The Estadio Benito Villamarín will host one of the most eagerly anticipated fixtures of the LALIGA EA SPORTS season this weekend when Real Madrid pay Real Betis a visit. This is always a huge match, but this year it is especially interesting given that Isco Alarcón will be taking on his former club. The in-form Spaniard, who has been one of the most outstanding players over the first half of this league campaign, has made Real Betis one of the most entertaining and attractive teams to watch in Spanish football right now. With the visit of Carlo Ancelotti’s side, Saturday’s contest in Seville is a must-watch.
Isco already faced Real Madrid last season in a Sevilla FC shirt, at the Bernabéu in a match that Los Blancos dominated and won 3-1. However, the Spanish midfielder has been playing at a different level this season compared to last. After winning three LALIGA EA SPORTS titles, five Champions Leagues, four Club World Cups, three European Super Cups, three Spanish Super Cups and one Copa del Rey with Real Madrid, he now faces his former team with a full tank of confidence and keen to reproduce the magic that the capital city club enjoyed on so many occasions. The midfielder will enjoy going up against his former teammates and against Ancelotti, who was his first coach at Real Madrid. After the pre-match hugs and formalities, though, each will try to ensure they collect the three points.
Los Verdiblancos have made their home ground a fortress so far this season and they haven’t tasted defeat across the seven games played there so far. The Andalusian outfit have won five games and drawn two, earning key points to mean they’re once again in contention for a place in Europe next season. Manuel Pellegrini’s side have conceded just two goals at home and have kept UD Las Palmas, RCD Mallorca, Valencia CF, Rayo Vallecano and Atlético de Madrid scoreless.
But, Real Madrid are one of the best away teams in Europe and have only twice returned from an opponents’ stadium without a win this term, against Atlético de Madrid and Sevilla FC. Ancelotti’s squad want to recapture the title that ended up in the hands of FC Barcelona last year and to do so they need to pick up points at venues such as the Estadio Benito Villamarín. For Real Madrid, their recent trips to this stadium have gone fairly well, as they have won six times, drawn twice and lost just once over their past nine visits. There have also been some big wins during that time, including 5-0, 6-1 and 5-3 away victories.
As well as Isco, there are two other players who will face their former club in this fixture. This is the case for Dani Ceballos, now a Real Madrid midfielder, and Willian José, Real Betis’ top scorer this season with six league goals. Pellegrini, now in the Real Betis dugout, also has a Real Madrid past, although the departure of Karim Benzema means there are no players left in the current Los Blancos squad who were coached by the Chilean during his time at the Bernabéu.
For all these above reasons, this weekend’s Real Betis v Real Madrid game promises to be a great duel, one which will take place on Saturday afternoon in one of the most atmospheric stadiums in Spain.
FC Barcelona vs Girona FC: An unexpected top-of-the-table derby
At the start of the current season, few would have expected that the Matchday 16 clash between FC Barcelona and Girona FC would be a contest between two of the teams who are battling near the top of the LALIGA EA SPORTS standings. Yet, the historic start of the team coached by Míchel has made it so. This Catalan derby will be a top-of-the-table clash, between one club that is always in the title picture and one causing the season’s major shock.
Girona FC, boasting the likes of Aleix García, Sávio and Artem Dovbyk, have been the surprise package of this Spanish football season. They’re also particularly tough to play when they travel, as Míchel’s boys are unbeaten away from home this season. They have won six games and drawn one away from the Estadi Montilivi. Only Real Sociedad, on the opening matchday, were able to avoid defeat at home to Girona FC, who have conquered the stadiums of Sevilla FC, Granada CF, Villarreal CF, Cádiz CF, CA Osasuna and Rayo Vallecano.
Xavi will want his FC Barcelona side to assert themselves as the stronger team and deny Girona FC their first derby win this weekend. In the six previous meetings between the sides in the top tier, Los Blaugrana have won four and drawn twice. Moreover, in the last three meetings, Barça haven’t allowed their opponents from the north of Catalonia to score a single goal. It might be trickier to keep a clean sheet this time around, however, considering that Míchel’s side are one of the highest scoring teams in Europe, with goalscorers in all positions. From the aerial prowess of David López, a defender who can cause problems at the other end, to the goals from midfield of Yangel Herrera and Iván Martín to the force of nature that is Dovbyk up front.
The match is also going to be a special one for Oriol Romeu, who will be wearing blue and red this time around, after playing in Girona FC’s red and white last term. Similarly, Eric García and Pablo Torre will face their former teammates as they’re both on loan at Girona FC from Barça this season, enjoying more minutes and hoping to return to Xavi’s squad in the future. These three players will be reunited on the pitch with their former teammates and experience the derby in a unique way.
There will also be an interesting duel in the dugouts between two coaches who like to play attacking football and who want the ball. The battle for possession will be key, as these two teams boast several of the players with the most passes in the competition: Frenkie de Jong (92 per game), Aleix García (70), Jules Koundé (69), Andreas Christensen (68), Daley Blind (63), David López (60) and İlkay Gündoğan (60) appear in the top 10 for passes completed this season, which speaks to the style of play of both coaches.
This promises to be a great match, one which will serve to test whether Girona FC can keep pace with the top dogs at the top of LALIGA EA SPORTS or whether FC Barcelona can make their experience count. It should be a great Catalan derby, and it is taking place in the Champions League positions for the first time.