Sneak Peek: Real Madrid Faces Real Betis

La Liga Title Challenge: Real Madrid vs Real Betis

As the 2026 season unfolds, Real Madrid finds itself four points behind Barcelona, despite emerging victorious in their last two matches. Coach Xabi Alonso is under considerable pressure, managing a strong record of just one defeat in the last 11 La Liga games (W7, D3, L1). Their crucial 2-0 victory over Sevilla ahead of Christmas came after experiencing back-to-back home defeats, a first since April.

Real Betis concluded 2025 with an impressive 4-0 triumph against Getafe, ensuring a place in the top six and aiming for European competition qualification. Betis has lost only once in their last seven league matches (W3, D3, L1) and maintains the only unbeaten away record in La Liga this season (W2, D6), boosting their confidence before facing Madrid.

Head-to-Head Record and Recent Matchups

In their latest encounter at Betis, Madrid suffered a 2-1 loss back in March, marking their first defeat in this matchup since 2020 (W4, D5). At home, Real Madrid has remained unbeaten against Betis in the last six meetings (W2, D4), with all four draws resulting in a goalless scoreline.

Both sides have demonstrated strong defensive capabilities in recent clashes, hinting at a tightly contested matchup. With Betis’ impressive away performance and Madrid’s historical dominance at home, this game promises to be closely fought.

Key Statistics and Trends

Real Madrid has triumphed in all 12 La Liga contests this season when scoring first and has outperformed opponents in corner kicks during their last six home league outings. Conversely, Betis has allowed a league-high of seven goals in the first 15 minutes this season.

Notably, six of Betis’ eight away league matches have seen goals scored by both teams, showcasing their attacking prowess away from home, despite their early defensive vulnerabilities.

Key Players and Injury News

Rodrygo has been a crucial player for Madrid, netting three goals in his last four matches (G2, A1), with four of those goals coming as the opener. For Betis, Pablo Fornals has found the net in two of the last four fixtures, with all six of his recent goals scored after halftime.

Madrid faces difficulties with their defense, missing key players such as Federico Valverde, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dani Carvajal, and Éder Militão. Additionally, Kylian Mbappé is sidelined with a knee injury. Betis will also be without Isco, who is undergoing leg surgery.

Betting Insights and Match Prediction

Considering Madrid’s erratic performance and Betis’ unbeaten streak away from home, current assessments suggest that a draw could be the most probable outcome for this encounter.