A Betis-Roma by Luis del Sol

Betis and Roma meet today at the Benito Villamarín (22:00) with the public factor back in Heliópolis and a heartfelt tribute to Luis del Sol, who died last June at the age of 86. The Verdiblanca legend wore both shirts and in Betis there will be a special wink in the form of images that will remember his sports career. It will be a night of mixed feelings, not only for this special detail towards del Sol but also for the return of the fans to the heliopolitan stadium. It will happen 17 months later after the permission of the Junta de Andalucía for this duel to be played with a 25% capacity.

There is also expectation for what may happen on the grass in what will be the last friendly meeting of the Verdiblancos before the start of the League. The feelings were bittersweet so far for Manuel Pellegrini: a convincing performance against Leeds and a handful of doubts multiplied in the other stakes with particular alarm on defense. Perhaps today a team similar to the one that can start the championship will enter the fray and that is why the Chilean coach wants character and reliability on the pitch. Canales, Fekir and Borja Iglesias are expected to start the game to command the offensive zone.

Pellegrini's bet will face a Roma led by his coach, a José Mourinho who has already left symptoms of improvement in his team since his arrival and that he intends to find more arguments to believe in his team at the gates of the start of Serie A. He convinced his tactical rigor in the friendly against Sevilla and at Villamarín he wants to measure the contribution of more pieces of his team. The expectation is growing in Heliopolis. The public returns to Villamarín and does so with a friendly that has become the highlight of the preseason.