Andalusians and Basques fight for fourth position, with a presence in the continental elite next year
Pellegrini recovers Ruibal, while Imanol does the same with Robin le Normand
Seville continues adorned with lanterns and booths, with the flavor of rebujito and the smell of spring. The fair floods the streets of the Andalusian capital, both in the Royal enclosure and in Heliópolis. Beticismo will pause the party in their city for two hours to push the team towards its Champions League goal. The Verdiblancos receive Real Sociedad, their direct opponent in the battle for the highest continental competition.
Manuel Pellegrini’s Betis arrives a bit stuck and without fresh ideas for this duel against a very direct rival. Although the ‘final’ label cannot yet be applied, as the Chilean coach has made clear – there are 8 games left -, nor is it the best moment of the heliopolitansFar from it, after their three defeats in the last four games.
In them, Betis, thriving in everything so far this year having almost always been in European positions, except for one matchday, only got 3 points out of 12 possible, a downturn that has extended to the last seven matchdays, with 8 points sum of the 21 at stake (2 wins, 2 draws and 3 losses) and, in addition, Manchester United’s elimination from the round of 16 in the Europa League (4-1 in England and 0-1 in Seville).
Even so, and with only three days to spare since Saturday’s disappointing defeat in Pamplona (3-2) after a dismal start at El Sadar that he was later unable to reverse, Pellegrini continues to believe in his people and denied on the eve of receiving a “great rival” like Real that his team had “fallen”although he insisted that they must recover the balance so that the good collective work is catapulted, in both areas, by successful individual performances.
The Chilean recovers after two games of suspension to Aitor Ruibalwho will surely replace a Martín Montoya on the right side who has fulfilled his comeback in the last two days after several months without playing due to injury, while he could refresh the left with the Brazilian Abner for Juan Miranda and the rear with the Argentine Germán Pezzella, who did not play against Osasuna being fresh out of an injury, by Édgar.
It is also almost certain that, unlike in Pamplona, this time Sergio Canales will start, as the precautionary suspension of his punishment granted by ordinary justice continues in force, in a possible offensive trident with Rodri, who gave vitality to Betis in the second part against Osasuna, and Ayoze, his fittest attacker. Borja Iglesias would continue at the top despite his current bad streak.
The Senegalese winger Youssouf Sabaly and the central defender Víctor Ruiz are still injured; the striker Juanmi Jiménez due to a febrile process; and the Frenchman Nabil Fekir, with a long-term illness and who will not return until the next season.
The Royal Society, with the return of defender Robin Le Normand after his suspensionis fully aware of the importance of this outing, as they will have a slightly clearer path to qualifying for the Champions League if they do not lose at Villamarín, although for this they will have to greatly improve their performance away from home in the last two months .
La Real has not won at home since February 13 at Espanyol’s home and in his last four outings he has only taken one point because the rest have been defeats, the last in the Basque derby against Athletic.
The victory against Rayo Vallecano, together with the setbacks of their rivals, however, leave Imanol Alguacil’s men in an unbeatable situation for their European objective and this matchday could be an almost definitive step forward.
The return of Le Normand gives a bit of air to the txuri urdin defense, which improves that line with the French, and Bailiff will have to dose his team in a week with two gamesso there may be changes in the midfield, with the entry of Brais or Illarramendi, and in attack with the Japanese Take Kubo after his good match since the substitution against Rayo.
The two ‘nines’ of the team, Carlos Fernández and the Swede Alexander Sorloth, marked the last day and both also have options to enter the eleven.
Probable lineups:
Betis: Rui Silva; Aitor Ruibal, Pezzella, Luiz Felipe, Abner; Guido Rodriguez, Willian Carvalho; Rodri, Canales, Ayoze; and Borja Iglesias.
Real society: Remiro; Gorosabel, Zubeldia, Le Normand, Aihen; Zubimendi, Illarramendi, Silva, Brais; Sorloth and Oyarzabal or Kubo.
Referee: Juan Martínez Munuera (Valencian).
Stadium: Benito Villamarín (10:00 p.m.).