PREVIEW | Betis v FC Barcelona
After a difficult month of November in La Liga, Barça have started December in excellent fashion after recording a resounding 5-1 win away at Mallorca. That victory brought an end to a run of three games without a win in the league for Hansi Flick's team, and on Saturday they will be aiming for another three points at the Benito Villamarín against Real Betis.
The blaugranes take a Betis team coached by veteran Manuel Pellegrini with los verdiblancos form having dipped in recent week after four games without a win in La Liga. The Saturday fixture is a 4.15pm start local time, and as usual we have a complete guide to international kick-off times and broadcasters to help you find the game. Don't forget we also have full coverage in our match center, including live text updates of the action.
Precedents favour the blaugranes
Barça are unbeaten in their last 13 games against Real Betis at the Benito Villamarín with the most recent encounter last season ending in a 4-2 victory for the blaugranes thanks to a hat-trick from Ferran Torres. Betis have struggled both home and away against FC Barcelona in recent times having lost 19 of their last 22 games against Saturday's opponents.
Betis' inconsistent season
Manuel Pellegrini's side have been a model of inconsistency so far this season in La Liga. A recent run of four games without defeat for Betis in the league has been followed by successive defeats at the hands of first Valencia, and most recently Real Sociedad. However, the club from Seville are still in 10th place in the league only four points off the European places, and they picked up a morale boosting win in midweek in the Copa del Rey, defeating lower league Sant Andreu 3-1 away from home.
Team news
Barça are still without the injured Ansu Fati, Marc Bernal, Andreas Christensen, Ronald Araujo and Marc-Andre ter Stegen for the trip to the Benito Villamarín with coach Hansi Flick naming a 23 man squad on Friday for Saturday's contest.
The Betis' squad is replete with familiar names for Barça fans with ex-blaugranes Marc Bartra, Héctor Bellerín, Abde, Vitor Roque and Sergi Altimira all at the club. Coach Pellegrini has his own injury problems too with Carvalho, Marc Roca, Johny and Fornals out through injury. It is not all bad news, however, for the Andalusians as former Real Madrid midfielder Isco is scheduled to make a return after injury.
Hansi says
In his pre-game press conference Barça's German coach expressed the value of 'confidence' for his team. For Hansi Flick, Betis are "a dangerous team with plenty of experience and talent up front." However, the blaugrana boss was still confident his team could pick up all three points "if they go out there with the same attitude as against Mallorca."