Real Betis will be bidding to record successive victories at the start of the 2022-23 La Liga campaign when they make the trip to Mallorca on Saturday night.
The visitors will enter the contest off the back of a 3-0 win over Elche, while Mallorca opened their new season with a goalless draw against Athletic Bilbao at San Mames.
Match preview
© Reuters
Mallorca managed to make it successive seasons in Spain's top flight for the first time since 2013 courtesy of their 16th-placed finish in La Liga last term.
The Pirates certainly had their problems during the 2021-22 campaign, and they actually suffered 19 defeats, which was the second-worst record in the division, but a total of 39 points from 38 matches left them one point outside of the relegation zone.
Javier Aguirre's side also started the 2022-23 campaign on a positive note, having claimed a point in a goalless draw with Athletic Bilbao on Monday night.
Mallorca have managed to bring five new players to the club this summer, with Jose Copete, Rodrigo Battaglia, Predrag Rajkovic, Vedat Muriqi and Pablo Maffeo arriving, and the squad looks in good shape to deal with what could be another testing season.
Los Bermellones have not actually beaten Real Betis in Spain's top flight since May 2013, but they did hold the Green and Whites to a 1-1 draw in the corresponding match last term.
© Reuters
Real Betis, meanwhile, opened their 2022-23 La Liga campaign with an impressive victory over Elche in Seville, running out 3-0 winners courtesy of goals from Borja Iglesias and Juanmi, with the latter netting twice.
Manuel Pellegrini's side enjoyed their best finish last term since 2004-05, claiming fifth spot in the table, just five points behind fourth-placed Sevilla in the race for Champions League football.
Real Betis will play in the group stage of the Europa League this season and will again be expecting to challenge high up the La Liga table, but they have not been too active during the summer transfer market, only bringing in Willian Jose, Luiz Henrique and Luiz Felipe.
The Green and Whites are expected to further boost their squad before the end of the window, though, and it will be fascinating to see what the talented squad can achieve this term.
Real Betis will host Osasuna in their final match of August before starting September away to Real Madrid, and Pellegrini will be hoping that his side enter the clash with Los Blancos off the back of three straight wins.
- D
- W
Team News
© Reuters
Mallorca will again be missing Dominik Greif and Amath Ndiaye this weekend through injury, but the home side did not pick up any fresh fitness issues against Athletic Bilbao.
Aguirre set his side up in a 4-5-1 formation at San Mames and that could again be the case in this contest, with Lee Kang-in and Dani Rodriguez providing the support for Muriqi in the final third of the field.
Antonio Sanchez is one player pushing for a spot in the XI, but it could be the same side that took to the field for the first whistle against Ernesto Valverde's team in their first game of the season.
As for Real Betis, Victor Camarasa, Sergio Canales and Martin Montoya have been ruled out of this weekend's contest through injury.
Pellegrini's side have not reported any fresh issues from their three-goal win over Elche, though, so it is difficult to imagine there being alterations to the side that performed excellently last time out.
Rober and Loren Moron are among the options for change, but Iglesias is set to retain his spot at the tip of the attack, while William Carvalho should again start despite the recent speculation surrounding his future.
Mallorca possible starting lineup:
Rajkovic; Maffeo, Valjent, Raillo, Copete, Costa; Kang-in, Grenier, Battaglia, D Rodriguez; Muriqi
Real Betis possible starting lineup:
Silva; Ruibal, Pezzella, Gonzalez, Moreno; Rodriguez, Carvalho; Rodri, Fekir, Juanmi; Iglesias
We say: Mallorca 1-2 Real Betis
Mallorca defended impressively in their first match against Athletic Bilbao, but Real Betis will be flying following their three-goal success over Elche, and we are finding it difficult to back the home side to pick up anything from Saturday's contest at Visit Mallorca Stadium.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
