Real Betis Balompié, third in La Liga with 15 points from a possible 18, face Deportivo La Coruña at Riazor this Saturday as clear favourites in a clash between two teams on opposite trajectories. Manuel Pellegrini's side arrive on a four-game winning streak, the latest a 1-0 victory over Getafe, while Depor are coming off a loss to Sevilla after a solid start to the season. Betis's recent form is impeccable, averaging 2.5 points per game over the last six matchdays.
The Verdiblancos approach this match with the rotation expected of a Champions League-level squad. Following Thursday's game, players like Pablo Fornals, Héctor Bellerín, Marc Bartra, Fran García and Rodri 'Roro' Riquelme are expected to return. The confirmed absences are Diego Llorente and Aitor Ruibal. In attack, the options to lead the line are Troy Parrott or Cucho Hernández, who scored in the win over Villarreal. From the bench, Pellegrini can call upon Dani Ceballos, Abde Ezzalzouli and Jhon Jáder Durán 'Deossa'.
Deportivo La Coruña, managed by Antonio Hidalgo, have nine points after six matchdays, with notable wins over Villarreal and Valencia. However, their offensive efficiency is a double-edged sword: they have the third-best conversion rate in the league (23.08%) but are the team that takes the fewest shots per game, averaging only 39. In their recent loss to Sevilla they generated just 0.14 expected goals (xG). Their goalkeeper, Leo Román, has not kept a clean sheet in the six matches played. Midfielder Mario Soriano, who lost his starting spot for the first time in 82 appearances against Sevilla, will be key in ball circulation and faces the difficult task of marking Isco Alarcón.
Depor's centre-back Giménez showed ambition ahead of the challenge. "Why not dream?" he stated in the build-up. Their main threat will be experienced forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, whose pace could trouble the Betis defence, where Natan's positioning has been noted as a potential weakness.
With the September international break, lasting 21 days and two weekends without club football, just around the corner, both teams are looking to add points ahead of that pause. For Betis, a win at Riazor would consolidate their excellent league position, just three points behind leaders Barcelona.
The predicted Real Betis lineup for this clash includes Álvaro Valles in goal; a defence of Bellerín, Natan, Bartra and Fran García; Marc Roca and Fornals in midfield; and an attacking trio of Antony, Isco and Riquelme behind Cucho Hernández. The appointed referee is Soto Grado of the Riojan Committee. The match concludes a run of four wins that included victories over Real Madrid and Lille, which fans can review in our stats section. The next fixture after the trip to La Coruña will be the lengthy break for international duty. Pellegrini's team has averaged 67 minutes of effective possession per game so far this season, a key statistic that shows their control of matches.
Read the full report at Sport.es
