(Football news) 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.
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