Preview: Real Betis vs. Sevilla - prediction, team news, lineups

One of the standout fixtures on the La Liga calendar will take place at Estadio Benito Villamarin on Sunday night, as Real Betis welcome Sevilla for the Seville derby.

Betis have picked up 21 points from their opening 12 matches of the 2021-22 campaign to occupy fifth spot in the table, three points and two positions behind their opponents this weekend.

Match preview

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Betis have won six, drawn three and lost three of their 12 league matches this season to collect 21 points, which has left them in fifth position in the table, just four points behind leaders Real Sociedad.

Manuel Pellegrini's side finished sixth last season and certainly look capable of enjoying another successful campaign, although the Green and Whites will enter Sunday's contest off the back of two heavy defeats.

Indeed, they suffered a 3-0 loss to La Liga champions Atletico Madrid at Wanda Metropolitano last weekend before going down 4-0 away to Bayer Leverkusen in the Europa League on Thursday night.

Betis are still second in Group G but now sit just one point clear of third-placed Celtic ahead of their next European clash, which comes at home to Ferencvaros on November 25.

Los Verdiblancos have won 30, drawn 23 and lost 47 of their previous 100 top-flight encounters with Sevilla, while they have not actually beaten their bitter rivals in La Liga since September 2018, although the corresponding match during the 2020-21 campaign ended in a 1-1 draw.

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Sevilla, meanwhile, will enter Sunday's contest off the back of a 2-1 home defeat to Lille in the Champions League on Tuesday, which saw the La Liga club drop to the bottom of Group G on three points.

Julen Lopetegui's side still have a chance of qualifying for the knockout round of the competition, but they will need to pick up all three points at home to Wolfsburg on November 23 and see where that leaves them.

In the league, though, Sevilla are on an impressive run of form, having won three and drawn one of their last four matches, including a 2-0 home success over Osasuna last weekend.

Los Nervionenses, who finished fourth last season, are currently third in the table, level on points with second-placed Real Madrid and just one point off leaders Real Sociedad, who have played a game more.

Only Real Madrid (26) have scored more La Liga goals than Betis (19) and Sevilla (19) this season, while the pair have conceded 22 between them, suggesting that it will be an open Seville derby on Sunday.

Team News

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Betis will again be without the services of Youssouf Sabaly and Victor Camarasa due to muscular issues, but the home side are otherwise in good shape heading into this contest.

Nabil Fekir was sent off in the latter stages of Thursday's clash with Leverkusen, but the suspension does not relate to domestic fixtures, so the Frenchman will again be in the XI on Sunday.

There will be changes from the side that started in Germany, with Alex Moreno and German Pezzella set to return to the back four, while Sergio Canales and Rodri are expected to come back into the team.

As for Sevilla, Jesus Navas will miss the remainder of the year with a muscular problem, while Papu Gomez will have to undergo a late fitness test on a minor issue.

Navas's absence means that Gonzalo Montiel will be in the team at right-back, while Joan Jordan is also pushing to be involved from the start, having come off the bench against Lille.

Lucas Ocampos and Suso are expected to play either side of Rafa Mir, with Oliver Torres potentially dropping out to allow Jordan to strengthen the midfield, although Youssef En-Nesyri will also be in Lopetegui's thinking when it comes to a starting spot here.

Real Betis possible starting lineup:

Silva; Bellerin, Pezzella, Ruiz, Moreno; Rodriguez, Carvalho; Rodri, Canales, Fekir; Iglesias

Sevilla possible starting lineup:

Bounou; Montiel, Kounde, Carlos, Acuna; Delaney, Fernando, Jordan; Suso, Mir, Ocampos

We say: Real Betis 1-1 Sevilla

Just one of the last six league meetings between these two sides has finished level, but we can see the points being shared on Sunday. Sevilla could potentially enter the November international break top of the table if they were to win here, but Betis have enough about them to claim a point on home soil.