Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys will host an exciting La Liga match on Saturday evening, with league leaders Barcelona facing off against Real Betis, who have won their last six league matches in a row.
Barcelona sit at the top of the La Liga standings, three points ahead of second-place Real Madrid, while Real Betis are in sixth, just six points behind fourth-place Athletic Bilbao in the race for Champions League spots.
Barcelona are currently on a fantastic run, having won their last seven matches across all competitions. They’ve also secured maximum points in their last nine league games, putting them in control of the title race. Last weekend, Hansi Flick's side triumphed 4-1 over Girona in La Liga, leaving them with 66 points from 29 matches, three points clear of Real Madrid.
The Catalan club is juggling multiple competitions as they enter the final stages of the season. Barcelona advanced to the Copa del Rey final on Wednesday with a 1-0 win over Atletico Madrid in the second leg of their semi-final. They will face Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey final at the end of April and will host Borussia Dortmund next week for the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final.
Given Barcelona's incredible attacking prowess, which has seen them score 82 goals in 29 league matches this season (20 more than defending champions Real Madrid), a potential treble is not out of the question.
However, Real Betis are in excellent form and will present a tough challenge for Barcelona. The Seville-based team has won their last six league matches, including a 2-1 victory in the Seville derby against Sevilla in their most recent outing. Managed by Manuel Pellegrini, Betis sit in sixth place, seven points clear of seventh-place Rayo Vallecano and level on points (47) with fifth-place Villarreal. They are just six points behind fourth-place Athletic Bilbao in the race for Champions League qualification.
Betis have been impressive away from home as well, winning three of their last four La Liga away matches, scoring five goals in their last two games. Their recent winning streak includes a notable home victory over Real Madrid.
Earlier in the season, Real Betis managed a 2-2 draw with Barcelona in the reverse fixture in Seville, though they were thrashed 5-1 by the Catalan giants in the Copa del Rey round of 16 in January. Still, Betis do have a recent win over Barcelona to their name, having beaten them 1-0 at the Nou Camp in December 2021. Pellegrini's side will be full of confidence heading into this match, given their recent strong form.
INJURIES & SUSPENSIONS
Barcelona will still be missing Dani Olmo, Marc Casado, Andreas Christensen, Marc Bernal, and Marc-Andre ter Stegen due to various injuries. Additionally, Lamine Yamal will require a late fitness test. The 17-year-old picked up a serious foot injury during Wednesday’s Copa del Rey match against Atletico, but it's expected that he will be available for selection this weekend.
Head coach Hansi Flick may make a couple of changes to the lineup that played in the capital last time, with Robert Lewandowski and Gavi potentially replacing Ferran Torres and Fermin Lopez in the starting XI.
Ronald Araujo could also be an option for the center of defense, although Pau Cubarsi and Inigo Martinez have both been excellent for Barcelona so far this season.
On the side of Real Betis, Antony, who has been excellent since joining on loan from Manchester United in January, is set to start again on the right wing. Marc Roca is a doubt due to a foot issue, and key attacker Isco is suspended after receiving a yellow card in the Seville derby last time out.
Giovani Lo Celso is expected to replace Isco in the starting lineup, with Pablo Fornals likely to retain his spot in a deeper midfield role. This would be the only change to the team that started against Sevilla.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Barcelona possible starting lineup:
Szczesny; Kounde, Cubarsi, I Martinez, Balde; De Jong, Pedri; Yamal, Gavi, Raphinha; Lewandowski
Real Betis possible starting lineup:
Adrian; Sabaly, Bartra, Llorente, Rodriguez; Cardoso, Fornals; Antony, Lo Celso, J Rodriguez; Hernandez
EXPERT PREDICTION
Barcelona 2-1 Real Betis
