Real Madrid will look to make it consecutive wins in La Liga when they hit the road to square up against Real Betis at the Benito Villamarin Stadium on Saturday.
Real Betis will be eyeing a third straight win in La Liga when they host Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid, who will be pushing to reclaim the top spot in the standings, with Barcelona not playing until Sunday.
The home team are seventh on the table with 35 points in their 25 outings. While finishing in one of the UEFA Champions League spots looks very unlikely, the Andalusian outfit can still secure a European spot with a finish inside the top six.
Sixth-placed Rayo Vallecano have lost their last two league games, which has given Real Betis an opportunity to pile the pressure on them as both teams are now level on points. A win over Real Madrid won’t just give Los Verdiblancos three crucial points, it will also be a massive boost for their team as a whole.
The visitors are second on the points table, but they are level on points with league leaders Barcelona and are only behind because of their head-to-head record. The Merengues need to keep winning to ensure they do not allow the Catalan giants to establish a lead at the top.
While Los Blancos have only won one out of their last four league games, they are heading into this fixture on the back of three straight wins and will be out-and-out favourites here. The Hard Tackle takes a close look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could deploy.
Team News & Tactics
Real Betis
Real Betis have a massive boost ahead of this fixture, as Antony is available despite having picked up a red card in their last outing. His ban has been overturned, and the Brazilian international is all set to start here.
Meanwhile, Pablo Fornals, Hector Bellerin, and William Carvalho remain on the sidelines, while Abde Ezzalzouli, Marc Roca, and Giovani Lo Celso will have a late fitness test, which will decide their availability.
The home team will line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, where Adrian will be in goal. Youssouf Sabaly and Ricardo Rodriguez will feature as the full-backs, while Marc Bartra will partner with Diego Llorente at the heart of the defence.
As for the midfield unit, Johnny Cardoso and Sergi Altimira will form the double pivot in the centre of the park. They will look to ensure that the Real Madrid midfielders do not dominate the proceedings.
Antony and Jesus Rodríguez will feature on the flanks, while former Real Madrid star Isco will be the attacking midfielder for Betis. Cucho Hernández will lead the line for Real Madrid against Real Madrid on Saturdya.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Adrian; Sabaly, Bartra, Llorente, Rodriguez; Cardoso, Altimira; Antony, Isco, J Rodriguez; Hernandez
Real Madrid
Jude Bellingham remains suspended, while Los Blancos suffered another blow earlier this week as Dani Ceballos has picked up an injury that will keep him on the sidelines for the foreseeable future. The Spanish international has joined Dani Carvajal and Eder Militao on the sidelines.
Kylian Mbappe should be back in the mix after missing the last fixture because of a dental issue. Meanwhile, Thibaut Courtois and Federico Valverde should return to the starting eleven after being rested last time out.
Carlo Ancelotti should stick to the 4-4-2 formation, where Courtois should be in goal. Lucas Vazquez and Ferland Mendy should be the full-backs, while Raul Asencio should partner with Antonio Rudiger in the central defensive pairing.
Brahim Diaz and Rodrygo should feature out wide on the flanks, while Aurelien Tchouameni and Valverde should take up the central role. They will look to control the tempo of the game. Meanwhile, Mbappe should partner with Vinicius Junior in the final third.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Courtois; Vazquez, Asencio, Rudiger, Mendy; Brahim, Tchouameni, Valverde, Rodrygo; Vinicius, Mbappe
Key Stats
- Real Madrid have been unbeaten in their last six league fixtures against Real Betis.
- Three out of the last four league games between the two teams have ended in a draw.
- Los Blancos have accumulated 23 points from 13 matches on the road, which is the third-best away record in La Liga.
- real Betis have only lost one out of their last five league games heading into this one.
- Real Madrid scored a 2-0 win in the reverse fixture earlier in the season.
Player to Watch
Brahim Diaz
Every time Diaz gets an opportunity to play in the whites, he tends to step up and deliver an impressive performance. Yet again, he has been one of the most important squad players for Carlo Ancelotti’s team. The Moroccan international has 11 goal contributions so far, and he will be eager to add to his tally in this outing.
Prediction
Real Betis 0-2 Real Madrid
Real Betis have been very difficult to beat in the recent past. They have only lost one out of their last five La Liga games. While the Verdiblancos have secured a point in three out of their last four league games against Los Blancos, they failed to stop them earlier in the season, and something similar might go down this time around as well. The Hard Tackle predicts an easy 2-0 win for the reigning La Liga champions.
