, meaning Gala may well cover a -1 handicap.
A -4 corner handicap is a big ask but they would have covered that in three of their four home league phase games.
Dries Mertens averages just under two attempts per-game in this season’s Europa League and across all competitions around a third of his shots are recorded as on target. Mertens could have a big role to play in any home fightback so he may at least be able to test the keeper twice.
Shamrock Rovers to win vs Molde @ 17/5
An early red card for Molde gave Shamrock a huge advantage in Norway last week and they now have a lead to defend.
The Irish side look backable as big price underdogs here, despite the fact the visitors clearly have a stronger team, as Shamrock have been exceptional at home and Molde have struggled away.
Rovers only lost three home games in the Irish Premier Division last season and they went through the league phase unbeaten at the Tallaght Stadium (W2, D1), while Molde managed just one point from three trips and are winless in their last four competitive away games.
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