Real Betis-Barcelona preview: Two teams with unfinished business and precarious positions

Los Verdiblancos haven’t defeated Los Azulgranas at home for 16 years, while both teams need these three points given their positions in the table.

Real Betis and Barcelona will face off this Sunday in one of the most attractive fixtures of the La Liga season. These two sides will meet at the Estadio Benito Villamarin for a duel that promises attractive football and plenty of excitement, while the home team will hope to remove a thorn from their side. That’s because Manuel Pellegrini’s club haven’t defeated Los Azulgranas in a home league game since 2008. That’s too long a run for a club like this, with Real Betis fans confident about turning the tide given that Los Verdiblancos are undefeated at home this season.

In the 10 league fixtures they’ve played at home so far this term, Real Betis have won six matches, drawn on four occasions and lost zero times. That’s similar to Barca’s away record, as they have won four and drawn five of their nine games away from the Estadi Olimpic in Montjuic. As such, this is a coming together of two unbeaten records at a key moment in the season.

The side from Seville come into this weekend’s game following a 1-0 win over Granada last matchday, with Isco scoring the goal that secured the three points and the end of a mini winless run. Pellegrini’s side had gone five games without tasting victory in La Liga, but now they are just one point away from the European places. The Chilean coach wants to maintain momentum and will place his trust in the in-form Isco, who is conjuring up assists, goals, dribbles and great performances week after week, becoming one of the stars of the competition.

Barcelona, meanwhile, arrive at the Estadio Benito Villamarin keen to bounce back after losing the Spanish Super Cup final to Real Madrid last week. Xavi’s side will hope to close in on their title rivals during the second half of the campaign. They’re currently seven points behind Real Madrid, but have 19 games to push all the way and try to retain their title.

In this game, all eyes will be on new signing Vitor Roque, who already made his debut against UD Las Palmas. As well as that exciting new signing, Xavi has also recovered Pedri from injury for this busy stretch of the season. Barcelona will look to make a statement ahead of the return of the Champions League and there are few better venues to do so than the ground of the unbeaten Los Verdiblancos. The Barcelona coach certainly knows how to get a result against Real Betis, having defeated them 5-0 earlier this season.

It’s also important to note that Real Betis vs Barcelona is a match with history, as these two teams have played each other 138 times. There is so much to look forward to in this next duel, such as the contest between Isco against Pedri in midfield, the quest for goals between Robert Lewandowski and Willian Jose and the Argentinian-Uruguayan centre-back duel between German Pezzella and Ronald Araujo. This will be a match involving great players and a game with tension given both clubs’ positions in the table. Neither coach will want to fall further behind their rivals for their respective objectives. It promises to be another great game.