The Real Madrid does not want more failures in the Villamarín
Carlo Ancelotti’s men, after the Copa stumble, face a Real Betis launched
MADRID, 4 Mar. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Real Madrid seeks this Sunday at Benito Villamarín (9:00 p.m. / Movistar LaLiga) against a Real Betis launched to follow in the wake of leader FC Barcelona so as not to lose ground for LaLiga Santander, a match in which they will have to recover from the moral blow caused by their defeat at home in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semifinals against the Catalans.
A goal from Éder Militao on his own goal condemned the white team in front of their fans on Thursday and will force them to try to overcome, at the beginning of April, the tie at the Spotify Camp Nou. But before all this, he will have to cut the distance in the domestic championship with the culés.
Last weekend, the setback at the Santiago Bernabéu against Atlético de Madrid (1-1), where they could not beat an opponent with one less after Ángel Correa was sent off in the 64th minute, it seemed that they would widen their deficit with the Catalan team, but Xavi Hernández’s men fell against forecast in Almería (1-0).
Seven points now separate the madridistas (52) and the blaugranas (59), who played hours before at Mestalla. After their two setbacks at the Bernabéu, Carlo Ancelotti’s men pack their bags with the aim of recovering the lost gunpowder. “We are the team that has scored the most goals in LaLiga. We don’t have a problem, in the last two games yes, but three days before we scored five at Anfield. We don’t have an offensive problem,” the Italian coach said at a press conference.
However, the team was unable to shoot on goal in the cup duel, where Karim Benzema and Vinícius crashed against the solid culé wall. He pressed, suffocated the opponent, but his plays ended in long shots or dangling balls that did not find a finisher.
The Madrid team will be planted at the Benito Villamarín without the Croatian Luka Modric, who will have to serve a suspension after seeing the fifth yellow card against the rojiblancos and who joins the injured David Alaba, Ferland Mendy and Andriy Lunin. With Fede Valverde returning to the center of the field, Rodrygo, Vinícius and Benzema will bring danger to the Verdiblanca area.
Opposite, Real Betis is looking for a fourth consecutive victory that would allow it to establish itself in fifth place and look towards the ‘Champions’. With 40 units, it manages six over sixth and seventh -Rayo Vallecano and Villarreal- and is only two behind Atlético, which holds fourth place, the last access to the Champions League.
Almería (2-3), Real Valladolid (2-1) and Elche (2-3), in a controversial duel at the Martínez Valero, have been the latest victims of the Verdiblancos, who now face each other, according to Manuel Pellegrini, “to the most difficult opponent in LaLiga”.
“Real Madrid always goes for everything, it’s not a problem that they lost a game or didn’t score a goal. It’s a team that always goes out to win everywhere, that has very important individualities and that plays football very well” warned the Chilean coach, who is meeting his former team again.
Another ex-madridista, Sergio Canales, will miss the event due to a hamstring injury, just like Frenchman Nabil Fekir, who underwent surgery this week for a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.
DATASHEET.
–POSSIBLE ALIGNMENTS.
REAL BETIS: Bravo; Sabaly, Luiz Felipe, Pezzella, Miranda; Ayoze, Guido, Carvalho, Rodri; John and Borja Churches.
REAL MADRID: Courtois; Carvajal, Militao, Rudiger, Nacho; Tchouaméni, Ceballos, Valverde; Rodrygo, Vinícius and Benzema.
–REFEREE: Soto Grado (C. Riojano).
–STADIUM: Benito Villamarin.
–TIME: 9:00 p.m./Movistar LaLiga.