After going through a rough patch, both Real Madrid and Real Betis will be looking to make it consecutive wins in the league when they face each other at Estadio de la Cartuja on Friday night.
The home team are fifth on the points table with 49 points in their 32 outings. A run of seven league games without a win have shattered their dreams of pushing for a UEFA Champions League spot, but there is still a lot to play for.
Los Verdiblancos are eight points behind fourth-placed Atletico Madrid. However, Manuel Pellegrini’s men do have a five-point cushion over sixth-placed Getafe as they look to secure a Europa League spot. Betis returned to winning ways last time out against Girona (3-2). It might not have been their best performance, but they did get the job done.
Going up against Real Madrid won’t be easy, but they will be hoping to cause an upset here. The visitors are currently second on the points table with 73 points in their 32 games. They are nine points behind league leaders Barcelona with just six games to go.
The title race is pretty much done and dusted, and having been knocked out of the UEFA Champions League, Los Blancos are just looking to finish the season in the best possible way. After a four-match winless run across competitions (L3 D1), the team in white returned to winning ways against Alaves last time out and will be looking to build on that. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could deploy.
The home team will be without the services of Junior Firpo (muscle), while Diego Llorente (ankle) and Angel Ortiz (muscle) will be assessed ahead of kick-off. Meanwhile, the Andalusian outfit do have a boost as Antony is back after serving a suspension last time out.
Real Betis will line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, where Alvaro Valles will take charge in between the sticks. Hector Bellerin and Ricardo Rodriguez will feature as the full-backs, while Natan will pair up with Marc Bartra in the heart of the defence.
As for the midfield unit, Sofyan Amrabat 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.
Antony and Abde Ezzalzouli will feature on the flanks, providing much-needed width to their attacks. Pablo Fornals will take up the number ten role behind Cucho Hernandez, who will lead the line for Real Betis against Real Madrid on Friday.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Valles; Bellerin, Bartra, Natan, Rodriguez; Amrabat, Roca; Antony, Fornals, Ezzalzouli; Hernandez
Real Madrid remain without the services of Thibaut Courtois (thigh) and Rodrygo (knee). Eder Militao was taken off with a hamstring issue last time out, and he is unlikely to be available here. But Raul Asencio would make a return to the squad after recovering from illness.
The team in white will stick to the 4-4-2 formation, where Andriy Lunin will continue in goal. Trent Alexander-Arnold and Alvaro Carreras will be the full-backs, with Antonio Rudiger coming into the XI to replace Militao. The German centre-back will pair up with Dean Huijsen in the heart of the defence.
Federico Valverde and Arda Guler will feature in the wide areas in midfield, while Jude Bellingham will partner with Aurelien Tchouameni in the centre of the park. The duo will look to control the tempo and ensure they dominate proceedings against Betis. Finally, Vinicius Junior should continue to pair up with Kylian Mbappe in the offensive third.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Lunin; Alexander-Arnold, Rudiger, Huijsen, Carreras; Valverde, Bellingham, Tchouameni, Guler; Vinicius Junior, Mbappe
Guler has quietly emerged as one of Real Madrid’s most in-form players in recent weeks, and he could have a decisive say in this fixture. The 21-year-old has racked up 6 goals and 14 assists in his 50 appearances this season, but it is his recent performances that have truly caught the eye.
A brace against Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League quarter-final second leg, followed by an assist against Alaves, highlights the kind of impact he is currently having in the final third. Given Betis are likely to sit deep and stay organised, his creativity between the lines could prove to be the difference-maker.
Real Madrid will head into this fixture with renewed confidence after ending their winless run, and they will be keen to build momentum in the final stretch of the season. With the title race almost out of reach, the focus now shifts to finishing strong, and this is the kind of game where their quality should shine through.
Real Betis might have returned to winning ways, but their inconsistency in recent weeks makes this a tough ask against a side like Madrid. While the hosts will look to stay compact and frustrate the visitors, Los Blancos have enough firepower to break them down. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-0 win for the away team.
