It’s not a distraction, it’s not just another game. We’re talking about Betis – UtrechtWhich appears as a date that conflicts with derby week but has significance in its own right. The Verdiblancos have the default seeding for the next round in their hands … Because with eleven points, the problem could have been practically solved (last year with ten points out of 24), waiting to take another step to ensure a top-eight finish and save the risk and have two matches on the calendar. It’s not an easy question to ask, since you’ll have to visit later Zagreb and Thessaloniki To receive Feyenoord. It is better to have everything already arranged and then manage what comes next. But the thing is, the Derby Mountain covers everything, and that match kept affecting them, and this was not in the interest of Betis or anyone else. The real danger comes not only from Utrecht, who are showing weakness in the Europa League (one point in the previous four matches), but looking beyond this match. Play with your legs bent, keep yourself thinking about Sunday, control your strength, and don’t take what’s in front of you too seriously. It has happened on other occasions and Betis has to learn from it. Win today and then think about Sunday. When that river comes we will cross this bridge.
It was pointed out that the injury report became empty when we saw Pau Lopez already on the field and counting the hours to return to the lists, although he will not be in the matches these days, but suddenly he has gained weight with Bellerin for two or three weeks and Lo Celso is absent tonight, in addition to the fever that prevented Bakambu from training yesterday and the dispute with the committees so that Anthony, who was punished yesterday by discipline, can participate. All this imposes the 11 conditions that Pellegrini will propose. The Chilean did not practice the formation on Wednesday, so everything will be announced on the same day of the match. There are many doubts in this regard. Pellegrini himself said they would not consider the derby, but in Europe there are usually obvious substitutions. Will Valles or Adrian play? Which of the three available left-backs will you use? Will Amrabat come out against his former team? Will Isco be the starter? Will you keep Kocho in the face of Bakambu’s loss?
All issues will be resolved an hour and a half before the match and any decision by Pellegrini will be made in relation to Europe and the derby. But these evaluations will remain on the airwaves or in the networks and will not affect the match plan drawn up by the coach, who never let a player off the field, always believed in the group and rarely chose the reserves looking to the future, just in case of risk of injury, as is the case when they return from international commitments. Therefore, Betis will be quite special against Utrecht because they want to win again after several games without doing so and because Europe is another obvious target. One of the developments that is expected to be available and that raises anticipation is the return to ownership of Diosa, who did not start against Levante until before his break due to injury, considering that he is a footballer in whom the club has high hopes for development this season and in the following seasons.
If they win, obtaining eleven points at this stage is a good income for Betis, who aspires to resolve this group stage soon, secure passage and then fight to be among the top eight to avoid a draw. The sports and economic prize is waiting for you. To do this, you need to focus on what the green and white team has. Victories attract more victories and the verb to win is one that should be conjugated again. At home, and more so if possible. And against a competitor who is not performing well this season.
-
Real Betis
Valleys. Ortiz, Llorente, Valentin, Jr.; Altemira, Diosa; Anthony, Fornals, Riquelme; And Cucho Hernandez. -
Utrecht
Brewer. Hormans, Deden, Vervier, Al-Qarwani; Ingwanda, Zechil; Miguel, De Wit, Kathleen; And Haller. -
Judgment
Nenad Minakovic (Serbia). -
Pitch
La Cartuja (21.00 / Movistar Champions League).
It happens that Utrecht is at the bottom with only one point in the four matches it played previously, after defeats against Olympique Lyonnais (0-1), Brann (1-0), Freiburg (2-0), and a draw with Porto (1-1). In this latest match, goalkeeper Barkas was also sent off, which will be a huge loss for Betis given that he is the undisputed starter in the Eredivisie and Europe. The Utrecht squad has a few players known to the general public, if anything, with striker Sebastien Haller, who had a fleeting time at Leganés, and left-back El Guarani, both linked to Betis in recent days according to Estadio Deportivo. Meanwhile, winger Miguel Rodriguez features on the right wing, who played several matches for Celta Vigo between 2022 and 2024.
La Cartuja will still have to do his part, as Betis fans usually do, for the match to go the right way. That there are no injuries or setbacks and that there are demands from footballers who have fewer minutes but can raise their hand to participate in the derby. There will be around 3,500 Dutch fans who will be noticeable in the stands. The green and white club yesterday activated the promotion of a thousand tickets at ten euros per ticket to motivate the fans for this match, which could be an important morale boost for the European goal and also go to the derby with the best views and high morale for a duel with these characteristics.