Sevilla Vs Real Betis Derby: Who Will Cough First?

By David Indeje / Published February 26, 2022 | 10:55 am

KEY POINTS

Anthony Martial v Hector Bellerin – On loan from Manchester United, Martial has already shown promise in a Sevilla shirt and will come up against a familiar foe in former Arsenal right-back Bellerin.

Goalkeeper Yassine Bounou Bono (R) and Diego Carlos Santos (2-R) of Sevilla in action during the Spanish LaLiga soccer match Espanyol vs Sevilla at RCDE Stadium in Barcelona, Spain, 20 February 2022. EPA/ENRIC FONTCUBERTA

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Julen Lopetegui v Manuel Pellegrini – Both Lopetegui and Pellegrini err on the side of caution, but it is likely to be the team that is braver in possession that will come away with the points on Sunday.

SuperSport viewers on DStv and GOtv can look forward to a classic La Liga rivalry, as Sevilla welcomes city rivals Real Betis to Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan on the afternoon of Sunday 27 February 2022.

DStv and GOtv are the only true home of football in Africa, offering a range and depth of action that no other rival can match – it’s literally ‘Unbeatable Football’! If you’re going to spend your money on something, it may as well be on the best football in the world.

SuperSport is also the only place to get English commentary on the legendary La Liga. This heated battle, also known as the ‘Derbi Sevillano’ or ‘El Gran Derbi’ between Los Nervionenses and Los Verdiblancos is not always one in which the two teams are situated in the upper reaches of the table, but that is very much the case this season: Sevilla has been Real Madrid’s most credible challengers for the title, while Betis are fighting hard to finish in the top four and qualify for next season’s UEFA Champions League.

The derby is given even greater spice by an incident between the teams when they met in the Copa del Rey last month: the game was suspended in the 39th minute after a Betis supporter threw a missile at Sevilla midfielder Joan Jordan, striking him in the head.

“There was an attack,” Sevilla manager Julen Lopetegui explained. “I immediately told the referee that the conditions to continue playing aren’t met. Joan Jordan is beginning to feel worse and I urged him to sit down and have the doctor come in. That’s all that happened.”

Betis manager Manuel Pellegrini, meanwhile, is determined to see his side continue punching above their weight: “Now we’re in our second season, fighting for the Copa del Rey and the Europa League and in a Champions League position. That may not be the reality from an economic point of view, but it is from a sporting point of view.”

Key Players

Ivan Rakitic – The Croatian playmaker has been the creative force behind much of Sevilla’s excellence this season. He will look to dominate the midfield and laid the platform for the hosts to claim all three points.

Nabil Fekir – The French maverick is one of the most stylish players in La Liga and Real Betis will need him to be at his best if they are to come away from Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan with a victory.

Head-to-head stats

In head-to-head stats, Sevilla and Betis have met in 136 matches across all competitions dating back as far as 1915. Los Nervionenses have claimed 64 wins compared to 40 for Los Verdiblancos, while 32 games have been drawn.

When the teams met in La Liga earlier this season, at Estadio Benito Villamarin in November 2021, Sevilla claimed a 2-0 away win thanks to a strike from Marcos Acuna and an own goal from Hector Bellerin.

Battles to watch

Yassine Bounou v Borja Iglesias – The Moroccan goalkeeper has become a key man for Sevilla and he will be tasked with keeping Borja Iglesias at bay and trying to secure a clean sheet in this derby clash.

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Match broadcast details

All times CAT

Sunday 27 February 2022

17:15: Sevilla v Real Betis – LIVE on SuperSport La Liga, SuperSport Maximo 2 and SuperSport GOtv La Liga

About David Indeje

David Indeje is a writer and editor, with interests on how technology is changing journalism, government, Health, and Gender Development stories are his passion. Follow on Twitter @David_IndejeDavid can be reached on: (020) 528 0222 / Email: info@sokodirectory.com

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