Two teams enjoying impressive campaigns in Spain's top flight will lock horns in Seville on Monday evening as Real Betis welcome Granada.
Betis are currently seventh in the table, five points behind fifth-placed Real Sociedad with a game in hand, while Granada sit one spot and six points behind their opponents in this match.
Match preview
Betis have finished 10th and 15th in their last two seasons at this level of football, meaning that the team have taken huge steps forward this term under the management of Manuel Pellegrini.
The Green and Whites have won 14, drawn nine and lost 11 of their 34 league matches this term to collect 51 points, which has left them in seventh spot in the table, one point off sixth-placed Villarreal and five behind fifth-placed Real Sociedad, who beat Elche 2-0 on Friday night.
Securing a spot in next season's Europa League would go down as a strong campaign for Betis, and they have only lost one of their last 12 La Liga matches.
That said, Pellegrini's side have drawn each of their last six in Spain's top flight; two of those stalemates have been against Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid, but they were held to a disappointing 1-1 draw by struggling Real Valladolid last time out.
Betis have been strong on home soil this term, losing just four of their 17 matches and collecting 29 points in the process, and the Seville-based outfit will fancy their chances of overcoming a Granada side that have suffered 10 defeats on their travels during the 2020-21 La Liga campaign.
Granada finished seventh last season on their return to this level of football and that position would certainly be open if they managed to record a win over Betis on Monday evening.
A record of 13 wins, six draws and 15 defeats from 34 matches has seen Diego Martinez's side collect 45 points to sit eighth in the table, but they might have dropped a couple of places by the time that this match kicks off as Athletic Bilbao and Celta Vigo can go above them with victories over the weekend.
Granada recorded a standout 2-1 victory at Barcelona in their last away match on April 29 but could not follow that result up with another success as they lost 1-0 at home to Cadiz on May 2.
Martinez's team, as mentioned, have not travelled particularly well in Spain's top flight this term, and they have not beaten Betis in Sevilla since November 2012.
That said, the three-time Segunda Division champions have been victorious in three of the last four league meetings between the two sides, including a 2-0 success in the reverse fixture back in December.
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Team News
Betis will again be without the services of Victor Camarasa and Dani Martin through injury, while Nabil Fekir and Aissa Mandi are banned due to the bookings that they picked up against Valladolid last time out.
Sergio Canales should be available despite missing a couple of training sessions last week, while Martin Montoya and Diego Lainez could be passed fit following recent issues.
Joaquin could replace Fekir in the starting XI, while Mandi's suspension is likely to open the door for Marc Bartra to feature in the middle of the defence alongside Victor Ruiz.
As for Granada, Neyder Lozano and Luis Milla remain unavailable for selection through injury, while Carlos Neva, Jesus Vallejo, Rui Silva and Kenedy are all doubts for the visitors.
Roberto Soldado is suspended due to the red card that he picked up against Cadiz, meaning that there could be a start at centre-forward for Luis Suarez, although Jorge Molina is also pushing to keep his spot.
Darwin Machis and Antonio Puertas should again feature in the final third of the field, while there could be a start in the middle of the defence Domingos Duarte.
Real Betis possible starting lineup:
Bravo; Emerson, Bartra, Ruiz, Miranda; Guardado, Rodriguez; Ruibal, Canales, Joaquin; Iglesias
Granada possible starting lineup:
Escandell; Foulquier, Duarte, Sanchez, Quini; Herrera, Montoro, Gonalons; Puertas, Suarez, Machis
We say: Real Betis 1-0 Granada
This has all of the makings of a very tight match in Spain's top flight. Granada have enjoyed their recent meetings with Betis, but they have not beaten the Seville outfit on the road since 2012; we are expecting a tight match on Monday evening but fancy the home side to edge out a narrow win.
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