Atletico Madrid and Real Betis face off in the Copa del Rey quarter-finals at Estadio La Cartuja in Seville on Thursday night, with a place in the last four on the line.
Real Betis vs Atletico Madrid – Match preview and team news
- Date: Thursday, 5th February.
- Kick-off: 8pm BST.
- Venue: Estadio La Cartuja de Sevilla.
Real Betis team news
Real Betis come into the tie with several absentees. Midfielder Giovani Lo Celso has been ruled out after suffering a thigh injury during the Europa League defeat away to PAOK, with the club confirming there is currently no fixed recovery timetable.
Isco has been sidelined since November with a thigh problem and, although he is edging closer to a return, this quarter-final is expected to come too soon for him.
Hector Bellerin remains a doubt due to ongoing physical discomfort, while striker Juan “Cucho” Hernández is out with a hamstring issue and is not expected back until around mid February. Sofyan Amrabat is also unavailable due to a foot injury.
Pellegrini confirmed in his pre-match press conference that veteran goalkeeper Adrian will continue in goal for the Copa del Rey after impressing earlier in the competition, and that both Rodrigo Riquelme and Junior Firpo have returned to the squad after recent knocks.
Atletico Madrid team news
Striker Alexander Sørloth suffered a worrying head injury in the goalless draw at Levante after a clash of heads that saw him stretchered off and taken to hospital. Subsequent medical tests ruled out fractures and any serious injuries but he will only return once he has cleared concussion protocols.
Antoine Griezmann, meanwhile, is a doubt for this match. He picked up a low-grade muscle injury in his left thigh during training ahead of the recent league win over Mallorca, however, reports indicate that Griezmann has progressed well enough in his recovery to be considered an option for this Copa del Rey tie after returning to full training.
Pablo Barrios, who went off with a minor issue against Levante, has also trained fully this week and is again in contention for a starting role in Simeone’s engine room.
The big boost for Atletico is the arrival of Ademola Lookman from Atalanta, with the club confirming a deal worth around 35 million euros to add the Nigerian winger’s pace and creativity to their attack, although he is unlikely to be involved in this match.
Form
Real Betis
Betis arrive in the tie with back-to-back home victories over Feyenoord in the Europa League and Valencia in La Liga.
Their recent league success against Valencia, a 2-1 win in Seville on 1 February, underlined both their attacking threat and lingering defensive issues, as they have failed to keep a clean sheet in four straight games.
In the Copa del Rey, however, Pellegrini’s men have been impressive, winning all four ties so far and scoring at least two goals in every round on their way to the last eight.
Atletico Madrid
Atletico’s recent form has been mixed, with two wins, two draws and one defeat in their last six matches in all competitions, a run that includes league victories over Deportivo Alavés and Mallorca and progression past Deportivo La Coruna in the Copa del Rey thanks to Antoine Griezmann’s sublime free-kick.
Simeone’s side were held to a 0-0 draw at Levante in their most recent La Liga outing, a result that highlighted ongoing frustrations in front of goal. Despite some inconsistency, Atletico sit third in La Liga with 45 points from 22 games, just behind Barcelona and Real Madrid.
Predicted lineups
Real Betis: Adrian; Ruibal, Diego Llorente, Bartra, Rodriguez; Altimira, Roca; Antony, Deossa, Ezzalzouli; Avila.
Atletico Madrid: Musso; Ruggeri, Hancko, Pubill, Molina; Baena, Cardoso, Llorente, Simeone; Alvarez, Almada.
How to watch Real Betis vs Atletico Madrid?
In the United Kingdom, Real Betis vs Atletico Madrid in the Copa del Rey quarter-finals will be shown live on ITV4 and streamed via ITVX.
Read Also – On this day: Alan Shearer breaks Newcastle goal record
See More – Scout says Woltemade ‘isn’t the DNA of a Newcastle number nine’
