Overview
Real Betis is one of the teams that maintains the most stable form in La Liga this season. After 35 rounds, Manuel Pellegrini's team has won 54 points from 13 wins, 15 draws and 7 defeats, thereby ranking fifth in the standings.
Betis' home form is also very noteworthy. At Estadio de La Cartuja, they won 8, drew 6 and only lost 3 matches. This is considered an important fulcrum for Pellegrini to aim for the goal of winning all 3 points in the reception of Elche.
Although not creating a too explosive winning streak, Betis still shows stability with 2 wins and 3 draws in the last 5 rounds in La Liga, while maintaining an unbeaten record.
However, the 2-2 draw against Real Sociedad in the most recent round still left many regrets, when Betis dropped the victory despite once leading by two goals.
That result continues to put pressure on the Andalusian team in the race for fifth place - a particularly important position this season after Spanish football gained another Champions League spot.
Under Pellegrini's leadership, Betis has continuously participated in the Europa League or Conference League in the last 5 seasons. However, the opportunity to win a Champions League spot for the first time in two decades is becoming a great motivation for the whole team when the season only has three rounds left.
Currently, Betis is 4 points ahead of sixth-placed Celta Vigo. However, Celta's victory over Atletico Madrid in the previous round shows that the race is still undecided, forcing Betis to maintain maximum concentration in the final stage of the season.
On the opposite side, Elche travels to Seville after a difficult season. Eder Sarabia's team is currently ranked 13th in the standings with 39 points, after 9 wins, 12 draws and 14 defeats - a record enough to help them create a safe gap with the relegation group.
Elche's biggest weakness this season lies in their away form. After 17 away trips in La Liga, they have only won 1, drawn 4 and lost 12 matches.
However, Elche is showing signs of improvement in the final stage of the season. In the last 5 matches in La Liga, they won 3 and drew 1, showing a significant improvement in spirit and playing style.
In the most recent round, Elche drew 1-1 against Deportivo Alaves at home. Alvaro Rodriguez scored the equalizer in the 72nd minute, helping the team keep one point.
Recent head-to-head history is also leaning towards Betis. In the last 5 encounters between the two teams, the Andalusia representative has won 3, drawn 1 and only lost 1 match. In the most recent meeting, Betis defeated Elche with a score of 2-1 at home.
Personnel situation
Real Betis will not have the service of Aitor Ruibal after this player received a red card in the previous round. His absence is considered a significant loss in the key stage of the season.
Besides, Angel Ortiz is still having muscle problems and is not sure to be able to play, while Marc Bartra continues to be sidelined due to a foot injury and is likely not to be present at Estadio de La Cartuja.
On Elche's side, the away team will not have the service of Yago Santiago due to a knee injury, while Adam Boayar is also absent due to muscle-related problems.
Expected lineup:
Real Betis: Valles, Bellerin, Llorente, Gomez, Rodriguez, Fornals, Roca, Altimira, Antony, Hernandez, Ezzalzouli.
Elche: Dituro, Bigas, Affengruber, Chust, Valera, Villar, Aguado, Febas, Morente, Rodriguez, Silva.
The match between Real Betis and Elche takes place at 1:00 a.m. on May 13 (Vietnam time).
