La Liga’s title race is shaping up to be one of the most exciting and closely contested of the season, alongside Serie A’s. Atlético Madrid, Barcelona, and Real Madrid are the three main contenders, with Atlético currently leading the pack. Real Madrid’s goal against Sevilla will be to maintain pressure on the other two title hopefuls, while Sevilla, in turn, will be looking to make a push for the European spots.
Real Madrid Team News
It’s fair to say that Real Madrid missed a golden opportunity to overtake Barcelona in the last matchday, as Carlo Ancelotti’s side could only manage a 3-3 draw against Rayo Vallecano. Returning home, however, is always a positive for Los Merengues, who have been impressive at the Santiago Bernabéu, losing only to Barcelona in La Liga so far this season. However, one potential factor that could affect their performance is jetlag.
Real Madrid travelled to Qatar midweek for the International Cup final against Mexican side Pachuca, and they made the journey in full force. This long-haul trip could have some negative effects, particularly against a competitive Sevilla side, which although isn’t the most consistent can pose quite a challenge on a good day.
Sevilla Team News
Travelling to Madrid after a series of mixed results, Sevilla will be hoping to disrupt Real Madrid’s excellent home form. In their recent away trips, they’ve managed just one victory and suffered two consecutive losses. The most disappointing of these was the 4-3 defeat to Atletico Madrid, where Sevilla squandered a 1-3 lead in a match that featured plenty of drama, including a late turnaround in stoppage time.
However, looking closer at Sevilla’s performances, one positive is their ability to score, having found the back of the net in all of their last five fixtures. When considering only away games, that number drops to four, but the bigger issue lies in their defensive frailties. Sevilla has conceded in their last three away matches and in three of their last five overall, which will be a concern heading into this match against a high-scoring Real Madrid side.
Head-to-Head-Games
Real Madrid holds a strong advantage in their head-to-head record against Sevilla, having won 4 of their last 5 encounters. All but the most recent match saw goals from both teams. At the Bernabéu, the trend is similar, with Real Madrid winning 4 of the last 5 games there, and again, all but the most recent match featured goals from both sides. Furthermore, in both cases, 4 of the last 5 meetings have seen over 2.5 goals.
| Rank | Teams | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goal difference | Points | Current form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Real Madrid | 18 | 12 | 4 | 2 | 23 | 40 | WLWDW |
| Rank | Teams | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goal difference | Points | Current form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | Sevilla FC | 18 | 6 | 4 | 8 | -7 | 22 | WDLWL |
Real Madrid – Sevilla Betting Prediction
I’m backing both teams to score in this game. There’s a clear trend in recent matchups between these two sides, with both teams consistently finding the net. Sevilla, despite a mixed run of results, has been regularly scoring and conceding in their recent games. While Real Madrid has kept a clean sheet in 3 of their last 4 La Liga home matches, I anticipate they’ll concede here, especially after their midweek trip to Qatar, which could impact their performance. Additionally, Real will likely push for a win to stay close behind Atlético, which could lead them to open up and provide Sevilla with opportunities to exploit their sometimes inconsistent defence.
Betting Tip: Both Teams To Score: Yes
Bookmaker: Stake
Odds: 1.91
Stake
Place your bet on Real Madrid – Sevilla at Stake