Real Betis - Real Madrid

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SQUAD NEWS :

Marc Bartra and Germán Pezzella are the two names included to this week’s squad. No Sidnei and of course Loren Morón has departed for Espanyol. New boy Willian José not registered for the game against Real Madrid .

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Like cannon balls!

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Despite being two of the most experienced managers in all of football, today’s Real Betis v Real Madrid game will be the first competitive meeting between Manuel Pellegrini and Carlo Ancelotti

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GAMEDAY !

A huge fixture today as Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid provide a tough test for a struggling Betis side

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Today is different... today is a BETIS DAY !

Mucho Betis !

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Our starting eleven tonight :

Mucho Betis !

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TEAM NEWS :

GERMÁN PEZZELLA STARTS !

Guido Rodríguez joins Andrés Guardado in the midfield for the first time this season as Juanmi is chosen to start up front over Borja Iglesias. Sergio Canales moves back into his preferred attacking position behind the striker .

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Line up confirmation :

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Our armband today is dedicated to the neighbourhood Polígono de San Pablo!

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Betis' Juanmi had this golden 2-on-1 opportunity but fucked it up in the poorest way possible, and literally in the next attack Real Madrid scored. Incredible.

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Flicked on the last 15 minutes of this. Zero football played. Brutal. So dead and flat - injuries, cramp, loads of subs not helping.

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Dani Carvajal's second half strike was enough to lift Real Madridto a 1-0 victory at Betis on Saturday night at the Estadio Benito Villamarin in Seville.

It was a typically hard-fought battle between the two sides in Andalusia, with Carvajal's classy finish proving to be the difference to send Real Madrid into the international break on a high note.

Coach Carlo Ancelotti made the decision to go with Dani Carvajal and Miguel Gutierrez as full-backs, while Vinicius got the nod ahead of Eden Hazard in attack.

The young Brazilian nearly repaid Ancelotti's faith in him right away by creating the game's first chance with a move and a cut-back pass for Karim Benzema, who fired wide.

Betis were creating some headaches, too, and habitual giant-killer Nabil Fekir forced Real goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois into a tough stretch save.

A pair of offside calls negated a herculean save from Betis goalkeeper Rui Silva and a goal for Benzema, but it was reflective of Real Madrid's superiority to start the second stanza.

Moments after Juanmi spoiled a chance for Betis, the opener would arrive shortly after the hour mark when Vinicius did well to keep a ball in play, allowing Benzema to swing a ball across and Carvajal latching onto it first-time with a volley that beat Rui Silva to make it 1-0.

Ancelotti's first change saw Marco Asensio and Lucas Vazquez on for Gareth Bale and Isco, as Real Madrid sought a second. Asensio nearly delivered when he won a ball at midfield and had a goal at goal, but his shot skipped wide.

The next substitution was Vinicius making way for Hazard, followed by Rodrygo on for the injured Miguel Gutierrez, forcing Ancelotti to shuffle around his players for the final minutes.

It looked like it was going to be a calm final few minutes for Los Blancos, but Betis had one last look at the death with some playmaking coming from former Barcelona man Cristian Tello, who found another former Barcelona man, Martin Montoya, all alone in the box, but the shot went right to Courtois, who secured the ball as the final whistle sounded. Match Sheet

0.- Betis: Rui Silva; Montoya, Pezzella, Víctor Ruiz, Miranda; Guido, Guardado (Camarasa, min. 70), Canales (Joaquin, min. 82); Ruibal (Tello, min. 70), Fekir, Juanmi (Borja Iglesias, min. 77)

1.- Real Madrid: Courtois; Carvajal, Militao, Alaba, Miguel Gutierrez; Casemiro, Valverde, Isco (Lucas Vazquez, min. 66); Bale (Asensio, min. 66), Vinicius (Hazard, min. 78), Benzema

Goals: 0-1, min. 61: Carvajal

Referee: Hernandez Hernandez (Las Palmas). Yellow cards: Fekir (Min. 23) for Betis, Pezzella (Min. 43) for Betis, Canales (Min. 44) for Betis, Ruibal (Min. 45+1) for Betis, Montoya (Min. 59) for Betis, Hazard (Min. 81) for Real Madrid

Red cards: None