Real betis host free scoring Barcelona at the Benito Villamarín on Saturday.
Real Betis sits 13 on the log with 41 points in 35 games, and lost their last league with a 2-0 margin in Sevilla.
Barcelona found their scoring wands after suffering back to back league defeat. The Defending champions have scored an outrageous 14 goals in 2 games without conceding any.
Form Comparison
- Real Betis have 2 victories In 5 league games
- Real betis have 3 victories in 5 home league games with 1 ending in a draw and defeat each
- Barcelona are currently on 2 games winning streak
- Barcelona has won 3 out of their last 5 away league game, with a ending in a draw and defeat each.
Real Betis: Team News
Betis could be without the services of Bruno González Cabrera, the Spanish was reported to have suffered a toe injury that could keep him out of the Saturday clash.
Real Betis: Predicted Line-Up
Adnan: Pezzela, Montoya, Varela, Bruno: Petros, N’diaye, Musonda, Ceballos, Joaquin: Castro
Barcelona: Team News
Luis Enrique is lucky to have all his crucial players available for the last lapse of this much competitive La Liga season. The young manager is not facing any fresh injury or suspension problem as all his top boys are available.
Barcelona: Predicted Line-Up
Bravo: Alba, Mascherano, Pique, Roberto: Rakitic, Busquet, Iniesta: Neymar, Messi, Suarez
Real Betis vs. Barcelona: Head-To-Head
Real Betis are yet to claim a victory over Barcelona since the 2001/2002 season. The Beticos in recent years have lost in 5 straight league games with the defending champions between December 2012 and December 2015.
In the last 10 meeting between them, Barcelona has 7 victories compared to Real Betis 2, and one of the clash ended in a 2-2 draw
Real Betis vs. Barcelona: Prediction
Barcelona experience a torrid time few weeks ago, which saw them squandered a 9 point lead within a span of 3 games. This clash is a must win one for the defending champions to finish the season with a major tittle. However Gerard Pique believes that it will be a major failure if they don’t win La Liga this season.
Real Betis have gathered a total of 21 points in their 17 games at home so far this season, with 10 of this points coming from their last 5 home games. This shows an improved performance at home, which could pose a dangerous threat to the visiting boys.
However, with the scoring prowess of Barcelona in recent games, I predict the maximum point for the table topper, with a slim chance of a Betis draw.
Real Betis v Barcelona preview: Jeremy Mathieu will not be fit
Barcelona are back in red-hot form and they head to Real Betis on Saturday knowing that three more wins will help them seal the La Liga title.
Luis Enrique's side looked set to coast to the crown until back-to-back defeats to Real Sociedad and Valencia, which sandwiched their Champions League elimination at the hands of Atletico Madrid.
But since that triple setback Barca have bounced back in style, scoring 14 goals without reply against Deportivo La Coruna and Sporting Gijon, and know three more wins is sure to prove enough, live on Sky Sports 3 HD from 7.15pm.
They go to Betis level on points with second-placed Atletico but top of the table courtesy of their head-to-head record, with Real Madrid still hoping to capitalise on any further setbacks a point behind the top two.
Barcelona goalkeeper Claudio Bravo insists his side's dramatic recent slump in form can act as the "wake-up call" they need in order to wrap up another title.
"We had a couple of setbacks. Those accidents were wake-up calls, because we now have no more room left for error," he said.
"It has helped to keep clean sheets in the last two games. It was a different story in other games and we must have confidence in ourselves."
After the way they bounced back in their last two games, Barcelona will be big favourites at Betis, whom they have beaten in each of their last five meetings.
Jeremy Mathieu will not be fit to take part despite returning to training following a knee operation while Betis trio Bruno, Juan Manuel Vargas and Didier Digard all face late tests.
Betis go into the game in 13th place after a disappointing 2-0 derby defeat to Sevilla last Sunday.
Defender Martin Montoya - who spent 15 years at Barcelona before being loaned out to Inter Milan and then Betis in February - insisted he would have no split loyalties ahead of the fixture.
Montoya told his club's official website: "I owe everything to Barcelona, the club that has given me the chance to play at the highest level in the Primera Division. It will always be home to me.
"I have always said I want Barca to win every title possible because it is the team where I have always been and has given me the opportunity to grow.
"[But] I am defending the shirt of Betis and I want to play and win again this weekend. The goal of this team is to get as high in the league as possible and I owe it to them to help them."
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