Real Betis vs Real Valladolid

For Valladolid, the threat of relegation looms large, with the struggling visitors anchored at the bottom of the La Liga table and facing the possibility of having their demotion sealed.

Betis, meanwhile, are juggling ambitions on dual fronts late in the campaign, having recently advanced to their inaugural European semi-final.

Los Verdiblancos secured a Conference League semi-final matchup with Fiorentina, following a 2-0 home win over Jagiellonia Bialystok and a 1-1 draw in the return leg last week.

Under Manuel Pellegrini’s guidance, Betis carried their European momentum into Monday’s La Liga fixture against a faltering Girona, where first-half strikes from Johnny Cardoso, Antony, and Isco delivered a convincing 3-1 triumph, marking their third victory in four away league games (with one draw).

With 51 points from 32 matches, Los Verdiblancos occupy sixth place, trailing fifth-placed Villarreal by just a single point. A top-five finish would grant them a coveted Champions League berth, their first in two decades.

Returning to the Benito Villamarin, where they’ve claimed victory in four of their last five home league contests, Betis face a potential stumbling block. Their sole loss in that stretch came in their latest home match against Villarreal, and another defeat could mark their first consecutive home league losses since 2023. Still, they draw encouragement from winning their last two encounters with Valladolid at this venue.

Valladolid, by contrast, head to Andalusia in low spirits, having dropped 12 of their past 13 league matches, including six straight defeats.

Despite showing some resilience in Sunday’s 3-2 home loss to Osasuna, with goals from Raul Moro and Mamadou Sylla, the Pucela’s porous defense—the league’s leakiest, with 76 goals conceded in 32 games—couldn’t hold firm.

With only 18 points still up for grabs, Valladolid sit 16 points below the safety line, and their immediate return to Spain’s second division could be confirmed this week.