Spanish champions Real Madrid will be bidding to return to the top of the La Liga table when they travel to Real Betis on Saturday evening.
Los Blancos are currently second in the division, behind leaders Barcelona on the head-to-head record, while Real Betis occupy seventh, with Manuel Pellegrini's side battling to secure more European football for the 2025-26 campaign.
Match preview
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Real Betis have a record of nine wins, eight draws and eight defeats from their 25 league matches this season, with a total of 35 points leaving them in seventh spot, level on points with sixth-placed Rayo Vallecano.
Pellegrini's side are also bidding for success in Europe this season, with the Green and Whites in the last-16 stage of the Conference League, preparing to tackle Vitoria de Guimaraes in the first leg of their knockout round fixture on March 6.
Real Betis will enter this match off the back of a 2-1 success over Getafe in Spain's top flight, and they have only been beaten in one of their last five games in La Liga, recording three wins in the process.
Pellegrini's team were excellent in their last home fixture in the league, beating Real Sociedad 3-0, and they will certainly be the fresher of the two sides entering this clash, as Real Madrid were in Copa del Rey action on Wednesday night.
Real Betis suffered a 2-0 defeat to Real Madrid at Bernabeu earlier this season, but three of the last four La Liga matches between these two teams have finished level, including a 1-1 draw in the corresponding match last term.
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Real Madrid have only actually won two of their last six La Liga games against Real Betis, but they are unbeaten against the Seville team since March 2020, so a five-year record is on the line in this fixture.
Los Blancos will enter this match off the back of a 1-0 victory over Real Sociedad in the first leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final on Wednesday night, with Endrick netting the only goal of the contest in the 19th minute.
Real Madrid were 2-0 winners over Girona in La Liga last weekend, meanwhile, and they currently sit second in the table, level on points with leaders Barcelona, who are at the summit due to their superior head-to-head record.
Carlo Ancelotti's side would go back to the top if they avoid defeat in this match, as third-placed Atletico Madrid are not in action until later in the evening against Athletic Bilbao, while Barcelona will host Real Sociedad on Sunday afternoon.
Real Madrid will host Atletico next week for the first leg of their Champions League last-16 affair, so it is an incredibly important period of the season for Los Blancos, who have the third-best away record in Spain's top flight this season, picking up 23 points from 13 matches, while Real Betis have 20 points from their 12 home league fixtures.
Team News
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Real Betis will have on-loan Manchester United attacker Antony available for this match after his red card against Getafe last weekend was controversially overturned.
Antony has been in excellent form since his arrival in January, scoring three goals and registering two assists in five appearances, and he is set to continue down the right for Pellegrini's side.
Pablo Fornals, Hector Bellerin and William Carvalho remain unavailable due to injury problems, while Abde Ezzalzouli, Marc Roca and Giovani Lo Celso all face late fitness tests before their involvement can be determined.
As for Real Madrid, Jude Bellingham will again miss out through suspension, while Jesus Vallejo and Dani Ceballos have joined long-term absentees Dani Carvajal and Eder Militao on the sidelines.
Kylian Mbappe was not involved against Real Sociedad due to a dental issue, but the France international is set to return for this match, while Thibaut Courtois and Federico Valverde will also feature after being rested last time out.
Luka Modric could benefit from Ceballos's injury to feature in the middle of midfield, while there are also set to be recalls for Lucas Vazquez, Rodrygo and Ferland Mendy following the team's Copa del Rey fixture.
Real Betis possible starting lineup:
Adrian; Sabaly, Bartra, Llorente, Rodriguez; Cardoso, Altimira; Antony, Isco, J Rodriguez; Hernandez
Real Madrid possible starting lineup:
Courtois; Vazquez, Asencio, Rudiger, Mendy; Tchouameni, Modric, Valverde; Rodrygo, Mbappe, Vinicius
We say: Real Betis 1-2 Real Madrid
Real Madrid have been held to draws on their last two visits to Real Betis in Spain's top flight, and it would not be a surprise to see the points shared on Saturday; Los Blancos are in strong form, though, and we are backing the returning Mbappe to inspire them to what would be a huge three points in the title race.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Matt Law
