There will be a fascinating showdown on the opening round of matches in La Liga this weekend, as two of the sides that finished in the Europa League spots lock horns. Both Villarreal and Real Betis will be hoping to finish in the top four this term, and more will be learnt about their chances on the opening weekend.
La Liga Preview
There is a standout fixture in La Liga this weekend, as the opening round of games will see the sides that finished fifth and sixth in the standings last term lock horns. Villarreal will have home advantage for their opening match of the new season, and they will have their sights set firmly on a return to the Champions League.
Quique Seiten will take charge of the team for the first full season, and the coach has been back throughout the summer. Alexander Sorloth has been their big addition during the summer window, and the striker is expected to fill in with the goals lost following the departures of Nicolas Jackson and Samuel Chukwueze.
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Real Betis will also be looking to progress this term after they finished the previous campaign in sixth. A push for a Champions League spot will be their big goal, but that could be a challenging assignment to achieve based on the sizes of the clubs that they are competing for in the race for the top four.
Manuel Pellegrini remains in charge at Betis, who will be going into the season without long-serving star Joaquin. However, the club have invested throughout the summer, with Marc Roca, Marc Batra, and Hector Bellerin all coming through the door.
Villarreal vs Real Betis Head to Head
The previous clash between the sides ended in a 1-1 draw in March. However, both sides have claimed two victories apiece in the previous four encounters. Betis won the other match between the sides last season by a 1-0 scoreline.
Villarreal vs Real Betis Prediction
This is an interesting opening day clash in La Liga, and both sides could have a key role to play in the race for European qualification. However, we have been impressed by the business done by Betis, and we could see them registering a second win in four visits to Villarreal.
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