Celta Vigo vs Real Betis Prediction: Draw specialists to evoke familiar feeling in Galicia

Celta Vigo start the new year inside the bottom three of La Liga but a promising end to 2023 - they lost just one of their last five league games - has surely increased the level of optimism among supporters ahead of Wednesday's clash with Real Betis (KO, 18:15).

The visitors will arrive at Estadio de Balaidos 15 points better off than their opponents, but Manuel Pellegrini's side failed to win any of their four league games last month to heap further pressure on the Chilean, who failed to guide Betis to the next stage of the Europa League as they finished behind both Rangers and Sparta Prague.

Team News

Rafael Benitez can call on the services of talismanic figure Iago Aspas again after the 36-year-old served a suspension in Celta's last game, a 3-2 defeat to Villarreal.

However, the former Valencia and Liverpool manager will have to make do without winger Jonathan Bamba, who has been called up for international duty with the Ivory Coast.

Defenders Joseph Aidoo, Carl Starfelt and Mihailo Ristic are also absent through injury, but Jailson - a new signing from Palmeiras (Brazil) - has been named in the squad ahead of a potential debut.

Pellegrini has a host of selection issues to contend with himself as Claudio Bravo, Hector Bellerin, Marc Bartra, Guido Rodriguez and Nabil Fekir have all been ruled out of the trip to Galicia due to injury.

The Africa Cup of Nations also acts as disruption for Pellegrini, who will be shorn of the services of Moroccan duo Abde Ezzalzouli and Chadi Riad.

However, playmaker Isco will return after he missed the final fixture of 2023 through suspension.

Match Odds

Despite the substantial gap between the sides in the table, Celta are actually 7/5 favourites to pick up all three points on Wednesday, with a win for the visitors priced at 2/1 and the draw available at 23/10.

Both teams to score is 8/11 and it's 10/11 for there to be over 2.5 goals.

Draw @ 23/10

Real Betis have proven a tough nut to crack for most sides in Spain this season, with only Real Madrid and Girona (both one) losing fewer games than Los Verdiblancos (two). 18 goals conceded is also less than all but two clubs - Real Madrid (11) and Las Palmas (15) - but there are clear issues at the top of the pitch.

20 goals scored ranks them outside the division's top 10, and their inability to convert chances has resulted in a league-high tally of 10 draws in 18 games. Stalemates have been especially prevalent on the road, with Betis drawing six of their nine away games so far in La Liga.

Celta, meanwhile, did win their last match at Estadio de Balaidos, but that was their first of the season at home, and it came against one of only two sides below them in the table - Granada.

There is still plenty for Celta to prove before they can be confidently backed, which is why the draw looks like the sensible option here. Benitez's side have drawn four of their last six home games, while Betis have been held to a stalemate in their last five away matches.

Jorgen Strand Larsen to score anytime @ 8/5

Key to a recent upturn in fortunes for Celta has been Danish forward Strand Larsen, who has scored three in his last four La Liga games, including each of the last two.

The 23-year-old only struck four times in the league last season, finishing behind both Iago Aspas and Gabriel Veiga in the Celta scoring charts, but he already has seven efforts to his name this term, helping to overcome the downturn in form of the former and the departure of the latter to Saudi Arabia.

Strand Larsen was on the scoresheet the last time these two sides met - a 4-3 win for Celta at Real Betis in February 2023 - and the pressure will be on his shoulders to deliver the goods again on Wednesday.

Check out the rest of our Football Betting Tips here.