Real Betis vs Sporting Gijon preview - Molina aims to continue winning feeling

Real Betis striker Jorge Molina is hopeful his side can pick up where they left off before the winter break by making it four wins on the spin against lowly Sporting Gijon on Sunday.

Betis suffered an alarming slump in form after starting the season with four straight victories, a run of 10 matches without a win sucking them into danger at the foot of the standings before surprise triumphs over Valencia and Atletico Madrid hauled them into mid-table over Christmas.

Molina then signed off for the winter break with both goals as Betis defeated second-tier Cordoba 2-1 in the second leg of their Copa del Rey fourth-round tie, a result which did not stop the Primera Division side crashing out of the tournament on away goals, but did at least keep the winning mood in the camp.

And Molina is determined to rediscover the spark when his team takes to the field at the Estadio Benito Villamarin tomorrow.

"When it seemed that everything was getting more black, the schedule then got worse with Valencia and Atletico Madrid," Molina said on realbetisbalompie.es.

"But the team reacted with two wins and had a great leg in the Copa del Rey. The comeback did not pay for anything but the feeling was very positive."

Molina has struggled in front of goal this season - managing just one goal in the league - but he hopes his scoring exploits in the cup will pave the way for more first-team action in La Liga.

"The front line was being asked for goals," he said. "And I was not scoring. Hopefully these goals will serve to get me more minutes and confidence."

While Betis' season has been one of extended peaks and troughs, Sunday's opponents Gijon, who languished in the relegation zone over the holidays, have struggled for any kind of consistency.

Encouraging wins at Rayo Vallecano and Getafe in the run up to Christmas were interspersed with defeats by Real Madrid, Espanyol and Levante, and Gijon coach Manuel Preciado will need his side to string together a few more settled results in the second half of the season if they are to pull clear of danger.

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