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

The home side are currently 10th in the table, one point behind seventh-placed Girona, while Real Betis sit comfortably in sixth position, with Manuel Pellegrini's side bidding to qualify for the Europa League.

Match preview

Sevilla will go in search of a seventh Europa League title at the end of the month, with Roma their opponents in the final of the competition, courtesy of a 3-2 aggregate success over Juventus in the semi-finals.

Dusan Vlahovic's 65th-minute goal in Thursday's last-four second leg had sent the Old Lady ahead in the tie, but Suso levelled the scores on the night and indeed overall in the 71st minute, before Erik Lamela came up with what proved to be the winner for Jose Luis Mendilibar's side early in extra-time.

Sevilla's domestic troubles this season mean that they will have to win the Europa League to be present in next season's Champions League, with the team currently down in 10th position in the La Liga table.

Los Nervionenses are only one point behind seventh-placed Girona in the battle for a playoff position in the Europa Conference League, but it would be some achievement for the team to claim a seventh Europa League crown and take their spot in the 2023-24 Champions League.

Mendilibar has overseen a huge turnaround since his appointment as head coach on March 21, winning eight of his 12 matches at the helm, with Sevilla in relegation trouble when he was brought in.

The hosts have now won six of their last eight league games, including a 3-0 success over Real Valladolid last time out, with all three goals coming in the second half of the contest.

Real Betis will certainly be the fresher of the two teams, having not been in action since recording a 3-1 victory over Rayo Vallecano in the league on Monday.

Pellegrini's side have now picked up six points from their last two league games, with a total of 55 points from 34 matches leaving them in sixth position in the table, seven points ahead of seventh-placed Girona.

The Green and Whites can still mathematically make the top four, but they are seven points behind fourth-placed Real Sociedad, so a lot would have to change over the next couple of weeks.

Real Betis have finished sixth and fifth in their last two campaigns at this level, so another sixth-placed finish would be seen as a positive, as it would see them qualify for the group stage of next season's Europa League.

Pellegrini's team have been strong on their travels this season, picking up 24 points from 17 matches, and they will be travelling to a Sevilla outfit that have won just seven of their 17 home league games this term.

Real Betis have not actually beaten their Seville rivals in La Liga since September 2018, but the points were shared in a 1-1 draw when the two sides locked horns earlier this season.

Sevilla La Liga form:

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Sevilla form (all competitions):

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Real Betis La Liga form:

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Team News

Sevilla will be missing Tanguy Nianzou, Marcao and Joan Jordan on Sunday through injury, while the fitness of the squad following the energy-zapping contest with Juventus will need to be carefully monitored.

Marcos Acuna was sent off on Thursday but is available for this match, while Pape Gueye will also return to the squad, having not been eligible to represent Sevilla in the Europa League.

Marko Dmitrovic is set to return between the sticks, while Lamela, Gonzalo Montiel, Karim Rekik, Rafa Mir and Papu Gomez should also be among those to earn recalls for this match.

Real Betis, meanwhile, will again be missing Victor Ruiz and Nabil Fekir for this weekend's contest through injury.

The visitors are also sweating over the fitness of Youssouf Sabaly and William Carvalho, with the pair picking up problems during the 3-1 success over Rayo on Monday night.

Andres Guardado and Aitor Ruibal are therefore on standby to come into the XI, while there is also expected to be a change in the final third of the field, with Borja Iglesias set to get the nod over Willian Jose.

Sevilla possible starting lineup:

Dmitrovic; Montiel, Bade, Rekik, Telles; Rakitic, Gueye; Lamela, Torres, Gomez; Mir

Real Betis possible starting lineup:

Bravo; Ruibal, Pezzella, Gonzalez, Miranda; Rodriguez, Guardado; Henrique, Canales, Perez; Iglesias

We say: Sevilla 1-1 Real Betis

This is such a difficult match to call, especially with Sevilla in action on Thursday night. A draw would be a decent result for both teams under the circumstances, and the desire not to lose could make it a cagey affair, with the points potentially being shared in a low-scoring draw.

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