Real Betis will be aiming to secure their first victory of the 2024-25 La Liga campaign when they welcome Leganes to Estadio Benito Villamarin on Friday night.
The hosts have picked up two points from their three league games this season to sit 17th in the table, while Leganes are ninth, having collected five points from their opening four games of the campaign.
Match preview
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Real Betis' start to the 2024-25 La Liga season has been underwhelming at best, drawing two and losing one of their three matches, scoring just once in the process.
Manuel Pellegrini's side drew their opening two league fixtures of the campaign against Girona and Alaves, before suffering a 2-0 defeat to the champions Real Madrid before the international break, but they have managed to post two European wins early in the season.
Indeed, the Seville outfit beat Kryvbas 2-0 away and 3-0 at home to record a 5-0 aggregate success in the playoff round for the Conference League, so the La Liga team will be present in the league stage of that competition this term.
Real Betis actually now have three straight home league games against Leganes, Getafe and Mallorca, and they will be looking to put some wins on the board in order to rise up the table, with the team currently in 17th.
Pellegrini's team finished seventh in Spain's top flight last term, which was slightly disappointing considering that they were sixth, fifth and sixth between 2021 and 2023.
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Leganes, meanwhile, secured a return to La Liga as 2023-24 Segunda Division champions, with El Lega back at this level of football for the first time in five seasons.
Borja Jimenez's side have made a solid start to the campaign, picking up five points from their four matches, which has left them in ninth spot in the table ahead of their return to the field.
Leganes opened their season with a 1-1 draw against Osasuna, before recording a 2-1 victory over Las Palmas to post their first top-flight success since July 2020.
The promoted outfit then drew 0-0 with Real Valladolid, but they entered the international break off the back of a 1-0 home loss to Mallorca, so the visitors will be aiming to bounce back in this contest.
Leganes have won three of their last seven La Liga games against Real Betis, while they held the Seville outfit to a goalless draw when the two teams last locked horns in February 2020.
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Team News
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Real Betis have a relatively lengthy injury list for this point of the season, with Marc Roca, Juanmi, Marc Bartra, Nobel Mendy, Cedric Bakambu and Isco all unavailable for selection.
Vitor Roque made his debut the Green and Whites as a substitute against Real Madrid before the international break, and the on-loan Barcelona attacker is pushing to be introduced into the starting XI, but he might have to spend at least a couple more weeks coming off the bench.
Aitor Ruibal could again lead the line for the home side on Friday night, but there will be no Rodri, who has made the move to Qatar, so there could be an appearance out wide for Giovani Lo Celso, with the Argentine returning to the club from Tottenham Hotspur in the latter stages of the summer transfer window.
As for Leganes, Renato Tapia is unavailable due to a muscular problem which he suffered last time out, but the visitors are otherwise in strong shape heading into their fifth game of the new La Liga campaign.
Yvan Neyou is likely to be the player to benefit from Tapia's absence, with the 27-year-old in line for his fourth league start of the 2024-25 campaign.
Juan Cruz has scored twice in La Liga this season, and the Spaniard could be introduced into the XI here, while there is also expected to be a starting role for Munir El Haddadi.
Real Betis possible starting lineup:
Silva; Sabaly, Llorente, Natan, Perraud; Cardoso, Carvalho; Lo Celso, Fornals, Ezzalzouli; Ruibal
Leganes possible starting lineup:
Soriano; Alti, Saenz, Gonzalez, Hernandez; Neyou, Brasanac; Cruz, Rodriguez, El Haddadi; D Garcia
We say: Real Betis 2-1 Leganes
Leganes have made a solid start to the season, and they are certainly capable of making this an uncomfortable match for Real Betis. We are expecting a tight game on Friday evening but believe that the home side will be able to navigate their way to an important three points.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Matt Law
