Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the La Liga match.
Barcelona currently sit atop the La Liga standings, holding a three-point lead over Real Madrid. Real Betis find themselves in a solid position as well, occupying sixth place with a seven-point gap over their closest pursuers. However, the squad will be without Isco Alarcón, whose influence was evident in their recent 2:1 victory over Real Madrid and could have been instrumental in this fixture.
Barcelona
Barcelona are enjoying an exceptional run of form, having won nine consecutive league matches with an aggregate scoreline of 30:5. Seven of those victories came by at least a two-goal margin. The team currently lead La Liga in total goals with 82. Robert Lewandowski continues to spearhead the attack with 25 goals to his name, while Lamine Yamal and Raphinha Belloli have collectively provided 19 assists in the campaign.
Real Betis
Real Betis recently put together a six-match winning streak in the league, finding the net at least twice in five of those outings. However, their away form has been inconsistent, with defeats against lower-ranked sides such as Real Valladolid (0:1) and Valencia (2:4). The suspension of Isco Alarcón due to yellow card accumulation is a major setback, as he leads the squad in combined goals and assists (6+4) this season.
Barcelona vs Real Betis Prediction
Barcelona enter this match as firm favourites, both for this fixture and the title race overall. The team have avoided defeat in 11 of their last 12 league meetings with Real Betis, with the Total Over 2.5 goals market hitting in all but one of those matches. In the absence of Isco Alarcón, it will be a tall order for Real Betis to come away with anything from this encounter. As such, a combination bet seems the most prudent option.
