Real Betis and Athletic Bilbao will clash at the Estadio La Cartuja in an encounter that already feels bigger than just a matchday four fixture. Both sides remain unbeaten, both have reasons to be confident, and both know this is an early chance to lay down a marker in La Liga.
Athletic head into the game in fine shape, sitting fifth after two wins from two. Softfootball reported that Ernesto Valverde’s men slightly edged past Sevilla on the opening weekend before brushing aside Rayo Vallecano, and momentum is clearly on their side.
Victory in Seville would give them a third straight league since the begining of the season, something the Basque club hasn’t managed since 2009/10.
Betis, meanwhile, are quietly steady. Manuel Pellegrini’s boys have collected five points from three matches, including a narrow home win over Alavés and draws against Elche and Celta Vigo. The team have only lost twice in their last 18 league games, but too many draws have held them back. That tendency to share the points has been a recurring theme; five of their last seven league fixtures have finished level.
Both teams have revealed their starting XI on their social platforms.
Athletic Club’s Starting XI uploaded on the team’s official X handle:
Real Betis starting XI uploaded on the team’s official X handle:
History adds another twist. Betis boast a strong home record against Bilbao, winning 30 of 69 meetings, but Athletic haven’t left empty-handed in Andalusia often, picking up results in 10 of their last 11 visits. That said, they haven’t beaten Betis away from home since 2012.
Giovani Lo Celso scored Betis’ only goal last weekend and has made a habit of delivering in big moments. For Athletic, Iñaki Williams’ pace and knack for scoring against Betis six goals in total make him the danger man.
Both sides are missing important players: Abde Ezzalzouli for Betis and Yeray Álvarez for Bilbao, the latter serving a doping ban. Even so, this feels like a game with goals in it. Recent meetings have been lively, and with both sides eager to protect unbeaten records, expect an intense, possibly frantic, contest in Seville.
