Xabi Alonso’s Real Madrid will resume their La Liga campaign post the winter break with a home game against Real Betis.
Real Madrid will be eyeing a third straight win in La Liga, while Real Betis will look to build on the win in their last outing when the two teams lock horns at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday afternoon.
The home team are second on the points table with 42 points in their 18 outings. After a poor patch of form, Xabi Alonso’s men have finally got things back on track. The Merengues have won three out of their last four league outings, and they are heading into this fixture on the back of three straight wins across competitions.
Los Blancos secured a clinical 2-0 win over Sevilla in their last outing prior to the break, and they will be eager to kick-start the new year on a positive note against Real Betis in front of their own fans.
Meanwhile, the visitors are sixth on the table with 28 points in their 17 outings. The Andalusian outfit have a five-point cushion over seventh-placed Celta Vigo. Their league form has not been that great as they have only won two out of their last six outings.
However, Real Madrid were unbeaten in their last four outings across competitions (three wins), and they are heading into this one on the back of an impressive 4-0 win over Getafe prior to the break. Los Verdiblancos will certainly be confident about giving Real Madrid a run for their money. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could deploy.
Team News & Tactics
Real Madrid
The home team are expected to be without the services of Dani Carvajal, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Kylian Mbappe, and Eder Militao this weekend. Meanwhile, Brahim Diaz is away on international duty at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Real Madrid will stick with the 4-3-3 formation, where Thibaut Courtois will take charge in goal. Federico Valverde and Alvaro Carreras should be the full-backs, while Dean Huijsen should pair up with Antonio Rudiger in the heart of the defence.
As for the midfield unit, Aurelien Tchouameni will be the defensive midfielder, with Jude Bellingham and Arda Guler in his support as the two central midfielders. The trio will look to control the tempo of the game.
With Mbappe unavailable, Gonzalo Garcia could get a rare start up top for Real Madrid against Real Betis, while Rodrygo Goes and Vinicius Junior should continue to feature on the flanks for the home side.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Courtois; Valverde, Huijsen, Rudiger, Carreras; Bellingham, Tchouameni, Guler; Rodrygo, Gonzalo Garcia, Vinicius Junior
Real Betis
The visitors will be without the services of Isco because of a muscle injury. Junior Firpo and Diego Llorente are major doubts for this outing. Meanwhile, Cedric Bakambu, Abde Ezzalzouli and Sofyan Amrabat are all away on international duty for the AFCON.
Real Betis will line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, where Alvaro Valles will be in goal. Hector Bellerin and Valentin Gomez should feature as the full-backs, while Natan will pair up with Marc Bartra in the heart of the defence.
As for the midfield unit, Nelson Deossa will partner with Marc Roca in the centre of the park. The Real Betis duo will shield the backline and look to ensure the Real Madrid midfielders do not dominate the proceedings.
Antony and Aitor Ruibal will feature on the flanks, providing width to their attacks. Pablo Fornals will take up the number ten role, while Cucho Hernandez will continue to lead the line for Real Betis against Real Madrid this weekend.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Valles; Bellerin, Natan, Bartra, Gomez; Deossa, Roca; Antony, Fornals, Ruibal; Hernandez
Key Stats
- Real Betis have won four out of their last six games across competitions, but they have only won two out of their last six in the league.
- Real Madrid have won their last three games across competitions, while they have three wins in their last four league outings.
- Los Blancos have not lost to Betis at home since May 2019.
- Four out of the last seven matches between the two teams have ended in a draw.
- When the two teams last squared up against each other in March 2025, Betis secured a 2-1 win. But they did lose the reverse fixture 2-0 at the Bernabeu.
Player to Watch
Vinicius Junior
Real Madrid have been overly dependent on Kylian Mbappe for goals this season, and with the French international not available for this fixture, all eyes will be on Vinicius Junior, who has not been at his best for some time.
The Real Madrid number 7 has five goals and six assists in La Liga, and he will be eager to add to his tally when he takes the field against Real Betis. The 25-year-old certainly has the qualities that end up being the difference between the two teams.
Prediction
Real Madrid 2-1 Real Betis
Real Madrid will look to carry their late-2025 momentum into the new year, especially with the Santiago Bernabeu crowd firmly behind them. Xabi Alonso’s men have started to rediscover their rhythm, and with control in midfield and pace out wide, they should be well placed to dictate the tempo despite a few notable absences.
Real Betis, though, arrive with confidence after an emphatic win last time out, and they have shown they can be competitive against the league’s top sides. While their away form remains a concern, Los Verdiblancos possess enough quality to test Madrid if given space.
However, over the course of 90 minutes, Los Blancos’ superior depth and individual brilliance are expected to make the difference in a closely fought contest. The Hard Tackle predicts a hard-fought 2-1 win for the home team.
