Real Betis vs Real Sociedad Prediction: Mark’s Two Bet Builder Doubles for Friday Night

It has been a busy week in Europe for Spanish teams but we are back to La Liga action on Friday night as Real Betis and Real Sociedad face-off in the opening game of the weekend. Premier League Sports 1 for UK TV viewers with kick-off set for 20:00.

Our La Liga Betting Expert preview the action and has two Bet Builder doubles for you to consider. Check out his Real Betis vs Real Sociedad Predictions below...

Real Betis and Real Sociedad have been regular top-six contenders in La Liga in recent years. However, neither side has exactly made a flying start to the 2025/26 campaign. 

The summer in the green-and-white half of Seville was dominated by the pursuit of Antony. The Brazilian was outstanding on loan at Betis last term, and the Andalusians finally managed to finance his permanent signing from Manchester United on deadline day, in a £21.6m deal. 

That gave Manuel Pellegrini a fresh attacking option as his side travelled to newly promoted Levante last weekend. Antony went straight into the starting lineup, but they made a woeful start to that game, falling two goals behind inside 10 minutes. Betis largely bossed things after that, registering 28 attempts, as strikes from Cucho Hernández and Pablo Fornals salvaged a point. 

Los Verdiblancos have drawn all three away games so far, but their two home fixtures have produced winners. They beat Alavés 1-0 thanks to a strike from Giovani Lo Celso, but were defeated 2-1 by Athletic Club in their last outing in front of their own fans. 

Pellegrini's men are also having to deal with the transition to playing their home games at the Estadio de La Cartuja, with the Benito Villamarín closed for the next two years while extensive reconstruction work takes place. More than 70,000 fans can fit inside their temporary home, but it's not quite as atmospheric as their iconic ground close to the banks of the Guadalquivir River. 

Real Sociedad are their third Basque visitors of the season already. They make the long trip south without a victory, with their first four fixtures under the guidance of their new boss Sergio Francisco yielding just two points. 

The pressure will really start to grow on the 46-year-old if that first win doesn't come over the next week or so. He was managing La Real's C team as recently as 2022, but was promoted to the B-team role following the departure of Xabi Alonso to Bayer Leverkusen. Francisco then stepped up to replace Imanol Alguacil as the senior boss in the summer. 

So far, there has been little sign of him getting any more out of this side than his predecessor managed during a difficult 2024/25 campaign. Real Sociedad started with back-to-back draws against Valencia and Espanyol, but have lost their last two fixtures against Real Oviedo and Real Madrid. 

They ran into an inspired Kylian Mbappé last weekend, with the Frenchman too quick and too strong for their defence. Los Blancos raced into a two-goal lead at the Reale Arena, but following a controversial red card for Dean Huijsen, the home team did have much more of the game after the interval, but still fell to a 2-1 defeat. 

One of the positives from that match from their perspective was the introduction of debutant Carlos Soler in the second half. The now 28-year-old was one of the best midfielders in La Liga when he left Valencia to join PSG in 2022. His career has stalled badly since then, but he could be a really important addition for Real Sociedad if he can get back towards his best level. 

Team News: 

The hosts are hampered by injuries for Isco, Ricardo Rodríguez, Nelson Deossa and Aitor Ruibal. Giovani Lo Celso should return to the lineup for this Friday night fixture, while Ez Abde is also pushing for inclusion over Rodrigo Riquelme on the left flank. Diego Llorente and Pau López are also hoping for recalls. 

As for Real Sociedad, they'll again be missing striker Orri Steinn Óskarsson and new signing Yangel Herrera to injuries. Midfielder Brais Méndez is expected to be available and may play with a mask following a fractured nose. However, he's at risk of losing his place to Soler in any case. 

Gonçalo Guedes was a starter last time out against Real Madrid, but Take Kubo is expected to return here, with Spain international Mikel Oyarzabal sure to lead the line. 

Match Odds: 

Real Betis are the even-money favourites to pick up their second victory of the season. You can back the Draw at 12/5, while Real Sociedad are priced at 11/4 to collect three points for the first time under new management. 

Both teams to score is on offer at 4/5. However, that bet has not landed in any of the last nine competitive meetings between the clubs. Betis won this fixture 3-0 last term, and they're priced at 23/10 to also win this game to nil. 

Alternatively, you can back the visitors to score over 1.5 goals at 2/1, while they are priced at 5/4 to win either half. Draw or Real Sociedad is on offer at 4/5 in the Double Chance market. 

Cucho Hernández is the 9/2 favourite to score first, while he's priced at 8/5 to score anytime. The Colombian has netted six times in La Liga since returning to Spain in January. You can also back Lo Celso to score anytime at 2/1, while Antony is on offer at 9/4 in the same market. 

From a visiting perspective, Oyarzabal should offer the main goal threat. He's priced at 13/2 to score first, and 23/10 to score anytime. 

You can bet on this match via our Real Betis vs Real Sociedad Odds page on the main betfred.com website with all the latest prices and full betting markets.

Bet 1 - Antony 3+ shots & Real Betis to score over 0.5 goals @ 5/6 

Given he was not involved in Manchester United's pre-season or early Premier League games, Antony looked surprisingly sharp on his first appearance as a permanent Betis player. He played the full 90 minutes, which would have really benefitted the Brazilian as he bids to build up his match sharpness. 

While his finishing was understandably a touch off, the winger had six shots in that game. With Isco sidelined, he's likely to be the focal point of Betis' attacking threat over the next couple of months and he should get opportunities to test Álex Remiro in the visiting goal in this one. 

The hosts have scored at least once in each of their last 26 competitive fixtures, and I'm using the Bet Builder to back Antony to have 3+ shots and Real Betis to score over 0.5 goals at 5/6. 

Bet 2 - Real Sociedad to have over 9.5 shots & Over 1.5 total goals @ 23/20 

Given their poor start, Real Sociedad are clearly the underdogs on Friday, but that doesn't mean they won't be competitive. They've taken 17.3 shots per 90 minutes so far in La Liga, which is the third-highest figure in the division, behind only Real Madrid and Barcelona. 

Finishing chances is clearly a bigger issue than getting into shooting positions, but Soler's arrival should help them in the final third, with the ex-Valencia player scoring 11 goals in each of his last two seasons in La Liga. 

With Betis also boosting their attacking options late in the window, I'm using the Bet Builder again to back Real Sociedad to have over 9.5 shots and Over 1.5 total goals at 23/20.

Mystery Free Spins Offer:

What’s the only thing better than slots Free Spins? No deposit Free Spins, with no wagering requirements, that is what!

Opt in for the chance to win daily Free Spins prizes to play on our superb Casino Slots.

All you need to do is opt-in via the banner below, then open a Casino game every day for your chance to win up to 50 Free Spins. How many will you get? That’s the mystery!

Mark Sochon P/L 25/26 Season:

• Points Staked: 26
• Points Returned: 26.97
• P/L: +0.97