A tactical analysis of Real Betis Balompié's match against Real Madrid, published by Managing Madrid, details the defensive organization of the verdiblanco team. The match, played at La Cartuja Stadium, showed a Betis side that knew how to exploit a set-piece to score, although they ended up conceding a high volume of chances.
Real Betis currently sits fourth in La Liga, with 9 points after a season start of three wins and one loss. Their next fixture is a visit to Villarreal on September 14th, an opponent occupying seventeenth place in the standings.
How was Betis's defense organized?
Manuel Pellegrini deployed a 4-4-2 medium block off the ball. During corners in their favor, the setup was careful. Four players covered the six-yard box, with Héctor Bellerín and Marc Roca on the posts. Facundo Bernal patrolled the edge of the area, while Natan, Fran García, and Fornals marked Denzel Dumfries, Dean Huijsen, and Jude Bellingham, respectively. Isco screened Kylian Mbappé and Antony stayed close to Vinicius Junior in case Madrid played a short corner. This organization paid off on one occasion, where a physical sequence from Deossa on Vinicius led to a foul and a subsequent corner goal for Betis, putting Madrid in a negative game state.
What problems did Real Madrid create?
The white team, with a three-box-three formation in possession, created danger in multiple ways. In the 14th minute, a long diagonal pass from Huijsen found Dumfries, who got away from Fran García. Arda Güler also pinned the Betis left-back to release Dumfries into space behind. In another move, a slightly late retreat from Fornals allowed Madrid to capitalize on an overload. A one-two between Mbappé and Güler set up the latter behind the defensive line; his cross to the far post was met by Vinicius Junior, who hit the woodwork. Betis conceded 2.68 non-penalty xG and seven big chances in total, with 1.8 xG from open play in the first half alone. However, they improved markedly after the break, limiting Madrid to 0.23 xG and just five shots.
How did Betis contain the counterattacks?
Defending against Madrid's quick transitions was another key point. With Huijsen and Güler as passers and Vinicius and Mbappé providing pace, Betis had to be precise. Marc Roca blocked diagonal access between Eduardo Camavinga and Güler on one occasion. Later, it was Camavinga himself who intercepted a reverse pass and found Güler to start a Madrid counter. Pellegrini's team also tried to exploit the high positions of Madrid's front four near the end of the first half, looking for a quick restart. So far this season, Betis maintains an even goal difference, having scored five and conceded five, sitting three points behind leaders Barcelona. You can check more team data on our stats page.
What's next for the upcoming match?
After this demanding test against the champion, the focus for Real Betis Balompié now shifts to their next away game at La Cerámica. The clash against Villarreal, scheduled for September 14th, represents an opportunity to pick up points on the road and consolidate their position in the upper part of the table. Pellegrini's squad will look to correct the defensive details exposed against Madrid to face this new challenge in the fixtures calendar with guarantees.
