Real Betis v Celtic betting tips: Hoops hope for Seville success
Published:
Real Betis v Celtic betting tips and odds
Celtic are competing in the group stage of the Europa League for the fourth successive year and get things started on Thursday with a first match against Real Betis who finished sixth in La Liga last season.
The Hoops, like Rangers 50/1 to win the competition, have made a below average start to the campaign by their standards, winning three and losing two of their first five games to sit in fifth place in the Scottish Premiership.
They are 4/1 underdogs to get off to a winning start in Spain, so let’s examine some of the markets and odds in our Real Betis v Celtic betting tips.
Match Odds
Celtic defeated Ross County on Saturday without main striker Kyogo Furuhashi, who is out for three or four weeks with a knee injury sustained on World Cup duty with Japan.
Switzerland striker Albian Ajeti proved an able deputy, scoring two close-range second-half headers to seal Saturday’s 3-0 win, but Thursday’s test will be much tougher.
That said, Betis only won their first game of the season at the fourth attempt on Monday night when a mazy 89th-minute run from substitute Sergio Canales secured a 2-1 win at Granada but they are 4/6 favourites to beat Celtic and 11/4 to draw.
🎙️ "We maintained our discipline, we knew second half we would get some opportunities and once the first goal came in it opened up a bit."
The Boss On the Match 👇#CELROS | #COYBIG 🍀
— Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) September 11, 2021
In June, Betis sold right-back Emerson Royal to cash-strapped Barcelona who made a tidy profit when Tottenham bought him a couple of months later at twice the price.
Hector Bellerin was signed on loan from Arsenal as his replacement and made his debut on Monday.
Betis’ four matches have produced three goals or fewer and they can be backed at 11/8 to win by that method but they have failed to keep a clean sheet this season and are available at 12/5 to win and both teams to score.
Manuel Pellegrini’s side have conceded exactly once in all four games and Celtic are 29/20 to find the net just one goal while we go 6/1 on a 1-1 draw which occurred in two of Betis’ four games this season and went close to making it three in Andalucia.
Talking Tactics
Celtic lined up in a 4-3-3 at the weekend with Ajeti supported by on-loan Benfica striker Jota and Liel Abada in attack, with Callum McGregor, David Turnbull and Tom Rogic in midfield.
However, left-back Greg Taylor, McGregor and Abada will all be missing on Thursday.
Cameron Carter-Vickers made a goalscoring debut following his loan move from Tottenham so he could accompany Carl Starfelt in the heart of defence once more.
Betis are likely to be without former Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund full-back Marc Bartra, who went off injured inside the first quarter of an hour against Granada, but the hosts have some exceptional players like William Carvalho, Nabil Fekir and Cristian Tello.
Goalscorer Odds
Borja Iglesias is the 14/5 favourite to break the deadlock but he has yet to score this season and was taken off at half-time over the weekend and replaced by Willian Jose, who is 10/3 to draw first blood and 6/5 to score at any time.
🧙♂️👏🔝
At your feet, @SergioCanales. pic.twitter.com/L7zQRmyYOA
— Real Betis Balompié (@RealBetis_en) September 14, 2021
Canales’ wonder goal means he could get a start and the midfielder is 11/2 and 21/10 in both markets while Rodri is 14/1 to score the first goal as he did at Granada or 5/1 just to find the net.
Ajeti looks like Celtic’s best hope of taking the lead and he can be backed at 6/1 in that market or 23/10 to score any time in our Real Betis v Celtic betting tips, while Turnbull is 17/2 to score.
Match Info
Where: Benito Villamarin, Seville
When: 17:45, Thursday 16th September
How to watch: BT Sport 3
All odds and markets correct as of date of publication
