Real Betis will be bidding to make it three straight wins in La Liga when they continue their 2024-25 campaign with a home fixture against Mallorca on Monday night. Manuel Pellegrini's side will enter the contest off the back of a 2-1 success over Getafe, while Mallorca recorded an impressive 1-0 victory over Real Sociedad in their last match.
Real Betis only picked up two points from their opening three league matches of the season, drawing with Girona and Alaves before suffering a 2-0 loss to Real Madrid immediately before the international break. Pellegrini's side have managed to win their last two, though, recording a 2-0 victory over Leganes on September 13 before beating Getafe 2-1 five days later.
Giovani Lo Celso scored a brace against Getafe, with the result moving the Seville outfit onto eight points, which is enough for eighth position in the table, three points behind fourth-placed Villarreal. The Green and Whites will play in the Conference League this season, meanwhile, opening their campaign against Legia Warsaw at the start of October, but they will first take on Mallorca, Las Palmas and Espanyol in Spain's top flight.
Real Betis have won each of their last five league games against Mallorca, including a 1-0 success when the two teams last locked horns in January, and they are unbeaten against Monday's opponents since May 2013. Mallorca are actually on a run of eight La Liga matches without a win over Real Betis, and they have not even scored in their last three contests with the Green and Whites in Spain's top flight.
Jagoba Arrasate's side started their 2024-25 La Liga campaign with a 1-1 draw against Real Madrid, but they were then beaten by Osasuna and held by Sevilla in their next two matches. Mallorca's first league win of the season came away to Leganes at the end of August, but they were unable to build on that result, losing 2-1 at home to Villarreal on September 14.
The Pirates will enter this match off the back of an impressive result, though, beating Real Sociedad 1-0 on Tuesday night, with Abdon Prats' first-half penalty deciding the match. Mallorca have picked up eight points from their opening six league games of the season to sit in ninth position, boasting a record of two wins, two draws and two defeats in Spain's top flight this term.
Real Betis Team News
Real Betis will be without the services of William Carvalho and Isco through injury, while Marc Bartra remains a doubt for the home team due to a muscular complaint. Pellegrini's team did not pick up any fresh problems against Getafe, and there is a chance that they could welcome Johnny Cardoso back into their squad on Monday.
Vitor Roque, who is on loan at the club from Barcelona, is set to continue in the XI, while there will be another start for Lo Celso, who hit a brace last time out.
Mallorca Team News
As for Mallorca, Pablo Maffeo will definitely miss out due to a muscular injury, while Siebe Van der Heyden and Javi Llabres are major doubts. Toni Lato will be back from a suspension, but there is a chance that head coach Arrasate will name an unchanged side from the one that took to the field against Real Sociedad.
The only alteration could come in the final third of the field, with Muriqi, who netted against Real Madrid in game week one, set to be recalled, which would see Cyle Larin drop down to the bench.
Real Betis Possible Starting Lineup
Silva; Bellerin, Natan, Llorente, Perraud; Roca, Lo Celso, Altimira; Fornals, Roque, Ezzalzouli
Mallorca Possible Starting Lineup
Roman; Sanchez, Raillo, Copete, Mojica; Costa, Mascarell; Navarro, Prats, Darder; Muriqi
Match Preview and Prediction
Real Betis will be the favourites on home soil, but Mallorca have only conceded four times in six league matches this season, and we believe that the Pirates have enough quality to secure what would be a welcome point.
Betting Tips
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here. https://www.thesportsgeek.com/picks/ai/mal-at-rbb-2024-09-23/
Tip 1: Result - Real Betis to win
Tip 2: Goals - Over/Under 2.5 Goals - Over 2.5 goals
Tip 3: At least one goal to be scored in the second half - Yes
Tip 4: Dani Rodríguez to score or assist any time - Yes
Real Betis Manager’s Press Conference
Real Betis manager Manuel Pellegrini praised Mallorca's performance under coach Jagoba Arrasate, confirmed the absences of Johnny and Cardoso, and discussed Lo Celso's role in the team: "He is exactly the type of player we needed."
In his pre-match assessment ahead of the clash against Mallorca, Pellegrini reviewed his squad's condition as they prepare for their third consecutive La Liga match at the Benito Villamarín: "You never know which games are easier; we need to put in a solid performance both defensively and offensively. We improved against Getafe, but we'll need to deliver a complete display."
Regarding the absences for the upcoming match, he stated: "Cardoso missed last week's match; it would be risky to rush him back too soon."
On Mallorca: "I see them as a team very much in the style of Jagoba. They play direct football, send many balls forward and are offensively strong. Regarding Muriqi's absence, I don’t shape my game plans based on the opponents' players. I don’t think Mallorca's play hinges on Muriqi's presence in attack. We'll see who plays there, but important players are often missing from every team."
Pellegrini also praised Lo Celso’s high level of play: "I expected a player of such technical quality. He is just the profile we needed to replace Isco and Nabil. I am very happy for him as he is an important addition."
When addressing the minutes accumulated by Llorente and Natan, he mentioned: "I hope Bartra returns soon; otherwise, we have Ricardo and Mendy available as well. It’s not a position that requires excessive physical exertion, so we’ll see if we need to rotate them."
Reflecting on the closing stages against Getafe, he said: "I thought we played well, although the corner goal caused us some tension. There may have been a moment of mental relaxation, but overall, I don’t have many complaints about that part of the match."
On Mateo Flores, Pellegrini added: "He completed pre-season with us, and with Johnny and Carvalho missing, he brings high intensity and strong marking. While he is not like William, he can be very useful for both this match and the next."
The manager expressed concerns about the crowded schedule: "There’s no debate; the number of matches is enormous. The intensity in today’s football is massive, leading to more injuries. Many people want to watch football, but we also need to manage players' workload and ensure they have adequate rest. Some return after just a week, and it’s tough to avoid injuries. This needs to be reviewed seriously."
Finally, regarding Bakambu, he noted: "He's had a full week with us; we’ll see if he plays and for how many minutes. The most important thing is that he is fit to play."
Conclusion: A Tight Encounter
Both Real Betis and Mallorca are in good form and this match could be a tight one. The Pirates will be looking to continue their recent upturn in form while Real Betis will be determined to make it three wins in a row. We're expecting a tense encounter with both teams pushing for all three points.
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