Real Madrid travel to Seville looking to follow up their emphatic 4-0 victory over Malaga when they face Betis in the fourth round of the Spanish league season.
Betis have also made a positive start to the campaign, winning two of their first three matches. However, both Manuel Pellegrini and Jose Mourinho are expected to oversee teams affected by a number of absences ahead of the meeting.
Pellegrini will be without several players for the home side. Giovani Lo Celso remains unavailable in midfield, while Jose Morante, Gonzalo Petit and Aitor Ruibal are all ruled out in attack because of injury.
The expected Betis line-up is:
- Goalkeeper: Valles - Defenders: Bellerin, Bartra, Natan, Garcia - Midfielders: Bernal, Roca, Antony, Fornals, Riquelme - Forward: Hernandez
Betis will therefore have to make adjustments in both midfield and attack as they attempt to maintain their strong opening to the season against the reigning Spanish giants.
Real Madrid also have a lengthy injury list to manage. In defence, Raul Asencio, Eder Militao and Ferland Mendy are expected to miss the match. Aurelien Tchouameni is unavailable in midfield, while Endrick and Rodrygo are also ruled out in attack.
The anticipated Real Madrid team is:
- Goalkeeper: Courtois - Defenders: Dumfries, Konate, Rudiger, Cucurella - Midfielders: Valverde, Silva - Attackers: Yan Diomande, Bellingham, Vinicius Jr, Mbappe
Real Madrid’s fixture comes after their four-goal win against Malaga, a result that gave them the opportunity to build momentum before a demanding away match at Betis. The hosts, meanwhile, will be encouraged by their record of two wins in three league games and will be seeking another positive result in front of their home supporters.
The match is the fourth-round meeting between the two sides in the Spanish championship. It presents Betis with the chance to test their early-season progress against one of the division’s leading teams, while Real Madrid will aim to turn their latest victory into a sustained run of form.
Betting company 1xbet has listed Betis as the outsiders for the contest. A Betis victory is priced at 7.00, while a draw is valued at 5.50. Real Madrid are the clear favourites at 1.40.
Both teams’ final selections will be closely watched, with injuries forcing changes before a fixture that brings together Betis’ promising start and Real Madrid’s attempt to build on their convincing result against Malaga.