Hercules vs Burgos Prediction 02.11.2023

• Competition: Copa del Rey - First Round
• Date: Thursday, 2nd, November 2023
• Kickoff: 19:30 UTC / 20.30 CET
• Venue: Estadio Jose Rico Perez (Alicante)

Thursday evening will witness Hercules welcoming Segunda Division outfit Burgos to the Estadio Jose Rico Perez for the first round of the Copa del Rey.

Hercules, without whom Spanish top-flight football couldn't be imagined during the golden seventies and eighties, has been going through an extremely tough period for years. After two years of stagnation in the fourth division, the Alicante-based club seems determined to make a serious push for promotion back to the higher echelons of Spanish football. Sitting strongly in the second position in Segunda RFEF - Group III with an impressive 21 points, just one point behind the leaders Lleida, Los Griegos will attempt to overcome the first hurdle in Copa del Rey, something they haven't managed in the last two seasons.

Placed two tiers above their Thursday opponents, Burgos strives to make a grand return to Spanish football's big stage, but their inconsistent form complicates their dreams of advancement, having concluded the previous two Segunda División campaigns at a respectable 11th position. Based on the current outlook, it appears that Burgos, unless they implement substantial changes in the future, will once again have to settle for mid-table mediocrity as their ultimate achievement. Without a victory in their last two league encounters—a painful 0-3 defeat against Real Santander and a stalemate at 1-1 against Burgos—the White-Blacks find themselves facing a real risk of an early exit from the Copa del Rey, a scenario they haven't encountered since the 2016-17 season.

Hercules vs Burgos Betting Tips: 1X (Double chance)

Despite the two divisions separating these sides, there's a sense that this match could spring a surprise in the first round of Copa del Rey. Hence, our support goes to the home team in this intriguing contest. It's true that Burgos will pose a more complicated test compared to previous rivals, but we must not forget that Huesca has turned their Estadio Jose Rico Perez into an unconquerable fortress. Not only have they emerged victorious in each of their opening four home matches, but they've done so with a clean sheet. Riding high on their exceptional home record this term, Los Griegos will undoubtedly fancy their chances of securing a positive outcome midweek as they host Burgos, a side that has, to put it mildly, performed disastrously away from their home turf. 

Besides the fact that the team led by Bono left each of their first six away matches without a victory, it's the troublesome defensive line that raises major concerns, as they have retrieved the ball from their own net an astonishing 15 times in those disheartening away encounters. Considering all these facts, Burgos, backed by the fervent cheers from their loyal supporters in the stands, stands a genuine chance to at least force this match into extra time, and then, with a bit of luck, potentially oust the higher-ranked side.