Trap duel in Heliópolis overshadowed by hurricane Mbappé

Kylian Mbappé monopolizes the news of Real Madrid. The probable signing of the French star has swept away any type of debate about the defensive imbalances that cost the Whites a draw against Levante in the last round of the League. He has left in the background the great moment of form, confidence and smell that Vinicius is going through, an unexpected top scorer after the first two dates of the championship together with rojiblanco Ángel Correa and Sevilla player Erik Lamela. And it has even overshadowed the trail of injuries that continue to put in check the group led by Carlo Ancelotti, the daily bread in Valdebebas for no longer knows how much. But the regularity tournament does not understand distractions and this Saturday Betis appears, another rival that has been entrenched in this part of the Chamartín team for some time but still does not know the victory in the current season, after collecting tables in his first two rounds.

Despite the fact that they dominate the historical series with ease, Real Madrid has only been able to beat Betis in one of the last five league matches they have had with the Verdiblancos. It was on his most recent visit to Heliópolis, when also in a match corresponding to the third day of last season, a penalty signaled at the request of the VAR by the hand of Bartra in a fight with Borja Mayoral allowed Sergio Ramos to seal from the point of punishment a triumph for which the whites had to break a sweat. Because the local team had responded to Valverde’s initial target with so many from Mandi and Carvalho that helped him to go to rest. An Emerson own goal gave life again to the visiting side, which took even more air with the expulsion of the Barça side today for knocking down Jovic when the Serbian was about to face goalkeeper Joel without further obstacles in his way.

That crash left Manuel Pellegrini with a bad body. “We have the thorn in last season, with two VAR decisions in which the referee was close. That prevented us from winning, “recalled the Chilean coach on Friday. In the second round, Betis scratched a point in the Alfredo Di Stéfano that confirmed the good dynamics of Verdiblanca against Real Madrid. In 2017 he already defeated the capital’s squad with a goal from Tony Sanabria, stopping at 73 the count of consecutive games scoring from the squad that Zinedine Zidane directed at that time, which he also gave severe corrections in more recent courses: the retina still remains the 2-1 at Villamarín that sent the whites to the couch just before the coronavirus frozen the 2019-20 season.

Another revalidation for Isco

That night of March 8, 2020, Militao failed as a right-back. The Brazilian was playing his first campaign with Real Madrid and was under permanent suspicion. Today he is sitting on the axis of a defense to which the injuries continue without respite. Nacho has dragged an overload since the last game and will not be in Seville, which will force Ancelotti to rebuild the rear. The Italian could move Alaba to the center or give Vallejo a chance. His margin of action is reduced by the squeeze on the left side, which opens the doors of the eleven to the youth squad Miguel Gutiérrez.

Nor can the transalpine coach be happy in the center of the field, since Modric, Kroos and Ceballos continue to recover from their respective ailments. Thus the things, Isco will repeat next to Casemiro and Valverde. The malagueño offered a recital in the first half against Levante and needs continuity to show that he can return under his jurisdiction. Vinicius bid on goals to enter an offensive trident that awaits Mbappé.

At Betis, Pellegrini confirmed the casualties of Lainez, Rober González and Sabaly. He will not be able to count on Álex Moreno, who has suffered hamstring problems from the first day, or Willian José, a brand-new green-and-white signing with a past at Real Madrid who has yet to get through with his new teammates. Yes, Pezzella will be available, which begins its second stage in Heliópolis. The ‘Engineer’, who left the door open to more incorporations to increase the level of a squad that this Friday met their rivals in the Europa League group stage, does not believe that the market is going to mislead Real Madrid. “It is a very good team, with a good coach and the news that comes out in the press will not affect their performance,” he said.