Verdict: Draw
Finest odds: 29/10
Bookmaker: BetUS
One of many standout fixtures within the newest spherical of La Liga matches unfolds in Seville on Sunday night as Actual Betis play host to Barcelona in what guarantees to be a fascinating encounter.
Presently occupying the seventh spot within the La Liga standings, Betis have collected 31 factors from their preliminary 20 matches this season. In the meantime, Barcelona finds themselves in fourth place, trailing league shock leaders Girona by eight factors however with a recreation in hand, with arch-rivals Actual Madrid and Athletic Bilbao additionally forward.
Actual Betis
Betis head into this weekend’s match on the again of a major 1-0 triumph in opposition to Granada in La Liga final week, with Isco scoring the solitary aim within the 76th minute. This victory marked their first in Spain’s high flight for the reason that conclusion of November, because the crew had been concerned in a number of attracts in current weeks. Regardless of this, Manuel Pellegrini’s squad has confirmed difficult to defeat, experiencing only one loss of their final 15 league matches, relationship again to mid-September.
Betis, together with Mallorca, have been one of many draw specialists in La Liga this season, sharing factors in 10 out of their 20 matches. They’ve secured seven victories and suffered solely three defeats. Presently located in seventh place within the desk, they path sixth-placed Actual Sociedad by one level and are 10 factors behind fourth-placed Barcelona earlier than their conflict in Seville on Sunday.
Notably, Betis stay undefeated at residence within the league this season, profitable six and drawing 4 of their 10 matches in entrance of their residence crowd. Now they face the problem of internet hosting Barcelona, who’re additionally unbeaten away from residence in Spain’s high flight this season, including an additional layer of intrigue to this upcoming contest.
Staff Information
Betis will face a number of absences of their upcoming match, with Aitor Ruibal, Ayoze Perez, and Hector Bellerin dominated out attributable to accidents. Juan Miranda, Guido Rodriguez, Claudio Bravo, and Marc Bartra are all uncertain for the sport. The squad is additional stretched with Chadi Riad, Youssouf Sabaly, and Abde Ezzalzouli unavailable attributable to their participation within the Africa Cup of Nations.
In response to the accidents suffered by Perez and Ruibal within the current 1-0 victory over Granada, Assane Diao and Pablo Busto are anticipated to safe beginning positions. Willian Jose will proceed to steer the assault, and the defensive absences could result in one other begin for the skilled 35-year-old Sokratis Papastathopoulos.
Barcelona
Following a tough-to-take 4-1 defeat to Actual Madrid within the Spanish Tremendous Cup last final weekend, Barcelona head coach Xavi asserted that he nonetheless enjoys the complete assist of the dressing room on the membership. Below vital stress to bounce again, Barcelona confronted third-tier aspect Unionistas within the Copa del Rey last-16 tie on Thursday. Regardless of falling behind within the thirty first minute, they secured a 3-1 victory with objectives from Ferran Torres, Jules Kounde, and Alejandro Balde.
Barcelona’s final La Liga motion was a 2-1 win over Las Palmas on January 4, putting them fourth within the desk with 41 factors, degree with third-placed Athletic Bilbao and eight factors behind leaders Girona, who’ve performed an extra recreation. Regardless of the robust type of Girona and Athletic, Barcelona nonetheless see second-place Actual Madrid as their major title rivals this season. Carlo Ancelotti’s aspect holds a seven-point benefit over Barcelona, having performed the identical variety of matches, a substantial hole at this stage of the marketing campaign.
In current historical past, Barcelona have dominated their league encounters in opposition to Betis, profitable their final 4 video games, together with a 5-0 triumph earlier this season. The corresponding fixture final season resulted in a 2-1 victory for Barcelona.
Staff Information
Lamine Yamal and Ronald Araujo are set to make their returns to the squad after serving suspensions within the Copa del Rey match in opposition to Unionistas. Nonetheless, Barcelona continues to be with out the companies of Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Joao Cancelo, Marcos Alonso, Inigo Martinez, Gavi, and Raphinha attributable to ongoing harm points.
For the upcoming match, there will likely be changes from the Copa del Rey lineup, with Ilkay Gundogan, Robert Lewandowski, and Pedri anticipated to return. Yamal might be rewarded with a spot on the correct aspect. Ferran Torres, who discovered the web in opposition to Unionistas, is prone to get the nod over Joao Felix, who’s presently struggling to make an affect.
Though Andreas Christensen needed to be substituted in opposition to Unionistas attributable to a knock, the Denmark worldwide is anticipated to be match for the upcoming recreation.
Conclusion
Contemplating the absence of key gamers for each Actual Betis and Barcelona within the upcoming match, predicting a transparent winner turns into difficult. Whereas the Catalan outfit can be coping with notable participant shortages, it’s moderately troublesome to again them with excessive confidence in a recreation like this. Consequently, the five-time European champions settling for a low-scoring attract Seville this time appears to be a prudent prediction.
Verdict: Draw
Finest odds: 29/10
Bookmaker: BetUS
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