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

Both Real Betis and Real Sociedad will be looking to continue their encouraging starts to the 2020-21 La Liga season when they lock horns in Seville on Sunday night.

Betis are currently second in Spain's top flight with nine points to show from their five fixtures, while Sociedad sit third, having claimed eight points from their opening five games of the campaign.

Match preview

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Three wins and two defeats - that is how Betis have performed in Spain's top flight this season, with a total of nine points from five matches leaving them second in the division behind Real Madrid.

Manuel Pellegrini 's side recorded back-to-back wins at the start of the 2020-21 campaign, overcoming Alaves and Real Valladolid without conceding a goal.

Betis then suffered successive losses to Real Madrid and Getafe but entered the international break off the back of a strong result, recording a 2-0 victory at Valencia courtesy of goals from Sergio Canales and Cristian Tello.

The Green and Whites finished 15th in Spain's top flight last season, just five points above the relegation zone, but there has been improvement this term under the management of Pellegrini.

Betis recorded a 3-0 victory over Sociedad when the two teams met in the corresponding match back in January, meanwhile, and they have not lost at home to the Basque club in the league since March 2017.

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Sociedad opened their campaign with back-to-back draws with Real Valladolid and Real Madrid before recording a 3-0 victory away to Eibar to put five points on the board.

The Basque outfit suffered a 1-0 home defeat to Valencia at the end of September but started the month of October with a 3-0 victory over Getafe courtesy of goals from Mikel Oyarzabal, Mikel Merino and Portu.

Imanol Alguacil 's side finished sixth in La Liga last season, which was enough to secure a spot in the group stage of the Europa League, but they were 14 points behind fourth-placed Sevilla.

Somewhat surprisingly, only one new player arrived at the club over the summer, with experienced midfielder David Silva making the move on a free transfer after leaving Manchester City.

La Real are a team full of quality, though, and will be looking to pick up another victory before opening their Europa League Group F campaign against Croatian side Rijeka on October 22.

Real Betis La Liga form: WWLLW

Real Sociedad La Liga form: DDWLW

Team News

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Betis will again be without the services of Francis Guerrero, Dani Martin and Victor Camarasa through injury, but Aissa Mandi is available after serving a one-match suspension against Valencia.

Summer arrival Claudio Bravo has also overcome a knee issue and should start, while there is likely to be a change in the final third of the field with Borja Iglesias replacing Antonio Sanabria.

William Carvalho should also return to the middle of the park, meaning that Canales could be pushed further forward alongside Nabil Fekir and Joaquin.

As for Sociedad, an extensive injury list still includes Asier Illarramendi, Luca Sangalli and Martin Merquelanz, while Igor Zubeldia, Adnan Januzaj and Joseba Zaldua are also unlikely to be available for this game.

Alguacil could therefore decide to select the same XI that started the clash with Getafe before the international break, with Alexander Isak again potentially getting the nod over Willian Jose in the final third.

David Silva and Merino should both feature in a central position, while Oyarzabal and Portu are again expected to operate in the wide positions for La Real.

Real Betis possible starting lineup:

Bravo; Emerson, Mandi, Bartra, Moreno; Rodriguez, Carvalho; Joaquin, Canales, Fekir; Iglesias

Real Sociedad possible starting lineup:

Remiro; Gorosabel, Elustondo, Le Normand, Monreal; Silva, Zubimendi, Merino; Portu, Isak, Oyarzabal

We say: Real Betis 2-2 Real Sociedad

Both teams will enter this match off the back of impressive results before the international break, and we are finding it difficult to separate the pair this weekend taking everything into consideration. There are certainly goals in both sides, and we are predicting an entertaining 2-2 draw in Seville.

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