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

Real Betis will be aiming to return to winning ways in Spain's top flight when they resume their domestic campaign at home to Valencia on Sunday afternoon.

The Seville outfit are currently sixth in the La Liga table, level on points with seventh-placed Celta Vigo, while Valencia are 14th, only two points outside of the relegation zone.

Match preview

Real Betis will enter this match off the back of a 2-1 win over Feyenoord in the Europa League, with the result seeing Manuel Pellegrini's side finish fourth in the overall table and secure a spot in the last-16 stage of the competition.

El Glorioso were beaten in their last La Liga match, though, going down 2-1 to Alaves, with the result leaving them sixth in the table, level on points with seventh-placed Celta Vigo.

Pellegrini's team are two points behind fifth-placed Espanyol and nine from Villarreal in fourth, while they are five points ahead of Real Sociedad in eighth.

Real Betis have picked up 19 points from their 10 home league matches this season, and they will be welcoming a Valencia outfit that have won just one of their 10 games on their travels, scoring just seven times in the process.

The two teams played out a 1-1 draw in the reverse match earlier this season, while it was also 1-1 when the pair met in the corresponding game in 2024-25.

Valencia, meanwhile, will enter the match off the back of a 3-2 win over Espanyol, and Los Che have actually been victorious in each of their last three games in all competitions.

Indeed, Carlos Corberan's side beat Burgos CF in the Copa del Rey on January 15 before recording back-to-back wins over Getafe and Espanyol in Spain's top flight, with those successes helping them to move into 14th spot in the table.

Valencia are only two points outside of the relegation zone, though, and they are one of a number of teams currently nervously looking over their shoulder.

Los Che have only lost one of their last four league matches with Real Betis, while they have been beaten in just two of their last seven games against them, so the visitors should enter this match with a degree of confidence.

Valencia have struggled from a defensive point of view this season, though, conceding 33 times in their 21 matches, which is among the worst defensive records in the division.

Real Betis La Liga form:

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Real Betis form (all competitions):

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Valencia La Liga form:

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Valencia form (all competitions):

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Team News

Real Betis will be missing defender Natan through suspension, with the Brazilian picking up a milestone yellow card against Alaves last time out.

The Seville outfit will also be without the services of Sofyan Amrabat, Giovani Lo Celso, Isco and Junior Firpo due to injury problems.

Meanwhile, Hector Bellerin, Rodrigo Riquelme and Cucho Hernandez are injury doubts, so the home side could be missing eight players for the clash with Valencia.

The visitors, meanwhile, will welcome Jose Gaya back into their squad following a suspension, but Cristian Rivero is still banned.

Mouctar Diakhaby and Julen Agirrezabala are also definitely out of the match due to injury issues; Thierry Correia, Cesar Tarrega and Dani Raba are seen as doubts.

Hugo Duro has found the back of the net on eight occasions in all competitions this season, and the Spaniard will feature in the final third of the field.

Real Betis possible starting lineup:

Lopez; Ruibal, Bartra, Llorente, Rodriguez; Altimira, Roca; Antony, Fornals, Ezzalzouli; Bakambu

Valencia possible starting lineup:

Dimitrievski; Foulquier, Comert, Copete, Gaya; Pepelu, Ugrinic; Rioja, Beltran, Danjuma; Duro

We say: Real Betis 2-1 Valencia

Valencia will enter the match in good form, and Los Che are capable of making this a tough game for Real Betis, but we are expecting the hosts to navigate their way to all three points here.