Prediction: Barcelona vs Real Betis

Prediction: Draw

Best Odds: 18/5

Bookmaker: 888sport

The La Liga season has already been full of many ups and downs and with the winter period upon us, things are about to get a whole lot crazier. Real Madrid already seem to be running away with the title race after a strong start to the campaign but that doesn’t mean everyone else can curl up in a ball and stop playing. There’s still a lot to play for and this weekend, we’ll see two teams give it their all in an intriguing bout between Barcelona and Real Betis.

Barcelona

Barcelona have Xavi at the helm after Ronald Koeman’s departure and even though it’ll take a while before we can get a real idea of how he’s performing, the early vibes are good. There’s more discipline surrounding the first team, they’ve got a clear idea of what they want to do in the January transfer window, and the fans are starting to believe that they can get their Barcelona back.

Team News

Braithwaite, Fati and Pedri are all out through injury with Alves still not being eligible to play for the club until next year. The only other absence is Sergio Aguero with speculation running rampant over his potential retirement due to heart problems.

Real Betis

After a series of impressive signings, combined with a strong tactical approach, Real Betis are beginning to look like genuine contenders for a place in the Champions League. There are many Spanish clubs who are beginning to take advantage of the fact that some of the big boys are struggling and Betis fall into that category, with one of their biggest attributes being their consistency on the ball.

Team News

There’s good news for Betis with Bellerin returning from suspension for this one, however, Fekir will replace him on the shelf after reaching his red card limit. Sabaly is the only confirmed injury absence with Pezzella, Montoya and Bravo currently being listed as fitness concerns.

Factors to Consider

• Barcelona are 7th in La Liga whereas Real Betis are 5th.
• Barcelona have won three and drawn three of their last six games.
• Real Betis have won four and lost two of their last six games.
• Barcelona have scored nine goals and conceded five in their last six games.
• Real Betis have scored 12 goals and conceded seven in their last six games.

Conclusion

Barcelona are slowly but surely starting to build their way back up to a place of prominence but we all know it’s going to take time for them to do so. As such, it wouldn’t be at all surprising to see Betis put up a real fight here – as they’ve been doing all season long thus far. We expect a tactical and entertaining affair that ends in a 1-1 draw, preserving the respective unbeaten runs that both sides are currently on.

Prediction: Draw

Best Odds: 18/5

Bookmaker: 888sport