The Seville derby takes centre stage on Sunday, as Sevilla welcome bitter rivals Real Betis to the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan for Matchday 14 of the La Liga season.
The hosts are currently 11th with 16 points, while Betis sit fifth with 21, adding extra edge to a rivalry that already needs no extra drama.
Match preview
Sevilla find themselves in a precarious position with 16 points from 13 matches and struggling to find consistency under Matias Almeyda.
Their 2-1 defeat away to Espanyol last time out summed up their current issues, extending a poor run that has seen them win just once in their last five league games.
That sequence includes four defeats and one win, underlining the pressure slowly mounting on the Argentine coach.
Home form has offered little reassurance, with Sevilla recording just two wins, one draw and three defeats at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan this season.
Their defensive record has also been problematic, conceding 21 goals while scoring 19, pointing to a side lacking balance at both ends of the pitch.
While there have been occasional flashes of quality, Sevilla have yet to produce a sustained run of form expected from a club of their stature.
Their overall form across all competitions shows slight improvement, with two wins from their last five games, but their La Liga struggles remain the major concern heading into this crunch derby clash.
© Imago / Pressinphoto
Real Betis, on the other hand, arrive in far stronger shape with Manuel Pellegrini’s side occupying fifth place with 21 points, having recorded five wins, six draws and just two defeats in the league so far.
They were held to a 1-1 draw by Girona in their last La Liga outing but extended their unbeaten league run, a feature that has defined their campaign.
The Verdeblancos have also just enjoyed a confidence-boosting 2-1 away win over Utrecht in the Europa League on Thursday night.
Betis have shown fine balance this season, scoring 20 goals while conceding 14, a sign of Pellegrini’s well-drilled and structured approach.
Their form across all competitions is solid too, with three wins and two draws in their last five matches.
Their away performances stand out in particular with Betis still unbeaten on the road in La Liga this season, picking up one win and five draws from six away games – a record that could prove crucial in the intensely hostile environment of the Pizjuan.
In the most recent Seville derby, Betis claimed a 2-1 home victory, which gives them a psychological edge. However, looking at the last five meetings overall, the rivalry remains finely balanced: Sevilla have won twice, Betis once, with two draws.
Sevilla La Liga form:
Sevilla form (all competitions):
Real Betis La Liga form:
Real Betis form (all competitions):
Team News
© Imago
Sevilla will be without Adnan Januzaj, who is sidelined with a hamstring injury until mid-December.
Cesar Azpilicueta remains doubtful with a muscle problem, while Isaac Romero will also miss out due to injury.
Tanguy Nianzou is another absentee, with the centre-back not expected back until mid-January as he recovers from a thigh issue.
For Real Betis, Antony will miss the derby through suspension after receiving a red card in their last league match.
Sofyan Amrabat is also unavailable after picking up a leg injury early in Betis’ Europa League win over Utrecht, and he is expected to be sidelined until mid-December.
Goalkeeper Pau Lopez has returned to training following a tendon injury but is not expected to feature, while Isco is ruled out again after suffering a fresh leg injury during the Europa League clash.
Sevilla possible starting lineup:
Vlachodimos; Sanchez, Castrin, Marcao, Suazo; Sow, Mendy; Ejuke, Fernandez, Vargas; Adams
Real Betis possible starting lineup:
Valles; Rodriguez, Natan, Llorente, Ortiz; Roca, Deossa, Fornals; Ezzalzouli, Hernandez, Garcia
We say: Sevilla 0-2 Real Betis
If Betis control the midfield and keep their defensive discipline, they could secure a comfortable win.
Sevilla’s defensive struggles, inconsistency and injury problems make it hard to see them breaking Pellegrini’s side down.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
