Real Betis Balompié face Getafe this Thursday, September 17th, looking to extend their flawless winning run. The La Liga matchday six fixture kicks off at the Benito Villamarín at 19:00 local time, with the green-and-whites sitting comfortably in third place on 12 points.
Manuel Pellegrini's side arrives buoyed by a spectacular comeback win at Villarreal last Saturday, a 1-2 victory sealed by goals from Cucho Hernández and Natan. That marked a third consecutive win, following a European triumph over Lille and, most notably, a 1-0 home victory over Real Madrid. Their recent form shows four wins from their last five outings, a record that leaves them just three points behind leaders Barcelona.
The visiting team, managed by José Bordalás, is going through a tough spell. They sit in 15th place and have managed only two draws in their last two matches, against Deportivo and Celta, both at home. Also, Getafe arrive with several key defensive absences. Full-backs Kiko Femenía and Andrés García are injured, as is centre-back Abdel Abqar. In attack, they will also be without long-term absentee striker Juanmi.
Pellegrini is likely to stick with the core group that has been delivering results. Álvaro Vallés should start in goal, behind a back four of Bellerín, Bartra, Natan and Fran García. In midfield, the pairing of Fornals and Roca looks set, with Isco, Riquelme and Ez Abde supporting centre-forward Cucho Hernández. Rodrigo Riquelme, with two goals in five appearances, is the team's top scorer this season. Full squad details are on our squad page.
The last meeting between the sides, on March 8th, ended in a 2-0 win for Getafe. Betis will seek revenge and to continue their climb in a very tight league.
