Real Betis head coach Manuel Pellegrini has been able to refocus on qualifying for Europe after his side won for the first time in eight La Liga matches with a 3-2 comeback victory at Girona on Tuesday.
Los Verdiblancos scored with all three attempts on target and are inside the qualification positions by five points with six matches of their campaign remaining, starting with the visit of second-placed Real Madrid on Friday.
“I would still consider it a great achievement to finish fifth again and play in Europe,” said Pellegrini. “We’ll see which competition.
“Only Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid have played in Europe for six years in a row. No other club has done it.
“Betis haven’t done it in their history, either. Reaching the quarter-finals in both competitions [Europa League and Copa del Rey] and finishing fifth would seem to me to be a very good season, despite the occasional setbacks we had.
“Madrid aren’t going through a good period because not winning titles at Madrid is difficult.
“It’s still Madrid, though, and they have game-changing players who can punish you quickly for any lapse in concentration.”
Los Blancos started April with a four-match winless run, losing away to Mallorca and drawing at home to Girona either side of losing both legs of their Champions League quarter-final against Bayern Munich.
Alvaro Arbeloa’s side are nine points behind Barcelona, who they visit in the Clasico on May 10.
“It doesn’t depend on us,” Arbeloa accepted as his players prepare to embark upon three successive away games.
“Our goal is to win all six [remaining matches], regardless of what Barcelona do. We’re only worried about this game, but it’s not up to us.”
“My main goal shouldn’t be to motivate a Real Madrid player; they have very high expectations of themselves. My goal is to prepare them for what awaits them on the pitch.”
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Real Betis v Real Madrid team news
Left-back Junior Firpo (muscle) is out for Real Betis, who have a doubt over Cucho Hernandez after their attacking focal point was substituted at half-time against Girona with knee discomfort.
Former Madrid playmaker Isco continued his comeback from a long-term ankle injury by coming off the bench in that game and the 34-year-old’s involvement could be crucial.
Having also been kept out by a broken fibula earlier in the campaign, Isco has made only one 30-minute appearance in the 2025/26 Liga after contributing 12 goals and 11 assists in all competitions last season.
Defender Eder Militao, who had only just returned from a long-term injury, and playmaker Arda Guler will miss the rest of Madrid’s season with hamstring injuries.
Winger Rodrygo (knee) and goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois (muscle) are out. Raul Asencio has missed two games as the defender recovers from gastroenteritis.
Real Betis v Real Madrid predicted line-ups
Real Betis starting XI: Alvaro Valles, Hector Bellerin, Marc Bartra, Aitor Ruibal, Ricardo Rodriguez, Sofyan Amrabat, Giovani Lo Celso, Pablo Fornals, Isco, Abde Ezzalzouli, Cucho Hernandez
Real Madrid starting XI: Andriy Lunin, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Antonio Rudiger, Dean Huijsen, Alvaro Carreras, Federico Valverde, Aurelien Tchouameni, Jude Bellingham, Brahim Diaz, Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior
Where to watch Real Betis v Real Madrid: TV and online streams
Kick-off on Friday is at 20:00 BST (15:00 ET / 12:00 PT), with live coverage in the UK on Premier Sports 2 and streaming available on a vast range of devices via the Premier Sports app.
A Premier Sports subscription costs £120 a year, £11.99 per month on a 12-month contract or £16.99 per month with 30 days’ cancellation notice required.
Real Betis v Real Madrid stats
- Real Betis are unbeaten in their last three home matches against Madrid, ending a run of two draws by prevailing 2-1 last season through Isco’s winner
- They have conceded no more than once in five of their last six visits from Madrid, last letting in more at home in the fixture in a 3-2 defeat in September 2020
- No team in this season’s Liga have drawn more games than Betis (13, one ahead of Rayo Vallecano)
- Pellegrini’s team have led and conceded equalisers in each of their last three games in all competitions
- Morocco winger Abde Ezzalzouli has scored once in each of those matches
- That defeat to Betis in 2024/25 is Madrid’s only loss in the last 11 editions of the fixture since March 2020 (W5 D5)
- Madrid have conceded the fewest away goals in this season’s Liga (16 in 15 matches, one fewer than Celta Vigo)
- They have conceded after the 88th minute in three of their last five matches, including three goals after the 90th minute
- Kylian Mbappe is the top scorer in the top flight (24), immediately ahead of Mallorca’s Vedat Muriqi (21)
- Only Mbappe (28), Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal (27) and Muriqi (22) have more direct goal involvements in this season’s division than Madrid’s Vinicius Junior (17)
Real Betis v Real Madrid prediction
Prediction: Betis 1-1 Madrid
Madrid thrashed Betis 5-1 at home in January but none of their last seven trips to the Estadio de La Cartuja have been settled by more than a goal. In a game between teams in unconvincing form, the draw specialists can take another point.
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