Legia Warsaw vs Real Betis
UEFA Europa League Conference, KO: 17:45 Oct 3, 2024, Stadion Wojska Polskiego
The Conference League starts with an exciting clash between Legia Warsaw and Real Betis. The Spanish side is considered a hidden favourite in the competition. Will they live up to the expectations?
No team has more reasons to want to reach the final of the tournament than Legia Warsaw, as the match will take place in Poland. But the Legionnaires enter this clash after dropping points in each of their last three domestic contests.
Legia Warsaw have a horrible record against Spanish clubs, scoring a single win in ten fixtures. The home advantage is the only positive ahead of the clash with Real Betis and Legia had considerable success at home in the previous edition of the Conference League when they beat Aston Villa.
Manuel Pellegrini's conservative playstyle often leads to underwhelming performances, especially away from home. The team remains without a win on the road in La Liga, with a single goal scored in three games.
The busy schedule could force the Chilean to make risky rotations, although his side should have the upper hand in the upcoming contest.
How the bookies view it: Don't fall for this trap
Legia's Stadion Wojska Polskiego is a tough ground to visit but bookmakers still see Betis as a heavy favourite. Betano gives them 4/5 to win on Thursday, while the home win is priced at 32/9. Alternatively, the draw is valued at 37/14.
Recent head to head: Who wins this debut H2H?
Unsurprisingly, Legia Warsaw and Real Betis have never played a competitive match before. This will be the first time they meet, so there is no useful information for us to use here.
Players to watch: Better to move forward
The bad news for Los Verdiblancos is the absence of Giovani Lo Celso, who has been Betis' star since the start of the season. The Argentinian has scored five goals in five appearances but Pellegrini decided to rest him ahead of the derby with Sevilla.
This makes it harder to single out a player who could be the difference-maker on Thursday. Our tip is to skip the player markets for this fixture and opt for one of our regular suggestions below.
Probable line-ups
Legia Warsaw: Tobiasz, Barcia, Augustyniak, Jedrzejczyk, Vinagre, Goncalves, Luquinhas, Kaputska, Wszolek, Alfarela, Gual
Real Betis: Silva, Perraud, Llorente, Natan, Cardoso, Ruibal, Roca, Avila, Roque, Juanmi, Fornals
Anything else catch the eye?
As we expect Manuel Pellegrini to make certain rotations to prevent further injuries, backing Betis to win is turning out to be a huge gamble. Their away form has been underwhelming and the draw looks like a solid alternative.
Legia Warsaw are known for their home performances and the team will be motivated to start with an explosive result. They failed to score in only one of their nine home games across all competitions this season, so we could see a small exchange of goals between them. Overall, it is difficult to expect either side to win this clash. Besides the BTTS bet, this is a rare situation where the draw is the best option.
This UEFA Europa League Conference match between Legia Warsaw and Real Betis will be played on Oct 3, 2024 and kick off at 17:45. Check below for our tipsters best Legia Warsaw vs Real Betis prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
