Real Betis to Wrap Up La Liga Campaign Against Valencia
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According to a report by Sports Mole, Real Betis will conclude their 2024-25 La Liga campaign on Friday when they host Valencia at the Benito Villamarin. Los Verdiblancos are guaranteed to finish the season in sixth spot, while their visitors will head into matchday 38 in 12th position.
Match Preview
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Betis have ultimately fallen short of Champions League qualification after taking just two points from their previous three league matches. Sports Mole reports that Manuel Pellegrini’s side had to settle for a draw with Osasuna and Rayo Vallecano, before a heavy 4-1 defeat to Atletico Madrid quashed their lingering hopes of a top-five finish. However, Betis will be satisfied with the fact that they have secured a top-six finish for the fourth time in five seasons, clinching Europa League football for the 2025-26 campaign.
The Sports Mole preview notes that rather than the Europa League, their current focus will be on next Wednesday’s Conference League final against Chelsea in Poland, with Los Verdiblancos dreaming of winning their first-ever European trophy. Betis’ final appearance is why their final league game has been moved to Friday evening, giving them an extra 48 hours to prepare than their Premier League opponents, a move that has drawn the ire of Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca, who has said he is “not happy” about the situation.
Valencia’s Form and Team News
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Valencia are out of the race for European football after back-to-back defeats quashed their hopes of a top-eight finish. The Sports Mole report highlights that their 10-game unbeaten run was ended by a narrow 1-0 loss to Alaves, before they suffered a repeat of that scoreline in Sunday’s meeting with Athletic Bilbao following Gorka Guruzeta’s second-half effort.
In terms of team news, Betis are unable to call upon the injured quartet of Hector Bellerin, Diego Llorente, Marc Roca and Chimy Avila. There are also doubts surrounding the availability of Youssouf Sabaly, Johnny Cardoso and Francisco Vieites. As reported by Sports Mole, Pellegrini is likely to rest a number of key players like Isco and Antony ahead of next week’s Conference League final against Chelsea.
Predicted Lineups and Result
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The Sports Mole preview predicts that Betis may have to settle for a draw against a Valencia that have seen six of their previous 10 top-flight away games finish all square. The predicted lineups are:
Real Betis possible starting lineup: Adrian, Ortiz, Bartra, Mendy, Perraud; Carvalho, Altimira; Abde, Lo Celso, Rodriguez; Cucho
Valencia possible starting lineup: Mamardashvili; Mosquera, Diakhaby, Tarrega, Gaya; Rioja, Barrenechea, Guerra, Jaime; Almeida, Duro
The Sports Mole preview concludes that the likely result is a 1-1 draw between the two teams.
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