Betis vs Real Sociedad – News and Probable Lineups

Real Betis and Real Sociedad will kick off their respective campaigns in the 2026-27 La Liga season with a match at Estadio de La Cartuja on Friday night.

The home team concluded last season in fifth place in Espanha’s premier division, securing a spot in the Champions League, while Real Sociedad finished the season in 10th position.

Match overview

Real Betis concluded their summer pre-season friendly series with a match against Inter de Milão on August 15, where they faced a 1-0 loss; however, they registered three victories in their preparations for the upcoming season, defeating Lyon, Almeria, and Arsenal.

Under the management of Manuel Pellegrini, Real Betis secured fifth place in Espanha’s elite league last term, finishing six points clear of sixth-placed Celta Vigo, which earned them a berth in the league stage of the 2026-27 Champions League.

El Glorioso will strive to ascend the league standings again this season, although their summer transfer activity has been minimal, with only three new players: Facundo Bernal, Fran Garcia, and Diego Conde.

The departure of Sergi Altimira has been notable, especially regarding the transfer fee, and further transactions are anticipated before the transfer window shuts.

Historically, Real Betis has triumphed in 42 out of their last 120 encounters against Real Sociedad, although their most recent meeting in the latter part of the 2025-26 season ended in a 2-2 draw.

Conversely, Real Sociedad has only managed to earn a single point from their past three league matches against Real Betis, with their last victory over them being a 2-0 win in December 2024.

It cannot be ignored that Real Sociedad’s performance in the 2025-26 league season was disappointing, finishing in 10th place; however, they have gained European qualification for the current season due to their triumph in the Copa del Rey.

Managed by Pellegrino Matarazzo, the team has not yet made any signings this summer, but this situation is likely to shift before the transfer window closes.

La Real experienced a tough pre-season, having lost four out of their seven warm-up matches, including their last three, and they enter this fixture following a 3-1 loss to Chelsea.

Real Sociedad is looking to start their season positively before facing Real Madrid on August 26 in what is essentially a first-round fixture.

Team News

For Friday’s match, Real Betis will be missing both Conde and Aitor Ruibal due to injuries, while Gonzalo Petit and Giovani Lo Celso are considered doubtful regarding their fitness.

Antony and Pablo Fornals are anticipated to feature in the attacking lineup, and there may also be an opportunity for Rodrigo Riquelme down the left flank.

Debuts are expected for Fran Garcia and Bernal in their match against Real Sociedad.

On the other hand, the visitors will be without long-term absentee Alvaro Odriozola due to injury; Goncalo Guedes is also a significant doubt for the encounter in Seville.

Mikel Oyarzabal made an appearance against Chelsea recently after returning from World Cup duty, but the lack of playing time during pre-season could mean he starts the match on the bench.

Takefusa Kubo and Ander Barrenetxea are both in contention for positions in the attacking third.

Real Betis probable starting XI:

Valles; Bellerin, Bartra, Nathan, Garcia; Bernal, Roca; Antony, Fornals, Riquelme; Hernandez

Real Sociedad probable starting XI:

Remiro; Aramburu, Zubeldia, Martin, Gomez; Herrera, Sucic; Kubo, Soler, Barrenetxea; Oskarsson

This match presents a challenging prediction considering the capabilities of both teams, but the advantage of playing at home could prove crucial, leading us to believe that Real Betis may secure a narrow victory on Friday night.