Manuel Pellegrini Eyes Fifth Place With Real Betis Against Oviedo

Real Betis return home needing three points against Oviedo to protect fifth place and keep their Champions League path alive. They have held that spot since February 2, but the cushion over Celta, Getafe and Real Sociedad is not enough to relax.

Pellegrini's La Cartuja Plan

Manuel Pellegrini has shaped his selection around the side that beat Girona and drew with Real Madrid. The expected lineup is Valles; Bellerín, Llorente, Natan, Ricardo; Amrabat, Fornals; Antony, Lo Celso, Abde; and Cucho Hernández, with Bartra and Ortiz the only absences from a squad otherwise described as in perfect condition.

That setup gives Betis a familiar spine at La Cartuja, where around 60,000 spectators are expected. Cordero Veg will referee the match, and the opening task is direct: leave the points at home and avoid letting the chase behind them tighten further.

Oviedo's Visit to La Cartuja

Oviedo arrive with Escandell expected in goal and Bailly among the back line options in a projected XI that also includes Nacho Vidal, Calvo and Javi López. Fonseca, Sibo and Reina are listed in midfield, with Chaira, Thiago and Viñas ahead of them.

For Betis, the match is only part of the job. They need this home win and then points at Anoeta next Saturday to strengthen their position, because fifth place has not yet been secured and the league race is still shaped by what Spanish teams do in Europe as well as by Betis's own results.

Anoeta Looms Next

The pressure is simple enough. Betis have spent more than five jornadas in fifth place, but the table still asks for another clean home result before they travel to Anoeta. Pellegrini's preferred XI suggests he is treating this as a game to control from the start, not one to chase late.