A new round of the "Great Derby" will take place at 23:15 Beijing time on Sunday, and Sevilla will face their rivals Real Betis at the Pizjuan Stadium. Sevilla are currently second with 51 points and Real Betis are third with 46 points, which is also the first time in the history of the two sides that they have played in the top three of both teams, which is unprecedented.
They have only been in the top five before the league derby on only four occasions, including the first meeting of the season. In the 13th round of the league last November, third-placed Sevilla beat fifth-placed Real Betis 2-0. Now they have a higher ranking and a chance to qualify for the Champions League and even the league title.
This weekend's clash will be one of the most important Sevilla derbies in recent years. This season the two teams have played at a very high level under julen Lopetegui and Manuel Pellegrini respectively, and it is foreseeable that it will be a wonderful and intense game.
Sevilla's midfielder shows a very high level of competition in every week's competition. Rafa Mir still maintains high goal efficiency, and winter window signings Anthony Martial and Tecatito Corona have also added a lot of possibilities to the team's offensive end. Sergio Canales, who has been in great form this season, is Real Betis' midfield metronome, and his midfield with "Magician" Nabil Fekir provides a steady stream of power to the Green and White.
Key players on both sides of the game regrettably absent. Real Betis top scorer Juanmi and Sevilla's Jules Koundé were both banned for eating cards in the last round. This presented a difficult problem for both teams to line up, and they needed to overcome their respective difficulties in order to win the game.
Third meeting of the 2021/22 season
In addition to the match that Sevilla won away from home in the league last November, the two sides also met once in the Copa del Rey. Real Betis eliminated Sevilla 2-1 in the quarter-finals and advanced to the quarter-finals, and now the Verdes are one of the favourites for the Copa del Rey title this season.
The match was also Sevilla boss Lopetegui's first defeat against Real Betis since taking over the team in 2019. His impressive record of 4 wins and 1 draw in the previous five Sevilla derbys and the experience of being eliminated by their opponents in the Copa del Rey made the Spanish manager want to prove himself in this game and complete his revenge.
For the first time in three years, Sevilla won the support of home fans
Although Lopetegui has already experienced six Sevilla derbies, the magic is that none of them have been played with home fans. Although the two sides have met twice before at the home of Sevilla, the Estadio Pisjuan was banned from the stadium due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, he can finally feel the special atmosphere of the home derby, and Sevilla fans will use their surging singing voice to cheer for the team.
It is worth mentioning that Sevilla fans can enjoy two consecutive Sevilla derbies at home, as the Sevilla women's match against Real Betis women's football team will also be played at the Piz Juan Stadium next weekend. But their immediate priority is to deal with this weekend's clash.
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