Real Betis will be looking to make it back-to-back wins in La Liga when they hit the road to face Valencia in their second league outing.
Having played out a draw in their opening league fixture, Valencia will be hoping they can secure all three points in their second straight home game. Meanwhile, Real Betis will look to build on their impressive start.
The home team finished ninth on the points table last time out. They missed out on European football by the smallest of margins and will be looking to ensure they can close that gap this time around. However, Valencia started their league campaign with a home game against Celta Vigo.
While the visitors have had the upper hand in recent meetings between the two, this was a very closely contested affair, and in the end there was nothing to separate the two sides. Valencia will have to be a bit more creative in the final third if they want to stand a chance of taking down Real Betis.
The visitors finished fifth on the points table last season, securing UEFA Champions League football. They will be looking to ensure they once again secure a spot in Europe’s premier club competition. Betis have certainly made a positive start, having secured all three points against Real Sociedad on matchday one.
While both sides had a similar amount of the ball, Betis were a lot more creative, and they ended up taking twice as many shots on goal. In the end, Rodrigo Riquelme found the back of the net in the second half, and it was the difference between the two sides. They will be hoping for another positive result when they hit the road to face Valencia. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could put to use.
Team News & Tactics
Valencia
Luis Rioja is back in training, but this game might come a touch too early for him. Meanwhile, Sergi Canos (ligament), Alberto Mari (muscle), Jose Copete (meniscus), and Diego Lopez (ligament) are all expected to be out with an injury.
Valencia will stick with the 3-5-2 formation, where Stole Dimitrievski will be in goal. The back three will comprise Justin de Haas, Cesar Tarrega and Pepelu. The trio will look to keep things tight at the back, and they will receive significant support from Jesus Vazquez and Jose Gaya, who will feature as wing-backs.
As for the midfield unit, Javi Guerra will start alongside Filip Ugrinic and Guido Rodriguez in the centre of the park. The trio will look to control the tempo of the game and ensure they enjoy the majority of the ball.
In the final third, Hugo Duro could come into the playing XI to line up alongside Arnaut Danjuma in the strike partnership, with Ryunosuke Sato likely to feature off the bench in this outing.
Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Dimitrievski; Haas, Tarrega, Pepelu; Vazquez, Guerra, Ugrinic, Rodriguez, Gaya; Danjuma, Duro
Real Betis
The visitors will be without the services of Aitor Ruibal (meniscus), Ismael Barea (cruciate ligament), Diego Conde (shoulder), Giovani Lo Celso (muscle), Ez Abde (knee), and Gonzalo Petit (thigh) for this away fixture.
Betis will line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Alvaro Valles in goal. Hector Bellerin and Fran Garcia will be the full-backs, while Marc Bartra should line up alongside Natan in the heart of the defence.
As for the midfield unit, Facundo Bernal and Marc Roca will form the double pivot in the centre of the park. The duo will shield the backline and look to control the tempo of the game. They will look to ensure Valencia are put under pressure from the start.
Antony and Rodrigo Riquelme will most likely feature on the flanks, providing width to their attacks. Pablo Fornals will feature as the attacking midfielder behind Cucho Hernandez, who will lead the line for Real Betis against Valencia this week.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Valles; Bellerin, Bartra, Natan, García; Bernal, Roca; Antony, Fornals, Riquelme; Hernandez
Key Stats
- In the 28 league meetings between the two teams, Real Betis have won 12, and Valencia have won nine times.
- Valencia and Real Betis played out a 1-1 draw in their last league meeting at the Mestalla.
- The last time Valencia lost a home game to Betis was back in April 2024.
- Valencia have only managed six goals in their last five outings.
- Meanwhile, Real Betis have scored ten goals in their last five games.
Player to Watch
Antony
While things did not quite work out for the Brazilian international at Manchester United, he has been quite an influential figure since joining Betis. In his 73 outings for the Spanish club, the 26-year-old has 23 goals and 15 assists.
After securing a permanent move to Real Betis last summer, he contributed towards 24 goals in 46 outings in the 2025/26 season. However, Anton did not have the kind of impact he would have hoped for in their first league outing and will be looking to leave a mark against Valencia.
Prediction
Valencia 0-2 Real Betis
Valencia should make this a competitive contest, especially with home advantage and a midfield that could give them enough control to trouble Betis. However, their lack of creativity in the final third remains a concern, and they will need to be far more clinical if they are to take advantage of their opportunities.
Betis, meanwhile, have started the season with plenty of confidence and possess greater quality in the attacking areas. Antony, Rodrigo Riquelme, and Pablo Fornals can cause problems for Valencia’s backline, while their ability to create chances should eventually make the difference. The visitors are expected to secure another three points, although Valencia could make them work for it. The Hard Tackle predicts another 2-0 win for Real Betis.