Real Betis host Atlético Madrid in Thursday's Copa del Rey quarter-final at Estadio Benito Villamarín, where the 2022 Copa champions face a side chasing domestic silverware on multiple fronts. Manuel Pellegrini's men enter as underdogs against a team riding a historic 14-match winning streak that has propelled them to the top of La Liga. This single-leg knockout tie promises intensity, with both clubs possessing the quality to find the net.
Betis have shown resilience in cup competition despite inconsistent league form. Chimy Ávila's brace against Elche secured their quarter-final spot with a 2-1 comeback victory, and earlier rounds saw them dismantle Torrent 4-1 and Palma del Río 7-1. League results tell a different story—a 2-1 loss at Alavés and a 2-0 Europa League defeat to PAOK sandwich a 2-0 home win over Villarreal. Pellegrini faces selection headaches with Giovani Lo Celso, Aitor Ruibal, Diego Llorente, and Isco all sidelined through injury, weakening his midfield and defensive options.
Diego Simeone's Atlético arrive in Seville with momentum few teams can match. Their 14-match winning streak represents the longest in the club's 121-year history, with Julián Álvarez contributing 13 goals across all competitions this season. The 3-0 demolition of Mallorca in their last league outing featured goals from Alexander Sørloth and Thiago Almada, demonstrating attacking depth beyond their Argentine striker. Atlético have scored in 12 consecutive league matches while maintaining defensive solidity, sitting atop La Liga with 44 points from 21 games.
These clubs have met 55 times, with Atlético holding a 28-13 advantage in victories. Recent encounters suggest a tighter contest—Betis claimed a 1-0 home win in October 2024's La Liga meeting, while Atlético won 2-1 at the Metropolitano the previous season. Cup ties between these sides tend to deliver goals, and Betis's Villamarín fortress provides them a genuine platform to cause an upset against superior opposition.
I'm backing Both Teams To Score at 1.67. Betis have scored in their last four Copa del Rey matches (15 goals total) while Atlético have netted in 12 straight league fixtures. Lo Celso's absence weakens Betis defensively but shouldn't prevent them finding the net against a side conceding 0.8 goals per match in La Liga. The xG projection (1.36–1.58) supports a 1-1 finish.