Our prediction for this Primera Division match:
All eyes will be on Estadio Benito Villamarin when Real Betis and Barcelona face each other in the La Liga round 22. Los Beticos showed character in their last league match, with Iglesias scoring a late winner against Osasuna. The Andalusians have been in a fine form in all competitions of late, but they face an uphill task in Sunday’s clash against the Catalan giants. As always, men to watch in the home team will be fit-again Sergio Canales and Nabil Fekir. Signei is pushing for a start, as well as aforementioned attacker Iglesias.
Barca boss Ronald Koeman, on the other hand, welcomes Sergio Busquets back to the starting XI. Leo Messi, who obviously committed his future to Barcelona, will be the man to keep an eye on in the away side, while Coutinho, Fati, and Pique remain sidelined with injuries. Anyhow, away win should be considered as Barca have been showing signs of improvement of late.
Highlighted Player (William Carvalho):
Angola-born defensive midfielder William Carvalho has overseen a dramatic rise in his stock over the past few seasons at Sporting. William Carvalho is coming from a proper football family since his father and grandfather were also footballers, but his way to the top has had a somewhat dramatic twist to it.
Carvalho moved to Portugal as a child and first started playing football in the streets before he was picked up by Recreativos Desportivos de Algueriao. William Carvalho joined the Sporting football academy at the age of 13 The 24-year-old Portugal star player has spent two years on loan at Fatima and Cercle Brugge, before he got the chance to cement his place in the starting line-up for Portuguese giants.
William Carvalho came through all youth ranks with the Portugal national team, while he was given his senior debut in 2013. Carvalho played an important role in his country’s maiden European Championship title in France over the summer.
Highlighted Team (Barcelona):
Barcelona is a Spanish football club based in Barcelona, Catalonia. Barca were founded in 1899 and they are regarded as one of the greatest clubs in world football. The Catalan giants won their 24th La Liga title in 2016, with Luis Suarez winning “El Pichichi” award. Barcelona have won five European Cup trophies and a number of top-class players were part of the team in the past.
The likes of Hristo Stoichkov, Romario, Rivaldo, Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Johan Cruyff, Diego Maradona and Pep Guardiola are some of many players that played for Barca in the past, but, no doubt, Leo Messi has established himself as the club’s trademark. Barcelona welcome their rivals at Camp Nou, the stadium that was built in 1957.
Barcelona’s local rivals are Espanyol, but the rivalry between Barca and Real Madrid is much bigger. The two La Liga giants face each other in “El Clasico”, which is considered one of the most exciting derbies in the world football. Barca are famous for their football youth school La Masia as well.