Bet of the Day

Albacete v Racing Ferrol: Route to profit paved with Silva

  • Andy Schooler
  • Published on
  • Updated on
  • 1:30 min read
Jonathan Silva, on loan at Albacete from Getafe
Jonathan Silva was a card demon in his Leganes days

Our football props column is snubbing Monday's international friendlies in favour of competitive action in Spain - and has a 5/1 Bet Builder for you...


Albacete v Racing Ferrol
Monday 25 March, 19:30

Monday's international programme looks, frankly, rather drab and rather than bet on friendlies and having to third-guess team news, I much prefer to focus on a competitive game in Spain's second division.

Albacete, a club who regularly pull in crowds of 10,000-plus, shouldn't really be struggling as they are but the fact is they come into this match 19th in the table and very much in a relegation battle.

They've lost their last three and have now won only one of their last 12 matches. They also have the second-worst defensive record in the Segunda Division.

Leg 1: Racing-Draw in the double-chance market

Overall, it's hard to see why they are odds-on to beat ninth-placed Racing Ferrol.

Admittedly, the visitors have lost three on the spin on the road but those losses are three of only eight this season in this division and they look capable of avoiding defeat.

They've gone 5-2-0 against the bottom seven so far and while the majority of those games have been played on home soil, they've won at Mirandes and drawn at Alcorcon, sides who sit above Albacete in the standings.

They also won the reverse fixture, 5-4.

I'll happily take the visitors are close to even money in the double-chance market and also add an old cards favourite.

Leg 2: Jonathan Silva to be shown a card

Albacete left-back Jonathan Silva has been a cards-backer's dream at times during his Spanish career.

Probably best-known for his spell at Leganes, he was carded nine times in the 2018/19 season and 14 in the following campaign.

He moved on to renowned cloggers Getafe after that, notching a high cards-per-minute figure despite not getting many opportunities.

Since joining Albacete last summer, Silva has been carded in six of his 15 starts which immediately makes odds of 5/23.50 about another here look tempting.

That's tempered a little by the appointment of Jose Antonio Lopez Toca as referee - in Spanish terms he's on the lenient side of discipline, yet is still averaging well over four cards per game and has shown 6+ in three of his last four games.

Albacete are third in the division for fouls-per-game so could well keep Senor Lopez Taca on his toes.

Back on the positive side, Silva looks set to go up against Racing new boy Pinchi, who has already been fouled 17 times in six games since joining in the January transfer window.

All things considered, Silva to be carded and Racing to avoid defeat looks a plausible Bet Builder at just over 5/16.00.


Monday's internationals: Dan Fitch's best bets


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Column P/L 2023/24

Staked: 209pts
Returned: 228.23pts
P/L: +19.23pts

2022/23 P/L: +68.69pts

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Andy Schooler avatar

Andy Schooler

Andy Schooler has been writing about sport for more than 20 years.

Prices quoted in copy are correct at time of publication but liable to change.

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