Real Betis vs Barcelona: La Liga Previews, odds and Predictions

Real Betis and Barcelona will square off next weekend in La Liga. Estadio Benito Villamarin will host Saturday's showdown between Manuel Pellegrini's and Hansi Flick's squad. Kickoff is set for 4:15 Nigerian time.

Previous Matches and Head-to-head

A large and long-standing club in La Liga, Real Betis always strives for success and targets the European spots in the standings. The Andalusian club has experience competing in the UEFA Champions League; they reached seventh place in the league last year.

Things have not gone according to plan for Betis this season, despite high hopes for a push-on from manager Manuel Pellegrini. With 20 points after 15 games, Los Verdiblancos currently sit in tenth place in La Liga. Six points separate them from the last UEFA Champions League position, and they're seven points clear of the relegation zone.

On Wednesday, Los Verderones will travel to Sant Andreu for the second round of the Copa del Rey. On Saturday, they will face Barcelona in La Liga at Estadio Benito Villamarin. Last weekend, Betis lost 2-1 to Mlada Boleslav in the UEFA Conference League League Stage and 2-0 on the road against Real Sociedad in La Liga.

One of the most storied clubs in the world, Barcelona, has found fresh life under the tutelage of manager Hansi Flick. The Blaugrana dominated in Spain and Europe until Flick took over as head coach in the summer of 2024.

Real Madrid, the reigning champions and archrivals of the Blaugrana, are closing the gap quickly on them in La Liga. In 15 games, Barcelona has accumulated 34 points. With 33 points, Madrid is in second place. Carlo Ancelotti's squad has competed in fourteen matches. With 12 points from matches, Barcelona trails leaders Liverpool by three points in the UEFA Champions League League Stage standings.

Before this weekend's league match against Real Betis, Barcelona will play Real Mallorca away from home in La Liga on Tuesday night. Following a 3-0 home win against Brest in the UEFA Champions League League Stage, Flick's squad lost 2-1 to Las Palmas at Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys in La Liga last weekend.

The Japan Times quotes Flick as stating, "For me, the good news is that November is over and we are in December," despite his team's recent dismal performance. In those games, the whole squad has given their all; our midfield has been particularly intense and disciplined. We should have finished better, even if we created opportunities. As much as I'd want not to, we did lose. When attacking, we must maintain attention. It would be disastrous if we had two or three opportunities but failed to capitalize. The most important thing in football is scoring goals.

Real Betis x Barcelona Team News

When Real Betis face Barcelona, they will probably start with a 4-2-3-1 system. For the home side, Rui Silva will start in goal. The back four consists of Romain Perraud, Youssouf Sabaly, Marc Bartra, and Diego Llorente. The two holding midfielders who will be starting are Sergi Altimira and Carlos Guirao. The three offensive midfielders most likely to start are Abde Ezzalzouli, Giovani Lo Celso, and Jesus Rodriguez. Vitor Roque will head Betis' starting lineup.

When they face Real Betis, Barcelona will probably use a 4-2-3-1 configuration. Jules Kounde, Pau Cubarsí, Inigo Martínez, and Alejandro Balde will be the players in front of Inaki Pena as the visiting team's goalkeeper. Two holding midfielders, Gavi and Pedri, will be used. As for the offensive midfielders, Pablo Torre, Fermin Lopez, and Raphinha are the most probable choices. Robert Lewandowski will lead Barcelona.

Our Predictions

Barcelona to win @ 1.70 on Sky247.ng

Both Barcelona and Real Betis are currently on a losing streak. Despite Betis's home-field advantage, Barcelona is the superior team. At Estadio Benito Villamarin, the Blaugrana will almost certainly win the La Liga match.

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