Prediction: Barcelona vs Real Betis

Verdict: Robert Lewandowski to score

Best odds: 8/13

Bookmaker: 888sport

Barcelona will play host to Real Betis at the Camp Nou on Saturday evening within the 32nd round of the 2022/23 season in La Liga. The points waiting to be distributed according to the outcome would surely come in very handy to both sides, and a highly competitive contest is to be expected.

Barcelona

Having opened a significant gap between themselves and arch-rivals Real Madrid in the La Liga table, Barcelona are currently struggling to get across the finish line and kill the race off. They could’ve obviously been far more comfortable by now in that aspect, but they failed to win three of their last four matches in the Spanish top flight, which speaks volumes about their current form.

The Blaugrana’s last six matches in all competitions include a 0-4 win away to Elche, a humiliating 0-4 defeat to Real Madrid which saw Xavi Hernandez’s team fail to reach the Copa del Rey final, a goalless draw at home against Girona, another one away to Getafe, a 1-0 triumph over Atletico Madrid, and a shocking 2-1 defeat away to Rayo Vallecano.

Barcelona’s lead ahead of Real is still 11 points wide and they remain strong favourites to win the title, but they won’t want to keep throwing points away like they have done lately.

Off the pitch, Barca are reportedly working behind the scenes to bring back Lionel Messi. The Catalan club’s icon is in the final months of his contract at Paris Saint-Germain, but even as a free agent, his return to the Camp Nou would force numerous players to leave it, purely for financial reasons as the club struggles to form a plan in accordance with the FFP rules.

Team News

Xavi will be delighted that winger Ousmane Dembele and defender Andreas Christensen are back from injury, though neither is expected to start on Saturday. Veteran midfielder Sergio Busquets is also back, having missed the Rayo defeat through suspension, while his former teammate and now head coach awaits to hear news about the possibility of employing the versatility of Sergi Roberto.

Marc-Andre ter Stegen will be between the posts. Fullbacks Alejandro Balde and Jordi Alba should flank centre-backs Jules Kounde and Ronald Araujo. Busquets will step back into his role as the midfield anchor, with Frenkie de Jong and Pedri tasked with more creative duties in the middle of the park. Robert Lewandowski will lead the line upfront, flanked by Gavi and Raphinha.

Real Betis

Betis are in a fierce battle to finish inside the top six and qualify for Europe, though top four isn’t out of the question yet either at this point. With 31 matches played by every team in the league, they are sixth with 49 points, six more than Rayo Vallecano in ninth, five more than Osasuna in eighth, three more than Athletic Bilbao in seventh, one less than Villarreal in fifth, and six less than Real Sociedad in fourth. There’s obviously a lot to play for.

Like Barcelona, Betis were eliminated from the Europa League by Manchester United, and to make the matter worse, they’ve been revenged by the one team they probably wouldn’t want in that role – Sevilla.

Another similarity between the Catalans and Manuel Pellegrini’s team is the fact that Betis aren’t on a good run of form either at the moment. Their last-six run in all competitions consists of a 1-0 home win against Mallorca, a 1-0 defeat away to Atletico Madrid, a 0-2 home defeat to Cadiz, a 3-1 home win over Espanyol, a 3-2 defeat away to Osasuna, and a goalless draw at home against Real Sociedad.

Team News

Four players missed the Sociedad clash – defenders Victor Ruiz and Youssouf Sabaly, winger Juanmi, and attacking midfielder Nabil Fekir – and none of them is expected back for the Barcelona trip.

With Rui Silva in goal, centre-backs Luis Felipe and German Pezzella should be flanked by Juan Miranda and Aitor Ruibal. William Carvalho and Guido Rodriguez should pair up in the middle of the park, while the trio of Ayoze Perez, Sergio Canales and Luiz Henrique support striker Borja Iglesias.

Conclusion

The contest between these teams should be an interesting one, but the overall quality of the Barcelona team should bring at least a narrow victory for the hosts, and we’re backing Lewandowski to hit the back of the net at least once.

Verdict: Robert Lewandowski to score

Best odds: 8/13

Bookmaker: 888sport