He Real Betis has not started the New Year with a victory in the League for three years, when it beat Sevilla FC (3-5) in a derby on January 6, 2018 at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán, a game that was a turning point for the Verdiblanco team, which reached the field of the eternal rival as 14th classified and with eight points less and from there began to climb positions until finishing LaLiga sixth and with two points more than the Nervionenses , which were seventh in 2017/18.
That 3-5 was the start of a great year for Real Betis, because in 2018 it added a total of 65 points in 38 games, being the fourth best team in LaLiga in the calendar year, only behind FC Barcelona, Atlético and Real Madrid.
The year 2019 was started by Betis losing 2-1 in Huesca, a premonitory defeat of what would come later. That 2018/19 campaign was finished on Betis tenth and in June they decided to leave the club for different reasons Quique Setien and Lorenzo Serra, architects of the previous year's success. The year 2019 was finished by Betis 13th with Rubi, who started 2020 with a draw in Vitoria against Alavés (1-1) in Mendizorroza. Betis finished the 2019/20 League on 15th and 2020 ends 10th, four points above relegation and six from sixth place, with one more match.
He Seville FC, for its part, has not won the first league game of the year since 2017, when it beat Real Sociedad 0-4 in Anoeta. After losing the 2018 derby with Betis, in 2019 they lost 1-1 at home to Atlético and in 2020 they lost another draw at home, against Athletic (1-1).