La Liga | Gameweek 19

Jan 11, 2025 at 3.15pm UK

Estadio Municipal Jose Zorrilla

Valladolid vs Betis

Match preview

Real Valladolid boast a record of three wins, three draws and 12 defeats from their 18 La Liga matches this season, with a total of 12 points leaving them at the bottom of the division, four points from the safety of 17th position.

Diego Cocca has had a tough start to his time in charge of the club, losing 3-0 to Girona in La Liga on December 20, before suffering a shock 3-2 defeat to third-tier outfit Ourense in the last-32 stage of the Copa del Rey last time out.

Real Valladolid have taken just nine points from their nine home league games this season, scoring just six times, and that is a real cause for concern heading into the final months of the campaign.

The White and Violets secured promotion back to La Liga for the current campaign after finishing second in the Segunda Division in 2023-24, and they will be looking to make it back-to-back seasons at this level for the first time since 2020-21.

There is still plenty of football to be played before the end of the season, and Cocca's side follow up this contest with a big game against fellow strugglers Espanyol on 17 January.

Real Betis, meanwhile, booked their place in the last 16 of the Copa del Rey with a 1-0 win over Huesca last time out and have been rewarded with a date with Barcelona next week.

Manuel Pellegrini's side are in fine form, unbeaten in their last seven matches in three different competitions - La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Conference - and will go into this weekend's clash full of confidence.

They have taken five points from their last three league games, beating Villarreal and drawing with Barcelona and Rayo Vallecano, to sit ninth in the Spanish top flight.

Real Betis have taken 25 points from their 18 league games this season, level on points with seventh-placed Real Sociedad and five points behind Villarreal in fifth.

However, Pellegrini's side have struggled to find their best form away from home this term, taking just nine points from nine games and scoring just eight times.

Recent Performance

Real Valladolid La Liga form:DLLLWL

Real Valladolid form (all competitions):LWLWLL

Real Betis La Liga form:DLLDWD

Real Betis form (all competitions):DWWWDW

Team News

Real Valladolid will once again be without Marcos de Sousa and Mamadou Sylla through injury, while Juanmi Latasa is suspended, but Kike Perez will be available after serving a suspension of his own.

Perez started against Ourense in the Copa del Rey last time out and will return to a league XI, while there will be a number of changes from the cup game, with Javi Sanchez, Juma Bah, Ivan Sanchez and Anuar Tuhami among those to be introduced.

Raul Moro has scored four times and provided two assists in 18 appearances for Real Valladolid this season, and the in-demand attacker should also be involved in the final third.

Real Betis will be without Rui Silva, Marc Roca, Hector Bellerin and William Carvalho due to injury, but Ezequiel Avila is available after serving a suspension.

Coach Pellegrini fielded a strong side against Huesca in the Copa del Rey, with Isco on the scoresheet, and the veteran attacker is set to start again this weekend after seemingly overcoming the broken fibula that sidelined him for the first few months of the season.

On-loan Barcelona striker Vitor Roque is currently the main man in the middle of the park for Sevilla, and he is set to lead the line again on Saturday afternoon.

Possible starting lineup

Real Valladolid possible starting lineup:

Hein; Rosa, Bah, J Sanchez, Comert, Torres; Sanchez, Juric, Perez; Moro, Tuhami

Real Betis possible starting lineup:

Vieites; Sabaly, Bartra, Llorente, Perraud; Cardoso, Altimira; Lo Celso, Isco, Ezzalzouli; Roque