Football Bet of the Day: Sevilla to take major step towards survival

Back-to-back defeats have pushed Sevilla closer to a first relegation since 2000, but they can climb out of the drop zone with a victory over Real Sociedad on Monday (20:00 BST, Premier Sports 1). The visitors, meanwhile, can still mathematically qualify for next season's UEFA Champions League, but are likely to settle for the UEFA Europa League, with their passage to the competition already secured following last month's success in the Copa del Rey final.

Below you will find my Football Bet of the Day for Monday, May 4, from the Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan. 

Sevilla vs Real Sociedad Odds

The stats don't make for positive reading if you're of a Sevilla persuasion, with five defeats from their last six games (W1). Los Nervionenses failed to score in three of those matches, and the only one they didn't lose was a 2-1 victory over a much-changed Atletico Madrid side with seven starters aged 22 or under.

That home win on 11 April, though, has been followed by back-to-back away games, which they lost 2-0 at Levante on April 23 and 2-1 at Osasuna three days later.

A return home on Monday, then, may help Luis Garcia's side get back on the winning trail.

They've only lost one of their last six matches at the Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, winning twice and drawing three times, so all hope is not lost in the quest for survival, particularly as three of their final five games, including Monday's, are on home soil.

Real Sociedad, meanwhile, have failed to win any of their last three league games (D2, L1), including both since lifting the Copa del Rey trophy against Atletico on 18 April.

Pellegrino Matarazzo's side lost 1-0 at home to Getafe four days after that triumph at the Estadio de La Cartuja in Sevilla, before drawing 3-3 at Rayo Vallecano last time out.

While La Real will be keen to finish as high as possible, and at least keep their top-half standing, you wouldn't blame their players for losing a little motivation after securing Europa League football next season with their Copa del Rey win.

The side from San Sebastian took a 3-1 lead in the 76th minute at Rayo last time out but conceded twice late on to draw 3-3, and only four clubs, including Sevilla (three), have picked up fewer points from their last five league games than Real Sociedad (five).

La Real are much stronger in San Sebastian, claiming 28 points from 17 games there compared to 15 from 16 away games.

The visitors possess the calibre of players to come to Sevilla and knock the hosts out of the park, but considering the differences in motivation here, I'm backing a 7/5 home win in my Football Bet of the Day for Monday.

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