Real Betis vs Real Madrid preview, prediction, team news and head-to-head

• Over 2.5 goals

• Both teams to score

• Real Madrid to win

Real Betis will be eyeing their biggest win of the season when they host Real Madrid at Estadio de la Cartuja on Friday.

Real Betis suffered disappointment in the Europa League last week, being knocked out in the quarter-finals by Braga. However, they returned to winning ways in La Liga on Tuesday night with a 3-2 victory away to Girona, halting a seven-game winless streak.

The Seville outfit have picked up 26 points from their 15 home league matches this season, suffering only three defeats in the process.

Real Madrid, on the other hand, are on a quest to keep their title hopes alive.

They enter the match off a 2-1 victory over Alaves, with Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr. on the scoresheet for the capital giants to snap a four-game winless run across all competitions.

With only four points earned from a possible nine in their last three league matches, Los Blancos remain entrenched nine points behind arch-rivals Barcelona in La Liga title race.

Real Madrid are facing another campaign without a major trophy; it is expected to be a big summer transfer window for the club, while a new manager is set to be appointed.

Real Betis recorded a 2-1 win over Real Madrid in the corresponding game last season.

However, they suffered a 5-1 defeat to the capital giants in the reverse fixture at Bernabeu at the start of January.

El Glorioso have only actually lost two of their last six league games against Real Madrid, with three draws occurring during that period, including a 0-0 and 1-1 in Seville.

Real Betis La Liga form: 🟥🟧🟥🟧🟧🟩

Real Betis form (all competitions): 🟥🟧🟧🟧🟥🟩

Real Madrid La Liga form: 🟩🟩🟩🟥🟧🟩

Real Madrid form (all competitions): 🟩🟥🟥🟧🟥🟩

Real Betis will welcome Antony back into their squad for this match, with the ex-Manchester United attacker serving a suspension in the clash with Girona last time out.

Junior Firpo (muscle) is out, while Diego Llorente (ankle) and Angel Ortiz (muscle) need to be assessed, but the home team are otherwise in strong shape for the visit of Real Madrid.

Abde Ezzalzouli was the team's standout player against Girona, and he will continue down the left, while Antony's return could mean that Giovani Lo Celso drops down to the bench.

As for Real Madrid, Rodrygo remains a long-term absentee due to a serious knee injury, while goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois also remains out with a thigh issue.

Raul Asencio could return to the squad following illness, but Eder Militao is set to miss out with the hamstring issue that forced him off against Alaves.

Vinicius and Mbappe are set to continue in attack. Jude Bellingham, Federico Valverde, Arda Guler and Aurelien Tchouameni should again feature in a fluid midfield.

Real Betis: Valles; Bellerin, Bartra, Natan, Rodriguez; Amrabat, Roca; Antony, Fornals, Ezzalzouli; Hernandez

Real Madrid: Lunin; Alexander-Arnold, Rudiger, Huijsen, Carreras; Valverde, Bellingham, Tchouameni, Guler; Vinicius, Mbappe

This is a really tough match to predict. Los Blancos have suffered three defeats in their last five matches, and they’ve not beaten Real Betis in Seville since August 2021.

However, Real Madrid know the absolute importance of a win here, which is to maintain their chase behind Barcelona.

Hence, we’re backing Arbeloa’s men to navigate their way to all three points by any means necessary.

Correct score prediction: Real Betis 1-2 Real Madrid