- Real Betis have scored five goals in their last four LaLiga games, conceding in three.
- Panathinaikos have scored seven goals in their last two home games.
- Real Betis are 2.18 favourites with Panathinaikos 3.8 and the draw 3.39.
Tight first leg expected in new European contest
There is little to separate Panathinaikos and Real Betis ahead of their Europa League 2025-2026 Round of 16 tie, but the hosts could be buoyed by a vociferous crowd at the Athens Olympic Stadium for this high-stakes game.
The Spaniard is getting the best out of a side that sit fourth in the Greek Super League ahead of this game, following two recent home wins in which they scored seven goals. Benítez’s pragmatic, structured approach has made them compact, dangerous on set pieces and very good in transition since his October 2025 appointment.
Renato Sanches controls the game and provides a platform for the attack, which is led by Panathinaikos' leading Europa League scorer Karol Świderski. He is a clinical finisher on his own or playing with a team-mate, while Anass Zaroury offers pace and directness out wide. Alban Lafont has also made some big saves in the Europa League and Super League games to give them solidity at home.
Betis are a possession team with width and patience
Real Betis will provide a complete contrast in style to the hosts as Manuel Pellegrini’s side are a controlled possession team that use width to create chances and overload their opponents when they can’t break the lines. Cucho Hernández and Pablo Fornals have been their two best players in LaLiga and the Europa League this season, directly contributing to goals.
Betis’ overall form has been a little patchy in recent weeks as they have won two, drawn two and lost one in their last five LaLiga matches, with the defeat coming last time out when they were well beaten 2-0 by Getafe. This run of results has seen them drift to fifth in the table on 43 points from 27 games - maintaining their European berth for next season but with little chance of getting into the top four.
Pellegrini’s experience and tactical prowess has ensured they have remained stable in LaLiga and competitive in Europe, but they have been leaking too many goals in the past few weeks and could be vulnerable to a counter-attacking home side on Thursday. The pressure of a knockout game makes it more likely that both teams will play with some discipline and that a close game could be the outcome of the first leg.
Goals at both ends look likely
Our selection of both teams to score at 1.96 is close to even odds, but there is still enough evidence to suggest that both sides will want to attack this game and that it could be a tight affair. Betis are a much better side, but they are only 2.18 favourites, with the home side 3.8 and the draw 3.39 - so it would be unwise to bet against the Greeks in a tough game.
A 1-1 draw is the correct score prediction as there is no advantage to be gained from an away goal in this year’s competition and Betis may have to hold their nerve to get it in this fresh Europa League tie. Both sides will still have it all to play for when they meet in Seville next month, so don’t expect either to go too gung-ho in this first game.
