Barcelona's young star Lamine Yamal has admitted he never misses a Real Betis Balompié match in LaLiga. The forward made the revelation in a conversation with former footballer Jorge Valdano, who highlighted Yamal's intense football-watching habits.
Valdano explained that the player "told him he watched a lot of football and that, in La Liga, he didn't miss Villarreal's and Betis's matches because they are the most fun to watch". This habit of studying the opposition gains immediate relevance, as Betis, third in the table with 19 points, host leaders Barcelona this Wednesday at the Benito Villamarín.
The answer lies in the style of play Manuel Pellegrini has implemented. The Verdiblancos base their game on controlled possession, using brains like Isco and Pablo Fornals to dictate the tempo. In attack, they deploy a vertical trident with Antony on the right, Abde Ezzalzouli on the left, and Cucho Hernández as the central scoring reference. This combination has produced 14 goals in eight matchdays.
Their latest triumph, a thrilling 3-2 win over Porto in the Champions League, is a prime example. In that match, Abde, Cucho Hernández and Isco, from the penalty spot, scored for the Béticos.
A context of great form
Betis arrive at the match on an unstoppable run of four wins and one draw in their last five outings. Besides the feat against Porto, they thrashed Osasuna 5-2 last week, with a brace from Isco. This good form places them just five points behind Barça and gives them wings for a historic duel.
The team, however, faces the match with some confirmed absences in defence, including Junior Firpo, Iván Losada and Aitor Ruibal.
The last meeting between the two in Seville ended with a 3-5 win for the Catalans, but the current Betis is a more solid rival with plenty of arguments to make life difficult for the leaders. The match kicks off on Wednesday, 17 October at 21:00.
Read the full report at Mundo Deportivo
