The only defeats Madrid in this League arrived before teams from the south of the table (Mallorca and Levante). And there, in that awkward geographical situation, live Betis, made for something else after spending 100 million in signings between summer and winter (follow the game live on As.com). It has not turned out, as neither it has done Ruby, in which the club put so much faith that it paid its termination clause to get him out of Spanish, to the one who had taken to the Europa League, and signed a three-year contract. Today, with the fourteenth team, without having spent a single day in European positions and to 12 points of Valenciaseventh That faith has been lost.
The need match, Well, he is from Madrid, recovered verticality with the victory in the Classic and the League in his hand. The Betis is far from the glory and not so much from the abyss (his mattress with the descent is only five points). Alone the lack of a relay from true shaft keeps Rubi in his position, but after Madrid the derby will arrive, a match that lasts two weeks in Seville, the previous one and the subsequent one, regardless of its usefulness. And there You can finish the technician's journey.
Nothing went well in a Betis with high expectations. William Carvalho, absent in Valencia, was low from October to February. Borja Iglesias, the star signing (28 million), has scored three goals in the course. Past year, in Espanyol, signed 20. Loren, his alleged substitute has played more and scored 11 points. Laínez, recently operated on appendicitis, has punctured. Juanmi carries injured since August and Pedraza, since November. Feddal disappeared from the team in early January was at point of being sold to Valencia. Only Fekir, the player who has caused the most penalties in the League, seems up to his resume. And the winter reinforcements, Guido Rodríguez and Aleñá, they turn out Insubstantial so far. The arithmetic summary of the situation is that the team has seven consecutive games without winning, it was thrown out of the Cup by a Second (lightning) and has added only three of the last eighteen points in the league.
The data speak of a remarkable team in attack and ripped in defense. He is sixth in shots, in goal plays, in possession and in passes, records that would keep you in Europe, but colista in recoveries and third by the tail in conceded goals (42 in 26 days). Of these, 16 correspond to strategy moves. Only Mallorca defends them worse.
Tonight recover Bartra, low by penalty in Mestalla, and it is possible that Loren will take the place from Borja Iglesias. The forecast is to play with three centrals and Edgar as a midfielder.
Mendy Modric, headlines
In Madrid, the room for maneuver of Zidane It narrows. Much of plan B has been come down, starting with Bale, who barely played a quarter of an hour against City and did not leave the bench against Barça, and following by Jovic, again off a list where they are Rodrygo and Mariano. And, in addition, he has encountered three unexpected casualties (Carvajal and Nacho, for the flu, and Isco, for a low back pain). That will force him to use Militao as a right back. The Brazilian has played less than a third of the games of the course (12 of 38) and in the last month and a half he only played 90 minutes in the Cup against Real Sociedad. Isco will have A natural relay, Modric, and Mendy is also expected to be the left back, the place with the most rotation in the team.
Betis is encouraged by the immediate past (he has not lost to Madrid the last two duels) and not so much the remote one: only two victories in the 12 closest clashes. La Liga and Rubi hang by a thread.