| Odds via 22bet | |
| Real Betis vs FC Barcelona | December 7, 2024, 16:15 GMT+1 |
| Real Betis odds | 5.1 |
| FC Barcelona odds | 1.56 |
| Draw | 4.56 |
| Over\Under | Total 2,5: 1.39/2.6 |
Real Betis are currently 10th in La Liga, with their season heavily impacted by injuries. Isco, Giovanni Lo Celso, and William Carvalho are out for the majority of the season, forcing Manuel Pellegrini to reorganize his team.
These absences took an immense toll on the attack, which relied on advanced midfielders like Isco and Lo Celso as the team’s primary playmakers. As such, they were responsible for all transitions into the final third.
To add insult to injury, the team’s most competent defensive midfielders, William Carvalho and Marc Roca, also suffered injuries and haven’t been replaced. As a result, more responsibilities have been placed on Abde Ezzalzouli and Pablo Fornals to create chances in the final third.
Fortunately, Lo Celso recovered recently and started in Betis’ last game in La Liga. However, he wasn’t able to help his team avoid a 2-0 defeat against Real Sociedad.
Real Betis conceded 18 goals while only scoring 16 in 15 matches. The defensive issues, which were noticeable last season, have worsened due to William Carvalho’s injury.
On the bright side, Real Betis progressed to the next stage of the Copa Del Rey, after eliminating Sant Andreu (1-3) from the competition.
| Recent Form | DLLLW |
| Key Player to Watch | Abde Ezzalzouli |
| Team Strengths | Strong individual players, successful in the build-up, established playing style |
| Team Weaknesses | Lack of squad depth, defensive issues |
| Key injuries and suspensions. | Marc Roca, William Carvalho and Isco |
FC Barcelona are still first in La Liga, but could be overtaken by Madrid if they continue to drop points.
Flick’s men were caught off guard by Diego Martinez’s Las Palmas, as the Canarians won 2-1 in Barcelona, marking their first victory since 1971. While it should have served as a warning, Barcelona struggled in the first half against Mallorca, with Ferrán Torres scoring in the 12th minute but Vedat Muriqi equalising in the 43rd.
Raphinha’s brace, followed by Frenkie de Jong and Pau Víctor’s goals saw the match end 5-1 in Barcelona’s favour, but fans still criticised the team for lacking sharpness and being complacent on the counters. Worryingly, the Catalans have been missing more chances than usual in recent matches, jeopardizing their victories.
Barcelona have only four matches left until the Christmas break, including games against Real Betis, BVB Dortmund, Leganés and Atlético de Madrid.
| Recent Form | LDWLW |
| Key Player to Watch | Lamine Yamal |
| Team Strengths | Complimentary forwards, variety of profiles in the midfield, successful offside traps. |
| Team Weaknesses | Dangerous highline, lack of success in front of the net, overreliance on Lamine Yamal and Marc Casadó |
| Key injuries and suspensions. | Marc-André Ter Stegen, Ronald Araújo, Andreas Christensen, Marc Bernal and Ansu Fati |
The two clubs have played each other 139 times. Barcelona won 85 matches, while Real Betis only won 30. They also drew 24 times.
Barcelona won the last match, in January (2-4). Isco scored a brace, but his efforts were undermined by Ferrán Torres’ hat-trick and João Félix’ goal.
Real Betis’ last victory dates back to December 2021, with Juanmi scoring the only goal of the encounter in the 79th minute.
Bet hereWith Lo Celso having recovered from injury, he’s undoubtedly the team’s most important player. His absence has been noticeable, as Real Betis were forced to play through the wings instead of the central channels.
Although Pablo Fornals and Abde aren’t terrible players, they couldn’t replicate Lo Celso’s unique creative skills in the final third. In his absence, Real Betis scored less, which explains why they have only won one match in the past five.
On the other side, Barcelona will celebrate that Lamine Yamal is back. There’s a stark contrast in the team’s dynamics when he’s absent. His assist against Mallorca left fans speechless, as he executed it with the outside of his foot.
A journalist asked him how he did that. He jokingly replied “L12”, in reference to the controls on the PlayStation.
Real Betis will need to find a way to stop Lamine Yamal, which is a problem considering that they struggle to defend on the wings.
Real Betis recovered Lo Celso, but Manuel Pellegrini will need to innovate in the defensive department. His team struggled to keep a clean sheet until now, which is an issue when playing against Barcelona.
The Catalans are famous for their aggressive approach off the ball, as Hansi Flick likes his team to press high. Although Real Betis could get some inspiration from Las Palmas, it’s unlikely for them to replicate a similar approach.
The other issue is that Real Betis cannot afford to fall into Barcelona’s offside trap, as seen in the game against Mallorca. After only 70 minutes of play, they had been caught offside about 10 times. This is one of the keys to win against Barcelona: avoiding the offside trap.
Dani Olmo may also be key to the match. He has been one of the team’s most important playmakers, excelling at finding spaces between the lines. Cutting access to the central channels would be one of the solutions, although the biggest worry remains stopping Lamine Yamal.
FC Barcelona usually struggle against compact blocks, and thrive against teams that depend on counter-attacks. Unfortunately for Real Betis, they fall under the second category, which makes it likely for Barcelona to win the three points.
The Catalans haven’t lost to Real Betis in three years, and the rise of Lamine Yamal indicates that Barcelona won’t lose this weekend either. Despite the difficulties, Flick’s men will come confident to the match after their 5-1 victory.
Robert Lewandowski was rightfully criticised in the match against Las Palmas, as he failed to connect with the ball. While it is true that most will focus on Lamine Yamal, Robert Lewandowski needs to step up, and he knows that.
As the topscorer of La Liga, this match is the perfect opportunity for the Pole to add to his tally. With a player like Lamine Yamal and the defensive issues of Real Betis, there are many reasons to believe he will score on Saturday.
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