Real Betis vs Fiorentina predictions: Betis to get the better of La Viola
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- Real Betis fresh from a 5-1 hammering of Real Valladolid
- Fiorentina have won just two of their 14 games against Spanish sides
- Recommended bet: Real Betis to win and both teams to score
When it comes to the potential winner of this year's Conference League, all the talk has been about Chelsea, but both Real Betis and Fiorentina will believe they can go the distance in Europe's tertiary competition.
The sides clash in the semi-finals with the winners taking on either Chelsea or Djurgardens in the final and the first leg takes place at the Benito Villamarin in Seville on Thursday.
While this is Betis' first experience of a European semi-final, following a quarter-final triumph over Jagiellonia, La Viola have made the final of the Conference League in each of the last two seasons.
They will be hoping this campaign it is a case of third time lucky, but they must first book their spot in the final and could be up against it in this first leg.
Team news
Real Betis remain without Diego Llorente, Chimy Avila and Marc Roca, who are all expected to be out for the rest of the season.
Abde Ezzalzouli scored from off the bench against Real Valladolid on Thursday and could return to the starting line-up.
Dodo has been out for Fiorentina after having surgery for appendicitis, but striker Moise Kean should be involved again after missing the game with Empoli due to personal reasons.
The stats
Real Betis have hit a purple patch in form with seven wins in their last 10 matches in all competitions, including a 5-1 LaLiga thrashing of Real Valladolid last time out.
Fiorentina have impressed in attack recently, netting in 11 of their last 12 games in all competitions.
Striker Cedric Bakambu has excelled in this competition for Betis, scoring seven goals in 11 matches and only Jagiellonia forward Afimico Pululu has netted more.
Prediction
Fiorentina undoubtedly have the edge when it comes to experience of the Conference League, but that may not be enough to see them over the line in the first leg of this semi-final tie.
This tie is likely to be extremely close with both sides in great form, but with a home crowd behind them on Thursday, Betis look well-placed to establish a lead in the tie.
The Andalusians come into this game in excellent form, having beaten Girona 3-1 and LaLiga basement boys Real Valladolid 5-1 in their last two matches, demonstrating the quality they have in the attacking third.
They have also not held back in the Conference League this season and are unbeaten in their last four games in the competition, knocking out Vitoria Guimaraes and Jagiellonia in the last two rounds.
They are on a run of seven wins in their last 10 matches in all competitions and since the start of February they have recorded wins against the likes of Real Sociedad and Real Madrid, while they nicked a point off Barcelona in early April.
They look a solid pick to win this game, but to squeeze more value out of the wager, punters should back a Betis win and both teams to score.
They are without a clean sheet in their last four matches in all competitions and the likely return of Kean to the Fiorentina team suggests they can get on the scoresheet.
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