Europe (UEFA)
Indonesia
Nigeria

Preview: Real Betis vs. Mallorca - prediction, team news, lineups

sportsmole.co.uk, 17 March 2023, 14:12
Real Betis will try to shake off the disappointment of their European exit in midweek when they face mid-table Mallorca in La Liga at Sunday lunchtime.

Manuel Pellegrini's side lost home and away to Manchester United in the Europa League round of 16 while Mallorca battled out a creditable 1-1 league draw with Real Sociedad last weekend.

Match preview

Despite making the second-fewest fouls in La Liga this season, Betis have racked up the second-most red cards - Mallorca, by contrast, have recorded the most fouls and bookings in the Spanish top flight but only two clubs have received fewer sendings off.

Fittingly, when these sides met in Mallorca on the second weekend of the season, 15 yellow cards were dished out in a feisty encounter which descended into an angry crowd at the full-time whistle.

Betis did not collect a single card of any colour in a tame 1-0 defeat at home to Manchester United on Thursday, although the club already had one foot out of the Europa League after losing 4-1 at Old Trafford in the first leg.

Pellegrini's side are yet to earn a win in March but remain fifth in La Liga, going into the weekend three points behind Real Sociedad in the race for the final Champions League spot.

Over the last month, Betis have been involved in some helter-skelter matches; losing 4-3 at home to Celta Vigo before beating Almeria and Real Valladolid by the same hectic 3-2 scoreline; there is little certainty about Pellegrini's side - other than they are a must-watch.

Unlike many of their fans returning from trips to Manchester and beyond, Betis have not suffered from a European hangover this season; the Seville-based side have not lost a league match immediately after a Europa League tie this season, taking 15 points from seven such games.

For Mallorca, being so far clear of the relegation zone - six points and eight places after last weekend - is akin to qualifying for Europe; the club were in Spain's third tier as recently as 2018 and only avoided returning to the Segunda last year by one point.

Carlos Fernandez gave Real Sociedad the lead inside three minutes against Mallorca last weekend but Javier Aguirre made a pair of tactical alterations during the interval and one of his half-time substitutions, Abdon Prats, flicked the ball on for Kang-in Lee to equalise against the Champions League chasers within five minutes of the restart.

At 69 and 64 respectively, Pellegrini and Aguirre are two of the oldest managers in La Liga - the pair first faced off in opposite dugouts back in 2004, when Pellegrini's Juan Roman Riquelme-inspired Villarreal beat Aguirre's Osasuna 3-0.

Real Betis La Liga form:

L

W

W

W

D

D

Real Betis form (all competitions):

W

W

D

L

D

L

Mallorca La Liga form:

W

L

W

L

L

D

Team News

Betis' exciting 22-year-old winger Luiz Henrique will miss out this weekend after collecting his fifth yellow card of the campaign in a 1-1 draw with Villarreal last Sunday.

Fellow young forward Juan Cruz broke into the first-team setup shortly before the World Cup hiatus - scoring his maiden La Liga goal against Real Sociedad in October - but has been struggling with muscular issues since the Spanish top flight resumed.

Nabil Fekir, arguably Betis' most talented player, has been ruled out for the remainder of the season after rupturing his cruciate ligament in February.

The Brazilian left-back Abner limped off against Manchester United on Thursday but has a natural replacement in the form of Juan Miranda.

Aguirre will once again be able to call upon top scorer Vedat Muriqi after the Kosovo international served his one-game suspension last weekend - the aerially dominant striker is integral to Mallorca's direct approach and is responsible for 45% of the team's league goals.

Real Betis possible starting lineup:

Silva; Sabaly, Pezzella, Ruiz, Miranda; Rodriguez, Carvalho; Ruibal, Canales, Juanmi; Iglesias

Mallorca possible starting lineup:

Rajkovic; Maffeo, Nastasic, Raillo, Gonzalez, Costa; Baba, Ruiz de Galaretta; Rodriguez; Lee, Muriqi

We say: Real Betis 2-1 Mallorca

Mallorca have made a habit of gleefully derailing numerous top-six sides this season; Aguirre's scrappers have beaten Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Villarreal (twice) this term.

Previews by email

Top News

28 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Lyon seek to continue their impressive Ligue 1 form when they host Reims at Groupama Stadium on Saturday night. 28 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Relegation-threatened Metz hope to end their Ligue 1 Monaco hoodoo when they host Les Monegasques at Stade Saint-Symphorien on Saturday. 28 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk European-chasing Valencia will be aiming to return to winning ways in Spain's top flight when they resume their campaign at home to Copa del Rey finalists Mallorca on Saturday evening. 28 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal are reportedly keeping their fingers crossed that three of their stricken players will return for Sunday's pivotal Premier League encounter with Manchester City. 28 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk In the first game of a potentially decisive double-header with Juventus, mid-table Lazio aim to make a fresh start under new management, as two fallen giants clash at Stadio Olimpico on Saturday. 28 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has delivered a fresh update on when Reds supporters can expect to see first-choice goalkeeper Alisson Becker back in action. 28 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Having been plunged into treacherous waters following a four-point deduction by the Premier League, Nottingham Forest welcome Crystal Palace to the City Ground for a bottom-half clash on Saturday afternoon. 28 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea head coach Mauricio Pochettino has attempted to try to diffuse the hostility towards Raheem Sterling. 28 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea are set to be without at least nine players for Saturday's Premier League clash with Burnley at Stamford Bridge. 28 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea will endeavour to boost their hopes of securing European football for next season when they welcome relegation-threatened Burnley to Stamford Bridge for a Premier League clash on Saturday afternoon. 28 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea and Mauricio Pochettino have jointly revealed that there are five fresh fitness concerns ahead of Saturday's Premier League fixture against Burnley. 28 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Both back from the international break with securing a top-six finish on their mind, Napoli and Atalanta BC meet at Stadio Maradona on Saturday. 28 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United are reportedly interested in signing Bologna centre-back Jhon Lucumi during this summer's transfer window. 28 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United have reportedly been left 'angered' by Sevilla's use of Hannibal Mejbri. 28 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United are reportedly willing to sell Donny van de Beek for £8.6m during this summer's transfer window. 28 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk St Johnstone square off against Dundee on Saturday afternoon searching for the win that may provide them with some breathing space above the relegation zone. 28 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk St James' Park is the venue for the return of Premier League football after the international break, as Newcastle United and West Ham United seek to strengthen their top-seven chances on Saturday lunchtime. 28 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Basement side Almeria will be bidding to make it back-to-back victories in Spain's top flight when they welcome Osasuna to Power Horse Stadium on Saturday afternoon. 28 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Rangers play host to Hibernian on Saturday afternoon looking for the victory that will move them back to the top of the Scottish Premiership standings. 28 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Motherwell play host to St Mirren on Saturday afternoon knowing that only a win will do if they want to retain hope of breaking into the top six of the Scottish Premiership standings before the cut-off. 28 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Amid a time of tragedy and turmoil at the club, Fiorentina make their return to Serie A duty when AC Milan arrive at Stadio Artemio Franchi on Saturday. 28 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Both looking to build on positive results before the international break, Sheffield United and Fulham square off at Craven Cottage in Saturday's Premier League affair. 28 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Tottenham Hotspur head coach Ange Postecoglou could have Micky van de Ven back at his disposal for Saturday's Premier League showdown with Luton Town in North London. 28 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk A Tottenham Hotspur side intending to rise above a desired dotted line host a Luton Town outfit bidding to steer clear of dreaded dotted line in Saturday's Premier League showdown in North London. 28 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Tottenham Hotspur allegedly hold an interest in securing a reunion with Sporting Lisbon winger Marcus Edwards. 28 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Two teams promoted together last year resume contrasting Serie A campaigns on Saturday, as mid-table Genoa host 18th-placed Frosinone at Stadio Luigi Ferraris. 28 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Sevilla's battle to stay out of the La Liga relegation zone will continue on Saturday afternoon when they head to the Spanish capital to tackle Getafe. 28 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United head coach Erik ten Hag is sweating over the fitness of a quintet of doubts for Saturday evening's Premier League clash with Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium. 28 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal are allegedly assessing the capabilities of 10 different strikers ahead of the summer transfer window. 28 March 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Saturday night's Premier League offering comes from the Gtech Community Stadium, as an under-performing Brentford host top-four outsiders Manchester United.