Real Betis will host German side Eintracht Frankfurt this Wednesday in the first leg of their UEFA Europa League 1/8 round.
Venue: Estadio Benito Villamarín (Sevilla)
Key Statistics
Real Betis are winless in their last three home games (D2, L1).
They have kept one clean sheet in their last nine games.
The hosts have failed to score in only one of their last eight games.
Eintracht Frankfurt have lost just one of their last seven away games (W4, D2).
They have failed to score in three of their last four games.
The visitors have kept one clean sheet in their last nine games.
Head to head
This is the first-ever meeting between both sides in Europe.
Latest performances in all competitions
Real Betis: L-D-L-D-W
Eintracht Frankfurt: W-L-L-L-W
Real Betis
After overcoming Zenit Saint Petersburg in the Europa League round of 32, Real Betis return to European action when they welcome Eintracht Frankfurt to the Estadio Benito Villamarín (Sevilla) when they lock horns in the first leg of their Europa League Round of 16 ties.
Real Betis have enjoyed an upturn in fortunes since Manuel Pellegrini took over the Seville-based club. The Chilean has overseen the return to European football after having last made an entry in the 2018/19 season.
Real Betis have enjoyed a fine season so far, having been in the top four for most of the season in the La Liga. However, they were deposed by Atletico Madrid over the weekend, losing 1-3 to the capital-based club.
The Spanish team are on a four-game winless streak in all competitions. Manuel Pellegrini will be hoping to get his boys back on track and produce a big win against their German opponents before the return leg as they continue their hunt for silverware this season.
Possible Real Betis starting line-up
Claudio Bravo; Youssouf Sabaly, Marc Bartra, Victor Ruiz, Andres Guardado; Guido Rodriguez, William Carvalho; Cristian Tello, Nabil Fekir, Juanmi; Borja Iglesias.
Injured: Rodri, Juan Miranda, Hector Bellerin, Victor Camarasa, Alex Moreno and Martin Montoya
Doubtful: None
Suspended: None
Eintracht Frankfurt
Having gone three games without a win, Frankfurt returned to winning ways with an emphatic victory over Hertha Berlin in the weekend, scoring four past their hapless opponents for the first time since December last year.
The win against Hertha Berlin will serve as a good prelude to their showdown against their Spanish counterparts, hoping to make something out of their ailing season.
The visitors go into this game as underdogs against their more fancied opponents, and head coach Oliver Glasner knows that his team have to be at their best to come away with a favourable result away from Spain.
The Austrian will count himself and his team lucky, as they have the opportunity to face a Real Betis team who have looked out of sorts lately.
With such providential opportunity, the chances of beating Real Betis are greatly high as they look to reclaim a title they last won in 1980.
They qualified for this tie by finishing top of their qualifier group, having won three and drawn three of their qualifier games.
After going unbeaten in the group stages, they will fancy their chances of getting a positive result in Spain.
Possible Eintracht Frankfurt starting line-up
Kevin Trapp; Tuta, Martin Hinteregger, Evan N’Dicka; Kristijan Jakic, Djibril Sow, Sebastian Rode, Ansgar Knauff; Jesper Lindstrom, Filip Kostic; Rafael Borre.
Injured: Giant Ramaj, Ragnar Ache
Doubtful: None
Suspended: None
Prediction
Betis 2-2 Frankfurt
