Preview: Vitória SC vs Real Betis
As the knockout stage of the Europa Conference League unfolds, the unbeaten record of Vitória de Guimarães hangs in the balance as they prepare to face Real Betis this Thursday in the second leg of their Round of 16 encounter. The Vimaranenses are eager to continue crafting their European narrative and aim to celebrate in front of their home crowd at Estádio D. Afonso Henriques.
The 'Conquistadores' are in pursuit of victory against Betis after sharing the spoils in a thrilling 2-2 draw during the first leg. On that occasion at the Benito Villamarín, Luís Freire's charges fought back from two goals down, courtesy of strikes from João Mendes and Nélson Oliveira that sent their over 2,000 travelling fans into raptures in Seville.
This match is critical for Vitória SC's ambitions, as they sit one game away from equalling their best-ever European performance, having advanced to the UEFA Cup quarter-finals back in the 1986/87 season.
Current Form
With seven matches without a loss, Vitória have only managed three victories during that stretch. Their most recent outing was a narrow 1-2 triumph over Boavista in the Primeira Liga, positioning them sixth in the league table with 38 points—just two shy of Santa Clara.
Nevertheless, goals have been hard to come by lately; in their last seven matches, they’ve scored eight while conceding four, two of which came in the first leg against Betis.
Betis' Form
On the other hand, Betis are flying high, currently unbeaten in four matches as they aim for continued success. The Andalusians have enjoyed a winning streak in La Liga, sealing victories in their last three fixtures. They sit sixth in the domestic league with 41 points, firmly in contention for European competition next season.
In Europe, Betis has played 11 matches, achieving six wins, three losses, and two draws.
Head-to-Head
These two teams have faced off thrice in history, the last being the aforementioned 2-2 draw in this campaign. Historically, Betis has the upper hand, winning both encounters during the 2013/14 Europa League group stages, both by a score of 1-0.
Alongside Vitória, Betis has contended with Portugal's Benfica in the past, coming away with two losses in the UEFA Cup of the 1981/82 season. As it stands, they boast a record of two wins, two losses, and one draw against Portuguese teams. In contrast, Vitória has experienced 12 matches against Spanish opponents, claiming two wins, one draw, and suffering nine defeats.
What the Coaches Say
Luís Freire, manager of Vitória SC, remarked, “The Betis coach mentioned we only had two shots on target in the first leg. Perhaps we need to increase that this time. I believe we managed to blend collective play with individual talent, resulting in two fine goals.”
Manuel Pellegrini, Betis’ gaffer, noted, “I wasn’t surprised by Vitória as I’ve seen many of their matches. Tomorrow will be just as tough as our first encounter. The key is for us to showcase personality from the outset while always pursuing the result. We have another 90 minutes to secure our goal.”
Match Officials
The match will be officiated by Dutch referee Serdar Gözübüyük, assisted by Erwin Zeinstra and Patrick Inia, with Joey Kooij serving as the fourth official. Jeroen Manschot and Richard Martens will oversee the Video Assistant Referee system.
Resource: https://desporto.sapo.pt/futebol/liga-conferencia-europa/artigos/antevisao-vitoria-sc-betis