Who will advance to the final?
After a thrilling first leg, in which the visitors looked like the sure winners for a long time and only let victory slip away with a goal in the 98th minute, everything is still to play for in the second leg of the La Liga 2 playoffs. However, the bookmakers’ predictions for Mirandes vs. Santander see the hosts with a clear advantage.
Several factors suggest that the northern Spanish side will advance to the final for promotion to the first division. First, there is the home advantage, which is particularly important for the team from Castile and León. Alessio Lisci’s team is by far the best home team in the league, losing only one of their 21 games at home this season. Mirandes is also unbeaten in seven games and won both regular season matches against Racing.
In Mirandes vs. Santander, betting on the visitors therefore seems like a big risk. However, it should not be forgotten that the Verdiblancos are the second-best away team in the league and, unlike the Castilians, already have first division experience. While the Cantabrians have spent 44 seasons of their club history in Spain’s top flight, Mirandes have never played in La Liga. Accordingly, we are going for a double chance bet at Bet365.
Mirandes – Statistics & current form
The Castilians’ chances of reaching the playoff final could have been much better before this second leg. Thanks to three goals from Izeta, Rincon, and Reina, last season’s fourth-placed team was leading 3-1 until the 70th minute. Even deep into stoppage time, the northern Spaniards were still on course for victory until an own goal by Alonso in the 98th minute helped the hosts equalize and level the tie.
Rojillos a force at home
This bitter last-minute goal means that everything is now up for grabs again and Lisci’s team must deliver in the decisive game to reach the final, which they had already considered a certainty. The fact that the bookmakers’ betting odds for Mirandes vs. Santander give the hosts the clear edge has to do with the Castilians’ outstanding home record. They have won 15 games this season, with just five draws and one defeat. No other team in La Liga Two has picked up as many points at home as the fourth-placed side.
What is interesting, however, is that relatively few goals are scored at the Estadio Municipal de Anduva, the smallest and least attended stadium in the league. Only 51 goals in 21 games is the worst record of any top team.
It is therefore surprising that relatively high odds are being offered for few goals in Mirandes vs. Santander. The Asian goal bet on under 1.0 goals in the first half at AdmiralBet is therefore expected to offer good value.
Predicted line-up:
Fernandez – Rincon, Gutierrez, Eguiluz, Tomeo, Benito – Reina, Gorrotxategi, Lachuer – Izeta, Panichelli
Santander – Statistics & current form
The Cantabrians, who last played in La Liga in 2012, are definitely not the favorites. Away to the best home team in the league, against whom they have yet to win this season, the Verdiblancos need a win to reach the final. But how can they win against a team that has lost only once at home so far?
What speaks for Racing
Even though the bookmakers’ predictions see the visitors as underdogs in Mirandes vs. Santander, there are factors that speak in favor of Jose Lopez’s team. For one thing, the Verdiblancos are the second-best away team in the league. Only champions Levante have picked up more points away from home than Racing. In addition, the former top-flight club now has momentum on its side after its comeback in the first leg.
Defense is key
To triumph in this semifinal second leg, it will not be enough to rely solely on their own offense. Although this is very good, with 65 goals scored this season, it alone will not be enough to bring the Cantabrians success. The key to victory in this duel will be defense. Unlike in the first leg, when they conceded three goals, the Verdiblancos must manage to keep a clean sheet for a long time.
They will have to pay particular attention to Panichelli. The Mirandes offensive player played a major role in the first leg, providing three assists that helped the Castilians score three goals. However, if they manage to keep their opponents’ best offensive player under control, there is little standing in the way of an away win. A bet on “Both teams to score: No” would not be out of the question. This can be placed at high odds for Mirandes vs. Santander with the Interwetten freebet.
Predicted line-up:
Ezkieta – Garcia, Castro, Mantilla, Michelin – Aldasoro, Meseguer – Vicente, Gonzalez, Martin – Arana
Mirandes – Santander Head-to-head record
In a direct comparison with the Castilians, the Verdiblancos have the edge with eight wins from 19 games. However, Jose Lopez’s team has yet to make an impact against Mirandes this season, losing both games apart from the 3-3 draw in the first leg of the semi-final.
Mirandes – Santander Tip
Even though the bookmakers see Mirandes as favorites in this second leg of the promotion playoff semifinal, it could be worth betting on the visitors. As the second-best away team in the league, they could be a match for the strongest home team, and thanks to the 3-3 goal in the 98th minute of the first leg, Racing has the momentum on its side.
As an alternative to betting on the winner, a bet on the goals could be interesting in Mirandes vs. Santander. Since the Castilians traditionally score few goals in home games and the visitors in particular will have to focus on their defense, betting on few goals in the first half promises some value. However, “Both teams to score: No” is also a good option in this match, as Interwetten is offering odds of more than double for this outcome.