Estadio Benito Villamarin will play host to an intriguing La Liga fixture on Sunday evening, with Real Betis welcoming Villarreal, and both sides are chasing down fourth-placed Athletic Bilbao in Spain's top flight.
Real Betis have been in glorious form of late, rising into sixth spot in the La Liga table, level on points with fifth-placed Villarreal, with both sides currently sitting six points off the Champions League spots.
Match preview
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Real Betis will enter this match off the back of a 2-0 victory over Jagiellonia Bialystok in the first leg of their Conference League quarter-final on Thursday night, with Manuel Pellegrini's side in an excellent position to reach the semi-finals of the competition.
The Seville outfit are unbeaten in their last seven La Liga matches, meanwhile, recording six wins in the process, and they held division leaders Barcelona to a 1-1 draw in another excellent performance last weekend.
Real Betis have a record of 13 wins, nine draws and eight defeats from their 30 league matches this season, which has left them in sixth spot in the table on 48 points, six points behind fourth-placed Athletic, with Champions League qualification on their radar.
The Green and Whites have not finished fourth in La Liga since 2005, which is an indication of what is on the line this season, but even securing qualification for the 2025-26 Europa League would go down as a brilliant campaign.
Real Betis are looking to do a La Liga double over Villarreal this season, having run out 2-1 winners in the reverse match back in December, but it was 3-2 to Villarreal when the pair locked horns in the corresponding game last season.
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Villarreal have not been involved in Europe this season, so the Yellow Submarine have had a free week to prepare for this match, last being in action on April 6 against Athletic, holding the Lions to a goalless draw.
Marcelino's team were 2-1 winners over Getafe in their last away game, meanwhile, and they have a record of 13 wins, nine draws and seven defeats from their 29 matches this season to collect 48 points.
Villarreal, crucially, have a game in hand over both Real Betis and Athletic, which could be crucial come the end of the season, and a win in this match would be huge in terms of their chances of securing European football for next term.
The Yellow Submarine have been an entertaining watch this season, scoring 51 times, which is the third-best attacking record in the division behind Barcelona and Real Madrid, but they have conceded 39 times, which is high considering their spot in the table.
Villarreal finished eighth during an underwhelming 2023-24 campaign, so there was plenty of room for improvement this term, and Marcelino's team are now looking to finish what has been a strong season on a positive note.
Team News
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Real Betis will welcome Isco back into their squad after the playmaker missed out against Barcelona through suspension, but Abde Ezzalzouli is out of this weekend's contest due to a thigh problem.
There will be changes from the side that took to the field in the Conference League on Thursday night, including a spot in the side for Giovani Lo Celso, who may operate down the left.
Marc Bartra, Aitor Ruibal, Sergi Altimira and Adrian will also be among those recalled to the XI, with Pellegrini preparing to shuffle his pack for what is a huge game in the top flight of Spanish football.
As for Villarreal, Nicolas Pepe, Raul Albiol and Ilias Akhomach will miss the contest due to injury problems, while Pape Gueye is suspended following his red card late on against Athletic.
Head coach Marcelino could make one change from the side that took to the field for the first whistle of the goalless draw against Athletic, with Yeremy Pino potentially coming into the XI in a wide area.
Ayoze Perez has been an excellent performer for the Yellow Submarine this season, scoring 12 times in Spain's top flight, and the 31-year-old is set to be joined by Thierno Barry in the final third of the field.
Real Betis possible starting lineup:
Adrian; Ruibal, Bartra, Natan, Perraud; Cardoso, Altimira; Antony, Isco, Lo Celso; Hernandez
Villarreal possible starting lineup:
Luiz Junior; Femenia, Foyth, L Costa, S Cardona; Pino, Comesana, Parejo, Baena; Perez, Barry
We say: Real Betis 1-1 Villarreal
Only one of the last eight La Liga matches between these two sides has finished level, and there were eight goals in their two meetings last season - we are expecting a tight game on Sunday, though, and have ultimately had to settle on a low-scoring draw.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Matt Law
