The latest instalment of the Seville derby will take place at Estadio Benito Villamarin on Sunday evening, with European-chasing Real Betis welcoming an in-form Sevilla.
Real Betis are currently seventh in the table, three points behind sixth-placed Real Sociedad, while Sevilla, who are on a three-game winning run, occupy 12th spot in the division.
Match preview
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Real Betis lost four straight league matches between March 3 and March 31, which dented their European ambitions, but the response has been impressive, with Manuel Pellegrini's side posting back-to-back wins over Celta Vigo and Valencia ahead of the Seville derby.
The Green and Whites are currently seventh in the table, which would see them qualify for the 2024-25 Conference League playoffs, but they are only one point ahead of eighth-placed Valencia.
Sixth, and a spot in the group stage of the Europa League once again, is also within reach, with the Seville outfit only three points off Real Sociedad, so there is plenty to fight for in the latter stages of the season.
Pellegrini's team have again been solid at home this term, picking up 30 points from 16 matches in front of their own supporters, suffering only two defeats in the process.
Real Betis have incredibly not managed to overcome Sevilla in La Liga since September 2018, though, and each of their last three meetings at this level of football have finished all square.
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Indeed, Sevilla are on a 10-game unbeaten run against Real Betis in La Liga, including three straight wins in the Seville derby between March 2021 and February 2022.
Los Nervionenses have again underperformed this season, but they are bidding to finish another disappointing campaign on a positive note, and their recent form has been impressive.
Indeed, Quique Sanchez Flores's side have recorded three straight wins over Getafe, Las Palmas and Mallorca to rise into 12th position in the table, boasting 37 points from their 32 matches.
Sevilla are only three points behind 10th-placed Getafe, so a top-half spot is more than achievable, but it does appear that they will miss out on European football next season, which will go down as a huge disappointment.
Last term's 12th-placed finish proved to be their worst final spot at this level since being relegated at the end of the 1999-2000 campaign, so an improvement on that would be a step in the right direction, with the club then looking to challenge for a return to Europe for the 2025-26 campaign.
Team News
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Real Betis will definitely be without the services of both Hector Bellerin and Ezequiel Avila on Sunday due to hamstring and calf problems respectively, while Marc Bartra remains a major doubt due to an Achilles issue.
Ayoze Perez hit a brace in the important win over Valencia last time out, and he should continue down the left, with Pablo Fornals and Isco also operating in the areas behind centre-forward Cedric Bakambu.
There is a strong chance that head coach Pellegrini will name an unchanged side for this match, meaning that Nabil Fekir, Willian Jose and William Carvalho might have to accept spots on the bench once again.
As for Sevilla, their injury crisis from earlier this year has certainly eased, but they will be missing three players for the Seville derby due to fitness issues, with Nemanja Gudelj, Adria Pedrosa and Djibril Sow out.
The squad will be boosted by the return of Kike Salas, though, with the defender serving a suspension in the narrow success over Mallorca last time out.
Salas is likely to replace Gudelj in the back five, but it could otherwise be an unchanged side, with Lucas Ocampos again operating as a wing-back.
Youssef En-Nesyri and Isaac Romero scored the goals against Mallorca last time out, meanwhile, and the pair will continue in the final third of the field this weekend.
Real Betis possible starting lineup:
Silva; Sabaly, Pezzella, Riad, Miranda; Rodriguez, Cardoso; Fornals, Isco, Perez; Bakambu
Sevilla possible starting lineup:
Nyland; Navas, Bade, Ramos, Salas, Ocampos; Soumare, Agoume, Torres; Romero, En-Nesyri
We say: Real Betis 1-1 Sevilla
Each of the last three La Liga meetings between these two sides have finished level, with two of those ending in 1-1 draws. There is not an awful lot between the teams when it comes to quality, and we are expecting a cagey Seville derby to finish all square on Sunday night.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Matt Law
