After the high-octane drama of the Champions League second leg in Munich and a home league meeting with Alavés, Real Madrid travel to Seville on April 24 for one of the trickiest away assignments left in their La Liga season — an encounter with a Real Betis side determined to make a statement ahead of the title run-in’s final stretch. With Barcelona’s lead at the top of the table potentially still intact, every point dropped on the road could prove terminal to Madrid’s already-strained title challenge.
The Situation and the Stakes: Context and Stakes
Real Betis comes into this game as one of La Liga’s most consistent teams this season. They are currently in fifth place in the table and are working toward a possible spot in Europe. Their record of 7 wins, 7 draws, and 4 losses in this campaign shows that they are hard to beat, and their 28 points from those 18 matches show that they can frustrate even the best teams on their own field. Madrid knows from painful recent memory that a Betis match in Seville is not an easy afternoon. In March 2025, Betis came back from behind to win 2-1 at their own field, with Isco scoring twice. This showed how dangerous this game can be when Madrid isn’t at its best. But this season’s home game at the Bernabéu told a very different story. In January, Madrid beat Betis 5-1, with Gonzalo scoring three goals and Asensio scoring one, giving Madrid a comfortable lead in the season series.
News about the team
The most important thing to discuss before the match will be the fitness of Real Madrid’s players after the second leg in Munich on April 15. Courtois and Rodrygo are still out of action for the time being. Still, Tchouaméni should be back in action after playing against Alavés on April 21, when his Champions League suspension ends. The main question about the rotation is about Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior, who will have played in every important game in April. Arbeloa needs to find a balance between getting points in Seville and not bringing tired key players to El Clásico at Camp Nou on May 10, which is the most important game of the season.
Cédric Hernández leads the attack for Real Betis with 7 goals in 17 La Liga games. He is also their most dangerous creative player in the final third. Antony, who is on loan and always a threat from the outside, has scored five goals and adds directness in transition that can punish Madrid’s fullbacks when they push high.
Expected Lineups
Real Betis (4-2-3-1): Vallés; Bellerín, Bartra, Natan, Gómez; Roca, Deossa; Antony, Fornals, Ruibal; Hernández
Real Madrid’s lineup is as follows: Lunin; Carvajal, Rüdiger, Asencio, Fran García; Valverde, Tchouaméni, Bellingham; Güler, Mbappé, and Vinícius Júnior.
Tactical Viewpoint
Betis is most dangerous right now, in transition. They are quick, direct, and technically sharp in the last third. Roca and Deossa, who play in the middle of the field, form a disciplined defensive screen that keeps the space between the lines narrow, making it hard for teams to play through them. Madrid’s best strategy is probably to use wide overloads, with Carvajal’s runs on the right and Fran García’s overlapping threat on the left to stretch Betis’ defence before cutting inside to Mbappé.
Betis’s counterattack is a threat to Madrid. Antony’s speed on the left and Hernández’s smart movement behind could expose Madrid’s high line if Rüdiger and Asencio don’t stay in shape during transitions.
Prediction of the score
The Bernabéu 5-1 was a strong performance, but playing Betis away is a whole other story. They have lost only 2 of their last 18 home games, showing they are hard to beat at home. Expect a tough, competitive game, with Madrid’s better individual skills being the most important factor in the end.
Real Betis will lose to Real Madrid 1-2.
