La Liga: No Mercy from Betis for the Visit of Espanyol

Real Betis vs Espanyol

Primera Division football is back on the agenda this weekend, and the La Liga match between Real Betis and Espanyol at the Estadio Olimpico de la Cartuja on Saturday is a match to keep your eyes on. 

Manuel Pellegrini’s Betis are in fifth place and pushing to stay there to secure Europa League football again. Meanwhile, Manolo Gonzalez’s Espanyol, who had an excellent first half of the campaign, have tanked and plummeted down the La Liga table and, incredibly, are now languishing in the bottom half in 11^th place. 

Earlier in the campaign, this would have been a Top 6 game, which could have gone either way. But I only see one direction this weekend, and that is a Betis win.    

 

Talking Points

Antony fit for Betis 

Manchester United flop Antony has been back in full training, having missed out last week, while he was nursing a groin strain. The international break has come at a good time for the Brazilian winger, and he has had the time to work on a personalised plan before rejoining the main group. Local reporters say he looks in good shape, and that is a boost to Los Verdiblancos in the run-up to a game they really should win.     

When Los Verdiblancos met Athletic Club in Bilbao recently, they lost 2-1, and it was then that Antony went off with his strain to be replaced by former West Ham star Pablo Fornals, who scored the Betis goal. With Fornals also pushing for a start, Pellegrini has a strong hand.

And there’s more good news, as midfield ace Sofyan Amrabat is ready to play his part in a crucial part of Los Verdiblancos’ campaign. He came back for his first game since November, and Amrabat announced his return with a sensational long-range strike, as Betis beat Panathinaikos 4-0 in the Europa League. But his main strengths are in dominating the middle of the park, breaking up play, and finding the likes of Antony. 

 

Espanyol keep faith with Gonzalez 

A good team doesn’t become a bad team overnight. But while their illustrious neighbours, Barcelona, are flying high at the top of the league, Los Periquitos have been sliding lower week by week. 

It has been a frustrating period for manager Gonzalez. After toiling to pick up two draws, Espanyol were in control of a recent game away to Real Mallorca, leading early in the second half thanks to a Charles Pickel goal. But the Ivorian midfielder’s day turned sour when he was red-carded, and Mallorca roared back to win 2-1. And in the final game before the international break in front of their home fans, Espanyol went after Getafe but couldn’t break through and conceded two goals in first-half injury time. Roberto Fernandez headed in a Ruben Sanchez cross to half the deficit, but Getafe held out for the win.  

Gonzalez was close to being sacked in the midst of last season, but the club kept faith, and he delivered another top-flight campaign. And Espanyol’s form carried into the new season with European football looking highly promising. But Los Periquitos’ 2026 has been a nightmare so far, and momentum in such a difficult league is so important and hard to shift. 

The La Liga 2026 news coming out of Catalonia is that the manager’s position is safe, with new chairman Alan Pace of ALK recently at the club to express his support. ALK’s other club, Burnley, is struggling in the Premier League, so Pace has a lot on his plate at the moment.            

 

History 

Betis are leading the head-to-heads with 14 wins to Espanyol’s 10. And at the Estadio de la Cartuja. The tally stands at seven to three in favour of Los Verdiblancos, who have won the last four meetings home and away. When they met in Barcelona in October, Betis inflicted a first home defeat of the season on Espanyol, coming from behind to secure a 2-1 victory. 

With one win, two draws, and three defeats from the last six games, Betis have been out of sorts. However, they meet a team in free-fall, with three draws and three defeats from their last six games. And the pre-match La Liga 2026 betting odds say the visitors are about to suffer another defeat. 

 

Betting Tip

Real Betis are nailed on at SBOTOP odds of 1.72 to win, and I don’t see any respite for Espanyol fans this weekend. If you do, you can back Los Periquitos at a price of 4.30 or the draw at 3.49.

But much like winning, losing can quickly become a hard habit to break, and it already has for the visitors.

   

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