Real Betis will try to leave mathematically sealed this Thursday your qualification for European competitions with a win in Ipurua before a Eibar that the same life is at stake and hurries his options of permanence, which were very remote two days ago -after 17 games without winning and 13 defeats-, and have grown exponentially after the last two victories against Alavés and Getafe.
Salvation was little less than a chimera for the people of Gipuzkoa, but the seven-point disadvantage of just ten days ago has been reduced to two, which now separates him from Valladolid, to which the Eibartarras win the particular average and one hour before the clash in Ipurua receives Villarreal in Zorrilla , at the time a direct rival of Real Betis in the fight for the fifth, sixth and seventh European places together with Real Sociedad.
Real Betis only won in Ipurua on their first visit, in November 1989, almost 32 years ago, when both played in the Second Division, since in the First Division they have never emerged victorious from the field of the gunsmiths, to whom that same campaign the Verdiblanco team – already promoted – gave a hand in the last day of the 1989/90 League, by winning in the Campos de Sport from El Sardinero to Racing de Santander (1-3) -where Marcelino, today Athletic coach, played-, which condemned the Cantabrians to relegation to Second B and saved the Guipuzcoans, who on the last day they defeated Espanyol (with the promotion place already secured) and surpassed the Santander by one point.
This time the story may be very different, as a victory for Real Betis would leave Eibar with a foot and a half, which later still has to play with Valencia and Barcelona, in the Second divisionAlthough a third armored victory would open wide the doors of a miracle that seemed unthinkable not long ago, so the stakes are very high this afternoon in Ipurua.
José Luis Mendilibar barely has casualties in the local ranks, has summoned the same who won in Getafe -more Pozo, Dufur and Arieta- and he could repeat the same starting eleven that has earned him to win the last two games, because in football there is a maxim that says that heor that works, it should not be touched due to much wear and tear accumulated that some players bring. The Basque coach, apart, does not have much else to choose from.
In the ranks of the Real Betis, Manuel Pellegrini will make several changes, as is usually his norm every time there is a game during the week. Mandi and Fekir have already served their sanction, ended Ramadan and both are making headlines, as is Andrés Guardado and perhaps Álex Moreno, Diego Lainez or Rodri, Well, these last two played very good minutes on Monday against Granada and it is possible that the coach wants to reward their good work. Betis has traveled this Wednesday with the casualties of William Carvalho and Paul, which are added to those of Martín Montoya, Camarasa and Dani Martín.
Betis, with a victory, would secure at least seventh place this Thursday and would be in a position to fight to the end for fifth place and even beat the team's scoring record for the entire 21st Century, as it would have the opportunity to reach 63 points and exceed 62, which is his top since 2005.