Barcelona will look to build on their Copa del Rey win when they hit the road to square up against Real Betis in La Liga.
Real Betis will be looking for their eighth league win of the season when the host Barcelona, who are still in the race for the league title despite being inconsistent so far. Both teams are heading into this encounter on the back of a win and will be eager to build on it.
Real Betis are currently seventh in La Liga with 31 points out of their 20 matches. They have won seven, drawn ten and lost three games so far this season. They have only won once in their last five league games and will surely be eager to cause an upset here.
After failing to win their last four league games, they managed to come out on top against Granada with a scoreline of 1-0. The Verdiblancos dominated the proceedings and got the job done. It might not have been the most complete performance, but it got what they wanted.
Barcelona, meanwhile, are fourth in the league with 41 points out of their 19 matches. They have only suffered two defeats so far and have managed to come out on top on 12 occasions. The Blaugrana have not been at their best, but they are only eight points behind league leaders, and a good run of results can surely put them back on track.
The Catalan giants suffered a humiliating 4-1 loss at the hands of arch-rivals Real Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup, and things were not really looking bright for them. However, their recent 3-1 win over Unionistas in the Copa del Rey should have calmed things down, and they should be focused on getting the better of Betis. Meanwhile, The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could put to use.
Team News & Tactics
Real Betis
The home team have quite a lot to think about as they have quite a few absentees to deal with. Aitor Ruibal, Ayoze Perez and Hector Bellerin are out injured. Meanwhile, the availability of Juan Miranda, Guido Rodriguez, Claudio Bravo and Marc Bartra is doubtful. Chadi Riad, Youssouf Sabaly and Abde Ezzalzouli are all out on international duty.
Manuel Pellegrini is expected to go ahead with the 4-2-3-1 formation, where Rui Silva will be in goal. Pablo Busto and Abner Vinicius will be the two full-backs. German Pezzella will start alongside 35-year-old Sokratis Papastathopoulos in the heart of the defence.
Marc Roca will pair up with Sergi Altimira in the centre of the park. They will form the double pivot and will look to ensure they shield the backline and do not allow Barcelona to dominate proceedings.
Isco will be the attacking midfielder, and he will have the support of Assane Diao and Luiz Henrique, who feature on the flank. They will look to stretch the opposition’s back line and create chances for their forward Willian Jose.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Silva; Busto, Pezzella, Papastathopoulos, Abner; Roca, Altimira; Henrique, Isco, Diao; Willian Jose
Barcelona
The good news for Barcelona is that Ronald Araujo and Lamine Yamal are back in the mix after serving their suspension. But, they are still without the services of Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Joao Cancelo, Marcos Alonso, Inigo Martinez, Gavi, and Raphinha.
Meanwhile, Andreas Christensen picked up a knock last time out, but he is expected to be back fit in time. However, he still might not start in this outing. Xavi will stick to the 4-3-3 formation, where Inaki Pena will be in goal.
Sergi Roberto is expected to take charge as the right-back, while Alejandro Balde will take care of things on the other flank. Ronald Araujo and Jules Kounde will be the centre-back pairing. The midfield unit will be made up of Frenkie de Jong, Ilkay Gundogan and Pedri. The trio will look to have the majority of the ball and will also try to dictate the pace of this fixture.
Ferran Torres might get the nod ahead of Joao Felix on the left flank, while Lamine Yamal should start on the right wing. Finally, star striker Robert Lewandowski should lead the line for the Catalan giants.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Pena; Roberto, Araujo, Kounde, Balde; Frenkie de Jong, Gundogan, Pedri; Yamal, Lewandowski, Torres
Key Stats
- Real Betis have suffered defeat in nine out of their last ten matches against Barcelona in the league.
- The Catalan giants have been unbeaten in their last 12 away league matches against Betis.
- The home team have played out a draw on ten out of their 20 league games this season.
- Barcelona have the fifth-best attack in the league with 36 goals in 19 outings.
- Betis have only won one out of their last five league games.
Player to Watch
Pedri
Injuries have been a major concern for the 21-year-old in the ongoing season as he has only featured in 14 matches so far. In his 887 minutes on the pitch, the Spanish international has contributed towards two goals.
Now, that Pedri is fully fit and has started to get going, Xavi will expect him to showcase his class and help his team come out on top. With Barcelona lacking consistency at this stage, the 21-year-old could be an important weapon in the second half of the season.
Prediction
Real Betis 1-2 Barcelona
Barcelona might not be as consistent as they were last season, but they have still done a decent job this season. And, on most days one would expect the Catalan giants to get the job done irrespective of the opposition. The Blaugrana might have lost to Real Madrid recently but post that, they have bounced back and can surely get one better over Real Betis.
Meanwhile, the home team have not had the best of times of late, they have only won once in their last five league outings. And, given the number of Betis players that are not available for this fixture, Barcelona are firm favourites. As a result, The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-1 win for the visitors.
