La Liga: Real Betis Can Gauge Their Progress Against Barcelona

Barcelona vs Real Betis

Two of the hottest teams in La Liga are slated for an epic clash because Barcelona will host Real Betis at the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium this Saturday evening. Barcelona and Real Betis are winners of their last six Spanish top-flight matches.

Barcelona are at the top of the league standings with 66 points, and they need this home win to have a bigger cushion over second-seeded Real Madrid (63 points), who have a winnable match against Valencia this weekend. Hansi Flick’s side ar fresh from a 1-0 win over Atletico Madrid to advance to the Copa del Rey final.

Real Betis are making a late push to Europe. Manuel Pellegrini’s men are sixth in the table with 47 points (level with fifth-seeded Villarreal) and are coming off a 3-2 victory against Leganes.

Learn more about these two in-form teams by reading our SBOTOP preview below.

 

Talking Points

Key rotations for Barcelona

Jules Kounde previously criticised La Liga for Barcelona’s hectic schedule, and he has a point. Despite this, Barcelona took the high road and took care of business, putting themselves in a prime position to win multiple trophies.

The Blaugrana crushed Girona 4-1 last Sunday. An own goal from Ladislav Krejci gave them a one-goal lead, but Arnaut Danjuma scored the equaliser in the 53rd minute. The game got out of hand when Robert Lewandowski scored a brace and Ferran Torres put on the finishing touches late.

Torres was the hero again for Barcelona against Atletico Madrid, as he scored the marginal goal in the 27th minute. More importantly, he gave Robert Lewandowski some much-needed rest. 

Hansi Flick did a superb job of rotating his players during the past few days. Besides swapping Torres and Lewandowski, he also swapped Frenkie de Jong, Pau Cubarsi, Alex Balde, and Raphinha for Eric Garcia, Ronald Araujo, Gerard Martin, and Gavi against Atleti. Flick will likely make a few more rotations against Real Betis to keep the squad fresh.

 

Real Betis face crucial Antony decision

Antony is having a blast at Real Betis. Since arriving on loan from Manchester United during the winter transfer window, the Brazilian winger has notched four goals and four assists in 12 appearances for Los Verdiblancos, prompting Isco to call for the club to start crowdfunding for his return next season. 

Because their agreement with Manchester United doesn’t have a buy option, Real Betis would have to pay up to make Antony’s deal permanent. Leading clubs from across Europe – including Bayern Munich – are also said to be admirers of the 25-year-old.

After playing well in the Seville derby, Antony can further enhance his reputation with another solid performance against the La Liga frontrunners. Real Betis will need his magic since Isco must serve his suspension for an accumulation of yellow cards.

 

History

Saturday marks the third meeting between Barcelona and Real Betis across all competitions. The Blaugrana and Los Verdiblancos shared the spoils in their 2-2 league draw last December at Benito Villamarin, as Giovanni Lo Celso, Assane Diao, Robert Lewandowski, and Ferran Torres scored for their teams. Barcelona notched a 5-1 win a few weeks later in the Copa del Rey Round of 16, as Gavi, Jules Kounde, Raphinha, Ferran Torres, and Lamine Yamal scored. Vitor Roque’s late goal prevented a shutout loss for Real Betis.

Barcelona have won 19 of their last 23 La Liga games against Real Betis (D2, L2), including their last two home games against them. The Blaugrana aim to secure their third consecutive clean sheet home victory against Los Verdiblancos for the first time since 1939.

Real Betis, on a six-game winning streak, plan to set a new club record for their longest winning streak in La Liga (seven straight wins) this Saturday. 

 

Betting Tip

The La Liga 2025 odds expect Barcelona to come out on top this Saturday. They are priced at 1.35 to win, whereas Real Betis are huge 6.00 underdogs, and a draw is at 5.00 in the 1X2 market. The Blaugrana’s collective firepower may be too much for Los Verdiblancos to handle.

Both teams are predicted to make new La Liga 2025 highlights at the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium. So, besides our recommended bet, bettors can also go for alternatives like Over 3.25 at 1.72, Over 3.50 at 1.93, Over 3.75 at 2.16, and even Total Goal 4-6 at 2.17. Moreover, a Correct Score of 2-2 – the result of the reverse fixture – is pegged at 16.50 your bet.

   

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