Football Bet of the Day for Saturday: Sevilla may have finished their domestic season in dire straits, but this fixture represents an important step in their rebuild. Sunderland’s exciting Premier League return may be grabbing headlines, but in pre-season, experience, squad harmony and necessity often override hype.
One of our trusted experts, known for his deep knowledge of UK & European football, has picked this game as Today’s Best Bet, and the selection makes plenty of sense.
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⚽ Football Bet of the Day
Sevilla vs Sunderland
Gram Dodd; Sports journalist at BettingTips4You
PSV Eindhoven -1.5 Asian Handicap | |
8/13 - odds when tipped |  |
Reasoning PSV’s attacking depth, full squad availability, and home dominance point to a comfortable win. Sparta’s injury-hit attack and poor record in this fixture increase the likelihood of a margin beyond a single goal. The -1.5 Asian Handicap offers a strong blend of value and probability. | |
📈 Three Key Stats Behind Today’s Best Bet
- Sevilla have lost just one of their last five pre-season matches against teams outside the top five European leagues.
- Sunderland’s last six pre-season games against non-English opposition have resulted in five defeats.
- Sevilla have scored in each of their last nine summer friendlies played outside Spain.
Rationale:
When pre-season friendlies appear on the schedule, most punters treat them with caution – and rightly so. Lineups can shift, tempo is unpredictable, and results aren’t always driven by pure competitiveness. But every so often, a matchup presents the perfect combination of factors that make one side a clear value pick. Saturday’s clash between Sevilla and Sunderland is one such instance – and our expert Gram Dodd is confident that backing Sevilla to win offers the strongest angle today.
Let’s start with Sevilla. Yes, last season was nothing short of a disaster for the Andalusian club. A 17th-place finish in La Liga, just one win in their final 11 outings, and a fan base disillusioned by managerial merry-go-rounds. But that context is exactly why this match carries greater significance than most friendlies. New manager Matías Almeyda, known for his intense, high-pressing style, is under immediate pressure to re-establish some structure and belief. A disjointed loss to Birmingham City in their first summer game won’t have helped his cause, but this match gives him the opportunity to show improvements with a stronger XI and clearer tactical ideas.
Several key players who missed last weekend’s fixture are now back in contention. Ruben Vargas, Tanguy Nianzou, and Akor Adams have all shaken off injuries, while Loïc Badé could return in defence. Sevilla’s squad, though underperforming last season, is still packed with players who have competed at the top of European football. Their opponents today can’t quite say the same.
Sunderland, on the other hand, are riding the momentum of their return to the Premier League after a strong Championship campaign. But momentum can only carry you so far in friendlies, especially when integrating multiple new signings and testing tactical setups. Against South Shields, they cruised to a 4-0 win, but that performance is hard to measure against a semi-professional opponent.
Importantly, Sunderland are still waiting for several summer recruits to become available. Noah Sadiki, Simon Adingra, and Reinildo were all missing from their first outing, while Chris Rigg and Aji Alese remain sidelined. Even those who did feature – such as Habib Diarra – are only just finding their feet in new systems and combinations.
Let’s also not ignore the fact that Sevilla’s match sharpness and competitive edge will increase with every fixture, and this game serves as a key milestone before they face Bundesliga outfit Schalke, Marseille and Toulouse. Almeyda needs wins to calm supporters and inspire belief – and against a Premier League newcomer still forming its identity, this is his best early opportunity to deliver.
While Sunderland will pose a threat through the pace of Isidor and the flair of Le Fée, this match is likely to be about control and quality in key areas of the pitch. Sevilla, even in transition, possess more in midfield with players like Djibril Sow, and with the likes of Isaac Romero and Januzaj linking play in advanced positions, they should have the craft to unlock a less experienced Sunderland back line.
In short, pre-season or not, Sevilla are the side more likely to win this game – not just for preparation, but for validation.
✅ Best Bet: Sevilla to Win
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