Preview: Real Betis vs Real Sociedad - prediction, team news, lineups

Real Sociedad's search for their first win of the 2025-26 La Liga campaign will continue on Friday evening, with the Basque outfit heading to Seville to tackle Real Betis.

The visitors have only picked up two points from their opening four matches of the season, which has left them down in 17th spot in the La Liga table, while the hosts are 10th, boasting six points from their first five matches.

Match preview

Real Betis have already played five times in La Liga this season, and it has been a solid yet unspectacular start to the campaign for the club, with one win, three draws and one defeat handing them six points, which is only enough for 10th.

Manuel Pellegrini's side opened their season with a 1-1 draw against Elche before beating Alaves 1-0 at home, but they were held by Celta Vigo and then lost at home to Athletic Bilbao before the September international break.

Los Verdiblancos returned to action against Levante last weekend, and the two sides played out a 2-2 draw, with Pellegrini's team actually having to come from two goals behind to secure a share of the spoils.

Real Betis will begin their Europa League league phase campaign against Nottingham Forest next week, and they will certainly want to enter that contest off the back of a positive result.

The Seville outfit recorded a 3-0 victory over Real Sociedad in the corresponding match last season, but they have only been victorious in one of their last five La Liga matches against the Basque side.

Real Sociedad can take positives from their performance against Real Madrid last time out, but they were beaten 2-1 at Bernabeu, which made it successive losses in the league and left them down in 17th spot in the table.

The White and Blues opened their season with a 1-1 draw against Valencia before playing out a 2-2 with Espanyol in their second game of the season, but they have since lost to both Real Oviedo and Real Madrid.

La Real finished 11th in Spain's top flight last season, which proved to be their lowest final spot since 2017-18, and the early indications are that it could be another tough campaign for the club.

Real Sociedad have tackled Real Betis on 118 occasions in all competitions, and they just about lead the head-to-head record, having posted 46 wins to Real Betis' 41, while there have also been 31 draws.

Mikel Oyarzabal has actually scored six career goals against the Seville outfit, and the Spain international will be looking to inspire the visitors to all three points on Friday night.

Real Betis La Liga form:

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Real Sociedad La Liga form:

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Team News

Real Betis will again definitely be without the services of Isco through injury, while Nobel Mendy, Marc Bartra, Ricardo Rodriguez and Aitor Ruibal are all major doubts for the Seville outfit.

Giovani Lo Celso is in line for a return to the side in the number 10 spot, while there should be another start down the right for Antony, who has returned to the club on a permanent basis from Manchester United.

Pablo Fornals is likely to continue in a deeper area for Pellegrini's side, while Cucho Hernandez, who has netted once in La Liga this season, is set to feature through the middle.

As for Real Sociedad, Yangel Herrera will again miss out due to a muscular problem, while Orri Oskarsson, Luka Sucic and Brais Mendez all require late fitness tests ahead of the contest.

There were plenty of positives to take from the game with Real Madrid, so it is unlikely that head coach Sergio Francisco will shuffle his pack, but there could be a change down the right, with Takefusa Kubo in line to return.

Oyarzabal is comfortably Real Sociedad's biggest threat in the final third of the field, and the Spain international will again start, as he looks to move into joint-second in the all-time scoring list for this fixture.

Real Betis possible starting lineup:

Valles; Bellerin, Natan, Gomez, Firpo; Fornals, Altimira; Antony, Lo Celso, Riquelme; Hernandez

Real Sociedad possible starting lineup:

Remiro; Elustondo, Zubeldia, Caleta-Car, Gomez; Goti, Gorrotxategi, Marin; Kubo, Oyarzabal, Barrenetxea

We say: Real Betis 1-1 Real Sociedad

Three of the last seven La Liga meetings between the two sides have finished all square, and despite their poor form this season, and we are expecting Real Sociedad to be good enough for a share of the spoils here.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.