Copa del Rey: Can Valencia Upset the Final Odds?

Real Betis vs Valencia

Real Betis and Valencia fans will pack the Estadio Cartuja in Seville on Saturday night for the 2022 Copa del Rey final and Los Verdiblancos are tipped to win a third Copa. 

Five places and 15 points separate the two sides in the La Liga table, with fifth-placed Betis still hanging on to hopes of a top four finish while Valencia’s league season is all but over.

With the La Liga title in the grasp of Real Madrid, the Copa del Rey is a chance for another team to taste domestic glory and the winner of this showcase clash will count 2021/22 as a successful campaign, regardless of league position.  

Betis reached the final courtesy of a 3-2 aggregate win over Rayo Vallecano in the semi-final, while Valencia beat Athletic Bilbao 2-1 to make it to the final. But both teams come into the game on the back of league defeat.

Los Verdiblancos – coached by Manuel Pellegrini – missed a chance to move closer to the Champions League places last week when they lost 1-0 at home to Elche, while Valencia lost 2-0 away to Villarreal.  

The latest Copa del Rey 2022 betting odds here at SBOTOP are backing Real Betis to lift the trophy at a price of 1.65 with their opponents at 2.29. But Los Ches, led by Jose Bordalas, see this as a good chance to back up a solid league campaign with a Copa triumph.

Talking Points

Current form favours Real Betis

After a mini slump, a recent clash with Athletic Bilbao gave Betis a chance to get back on track and they did with a 1-0 victory and Los Verdiblancos have been reasonably consistent, picking up seven points from the three games preceding their shock defeat to Elche.

Before this defeat, Betis were unbeaten in six games in all competitions, last losing to 2021 champions Atletico in March. In contrast, Valencia are without a win in four and have suffered back-to-back defeats to Osasuna and Villarreal.

The Yellow Submarine made short work of Los Ches as Arnaut Danjuma scored a first-half brace to take all three points and keep them in the hunt for Europa League football.

So Valencia remain marooned in 10th, 13 points adrift of a Europa place, and 12 above the drop zone. 

Players to watch for Real Betis

Nabil Fekir: Attacking midfielder

Once a target for Liverpool, Fekir made his name as a skilful and spiky wide man for Ligue 1 club Lyon, where he scored 54 goals in 145 appearances and earned a place in France’s 2018 World Cup winning squad – playing the last nine minutes in the final victory over Croatia. At 28 years of age, he is in his prime and Fekir’s stated ambition is to join Les Bleus again in 2022.

With six league goals and seven assists this season and two Copa goals in four appearances, he’s a menace to opposing defences and possesses a quick turn of pace and has a wonderful array of passing.

He’s in his best form since joining Betis in 2019 which has attracted praise from both his club and country coaches – which might mean he gets his wish for 2022 and he’s a potential candidate for man-of-the-match in this final. 

Marc Bartra: Centre-back

31-year-old defender Bartra has hopes of making the World Cup in 2022 too and he’ll hope to impress Spain boss Luis Enrique in the coming months.

As an academy product of Barcelona, Bartra has picked up 14 caps and he played 59 games for the Blaugrana as a young, cultured centre-back.

This season, he has won 70-per cent of his challenges and with his pace and passing range he is also able to launch dangerous attacks. 

Players to watch for Valencia      

Goncalo Guedes: Winger

Portugal international Guedes plays mainly on the left wing but drifts inside when the opportunity presents itself and that has brought him 11 league goals and two in the Copa del Rey.

He dominated against Bilbao and Cadiz in the semi and quarter-finals and, with six assists, he is an all-round winger. His 59 successful dribbles this season make Guedes the type of player who can get the fans on their feet. 

Carlos Soler: Central midfielder

Valencia graduate Soler has struck up a fantastic relationship with Guedes and has matched his teammate’s 11 league goals while making five assists. The scoring tally puts both Guedes and Soler in the top 10 La Liga scorers and that makes Los Ches’ modest league position all the more surprising.

Still only 25, Soler has made over 200 appearances for his home club and Los Ches’ fans would love it if he can score the winning goal.

History

Betis are twice Copa del Rey winners while Valencia have won the trophy an impressive eight times, the last time in 2019.

The two teams last met in October in La Liga and Betis hammered their opponents 4-1 as Borja Iglesias scored a first-half brace. After Gabriel Paulista had halved the deficit, goals from German Pezzella and Juanmi handed Betis a resounding victory.

Betting Tip

We’ll be back with the Copa del Rey 2022 highlights on Saturday night (Europe time) when Valencia can upset the odds with a victory at a price of 3.16 and a draw is priced at 3.26.

The double chance Valencia or Draw is priced at 1.62, so a Betis win in 90 minutes will take some doing. But I think the form team might just edge it, and a 1-0 win for Betis is available at 6.56.

 

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