Real Betis Balompié face leaders FC Barcelona this Saturday, October 17, in a key match of the ninth round of LaLiga EA Sports 2026-27 at the La Cartuja stadium in Seville. A win for the green-and-whites would cut the gap to the Catalan side to just two points in the title race, closing the current five-point deficit.

Manuel Pellegrini's side arrives in excellent form, unbeaten in their last twelve official matches and sitting third in the table with 19 points from six wins, one draw and a single defeat. Their recent run of four wins and a draw in their last five matches, including a two-game winning streak, shows their good form. They will face a Barcelona side in unstoppable form, topping the league with 24 points after eight consecutive victories.

The verdiblancos approach the clash after two emphatic wins last week. They first thrashed Osasuna 5-2 in LaLiga, a match in which Isco scored a brace, and then came from behind to beat Porto 3-2 in the Champions League, with goals from Abde Ezzalzouli, Cucho Hernández and Isco from the penalty spot. Those results, as Pellegrini himself explained, reflect the team's ability to compete at the highest level both in Spain and in Europe. "The team led by Manuel Pellegrini arrives after thrashing Osasuna 5-2 and securing a 3-2 victory against Porto in the Champions League, results that reflect its capacity to compete both in the Spanish championship and on the international stage," the manager said.

Confidence is high, but the challenge is huge. Barcelona, led by Hansi Flick, has won eleven of its last twelve matches by a margin of two or more goals and has scored 34 times so far this season. "The team led by Hansi Flick arrives as league leader with 24 points, the product of eight consecutive victories," the German acknowledged.

Betis will also have to cope with some significant absences for this match. According to the club's latest medical report, players J. Firpo, I. Losada and A. Ruibal remain sidelined. Their absence will force Pellegrini to reshuffle his starting eleven against the leaders.

The match is a golden opportunity for Betis, who are looking to avenge the 3-5 defeat from last December. With the Benito Villamarín under renovation, La Cartuja will host a clash that promises excitement from the 18:30 kick-off.

Read the full report at blog.codere.es