Barcelona will look to extend their winning streak when they hit the road to face one of the most in-form teams in the league, Real Betis.
Barcelona will look to keep their five-point lead at the top of the table intact when they square up against Real Betis, who are very much in the title race at this point, at Estadio Benito Villamarin on Saturday.
The home team are third on the table with 19 points in eight La Liga games, with six wins, a draw, and a defeat. Betis defeated Osasuna 5-2 in their last league outing before securing a hard-fought 3-2 win over FC Porto in the UEFA Champions League.
Given their overall performances so far this season, the Andalusian outfit can certainly test Barcelona in this fixture. With the home fans behind them, they will be eager to script an upset and close the gap at the top.
Meanwhile, defending champions Barcelona are top of the table with 24 points in their eight outings. Hansi Flick’s men have not just won all of their eight La Liga games, but the Catalan giants have actually won all their 10 games this term.
After winning 3-0 over Getafe in their last league outing, Flick’s men won 4-1 against Galatasaray in their backyard, which gives a clear idea of how dangerous they have been this term. The away side will certainly be out-and-out favourites to win despite Betis’ promising performances this season. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could use.
The home team will be without the services of Junior Firpo (groin) and Aitor Ruibal (knee) this weekend. The good news for their fans is that apart from the duo, everyone else is available for selection.
Real Betis are expected to line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation vs Barcelona, with Alvaro Valles starting in goal. Hector Bellerin and Fran Garcia should operate as full-backs, while Diego Llorente is likely to pair up with Natan at the heart of the defence.
As for the midfield unit, Pablo Fornals and Marc Roca are expected to form the double pivot, providing defensive cover and helping the hosts ensure Barcelona midfielders do not dominate the ball too deep in their half.
Rodrigo Riquelme and Ez Abde should operate on the flanks, with Isco playing in the number ten role behind Cucho Hernandez. They will all be looking to make the most out of the opportunities to hit Barcelona on the break.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Valles; Bellerin, Llorente, Natan, Garcia; Fornals, Roca; Riquelme, Isco, Abde; Hernandez
Barcelona remain without the services of Andreas Christensen (thigh) and Roony Bardghji (knee), but the good news is that Frenkie de Jong and Raphinha are back in training and can be a part of the squad for this outing.
Barcelona are expected to line up in a 4-3-3 formation vs Real Betis, with Joan Garcia starting in goal. Xavi Espart and Gerard Martin should operate as full-backs, while Eric Garcia could pair up with Pau Cubarsi in the heart of the defence.
Rodri is expected to take up the holding role in midfield, with Pedri and Fermin Lopez operating ahead of him. The trio will look to control possession and dictate the tempo, allowing Barcelona to build attacks through the middle.
Lamine Yamal and Anthony Gordon should provide width on the flanks, with Gabriel Jesus leading the line. The front three will look to stretch the opposition defence and make the most out of their chances.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Joan Garcia; Eric Garcia, Cubarsi, Martin, Espart; Fermin, Rodri, Pedri; Yamal, Gabriel Jesus, Gordon
The 19-year-old has had a dream start to the season with 17 goal contributions in his 10 outings. Yamal has been deciding games on his own and, on current form, he certainly seems to be the best footballer on the planet.
Having failed to bag a goal in his last two league outings, the teenager will be eager to find the back of the net here and help his team continue their winning streak. Yamal will certainly be the biggest threat for Real Betis’s defence, and it will be interesting to see if they can keep him quiet.
Real Betis have been in excellent form and will fancy their chances of troubling Barcelona, particularly after scoring five goals against Osasuna and three against FC Porto. The hosts have enough attacking quality to exploit any defensive lapses from the visitors.
However, containing Barcelona’s relentless attack will be a major challenge, especially with Lamine Yamal in such impressive form. The Blaugrana have been unstoppable this season, winning all ten of their games across competitions, and their attacking firepower should give them the edge in this contest. The Hard Tackle predicts a 4-2 win for the away team.
