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Real Betis won 1-0 at Camp Nou in December, Xavi’s first league defeat as manager, so are now looking for back-to-back wins over Barça for the first time since 2002. The last 25 meetings between these two have produced 114 goals, 4.6 per match.
Both teams to score is 8/15.
Both teams to score and over 2.5 goals is 5/6.
Borja Iglesias is 6/1 to break the deadlock and 13/8 to score anytime.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has scored 11 goals in 19 appearances for Barça. He is 4/1 to open the scoring and 21/2o to add to this tally.
Match preview
Can Barcelona end a very up and down season by securing Champions League football, which they would rubber stamp with victory in this one?
Before this, the Blaugrana had lost three successive home matches within the same season for the first time ever.
Xavi’s team had been dumped out the Europa League by Eintracht Frankfurt, before suffering shock loses to Rayo Vallecano and Cádiz.
Nevertheless, Barça are currently second and, given that they were ninth in early-November, this represents an impressive turnaround.
Real Betis meanwhile are still looking to gatecrash the top four places at the last.
Although, los Verdiblancos’ hopes of doing just that suffered a big blow on Monday night as they could only draw 0-0 with Getafe at the Coliseum.
This means Béticos remain fifth, three points behind Atlético Madrid, having failed to win any of their last three league games.
In this period though, Manuel Pellegrini’s side have beaten Valencia on penalties in the Copa del Rey Final, claiming major silverware for the first time since 2005.
So, this will be a great season for Betis but, if they could storm into the Champions League spots, it would become an incredible campaign.
In their first home game since lifting the Copa, will Betis beat Barça at Estadio Benito Villamarín?
Real Betis team news
Willian José had been Betis’ first-choice centre-forward for large parts of this season.
But Borja Iglesias, who opened the scoring in the Copa del Rey Final, appears to have displaced him as the starting number nine.
Top-scorer Juanmi could return to the attacking-midfield trio, alongside Nabil Fekir.
Goalkeeper Claudio Bravo won seven trophies with Barcelona, but his record against them is underwhelming to say the least.
In 11 games against Barça, Bravo has conceded 31 goals and is yet to keep a clean sheet.
Barcelona team news
Barcelona meanwhile are without Óscar Mingueza, Sergiño Dest, Pedri and Nico, all due to injury.
Without the latter two, Sergio Busquets, Frenkie de Jong and Gavi will continue as the midfield trio.
Dani Alves is set to keep his place at right-back with Ronald Araújo as Gerard Piqué’s partner in the middle.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang burst on the scene at Barça but has only scored twice in eight appearances since the Clásico.
However, he could continue to lead the line with Memphis and Ferran Torres chosen over out of form Ousmane Dembélé on the flanks.
La Liga table:
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