Real Madrid opens at home against its league 'bone'

Real Madrid opens at home against its league 'bone'

The Madrid team is looking for its fourth victory against co-leader Betis, who have neither lost nor conceded in their last five visits to their stadium

MADRID, 2 Sep. (EUROPA PRESS) -

Real Madrid will make its debut this Saturday in LaLiga Santander 2022-2023 in front of its public at the Santiago Bernabéu (4:15 p.m.) with the visit of Betis, the other team that has also started the season with plenty of victories and that has not been given too much well as a visitor in recent years.

The sole leadership of the domestic championship will be put at stake in the Madrid fiefdom, still under construction and which hosts the current champion for the first time this season, who began with three consecutive outings settled with triumphs and with different sensations.

This good start to the defense of his league title has only been able to be replicated precisely by his next opponent, a Betis who has also made it clear that the project that falls to Manuel Pellegrini seems willing to be the protagonist again in a year with many ambitions for the Betis, at the moment very solid in the Benito Villamarín.

Real Madrid is already preparing to start the defense of its fourteenth European Cup at Celtic Park next Tuesday, but before that debut in the Champions League, it will have to get rid of another Verdiblanco team and that has also come out successful in the last times you have paid him a visit.

In March 2017, the white team suffered to come back and win 2-1 against Betis, but since that date they have not been able to do it again, with the addition that the Andalusian team has left without conceding a single goal , a streak within the reach of very few. That defeat was followed by two wins with Quique Setién on the bench by 0-1 and 0-2, and then three goalless draws, one with Rubi and the last two with Pellegrini, at the Alfredo Di Stéfano in 20-21.

The 'Engineer' has already made it clear that the statistics should not weigh them down and that they should try to be the same team as always to try to have options for a Real Madrid that has left mixed feelings in its league start, with lights, but also with shadows, especially at the defensive level, an aspect in which he has conceded more than he should.

Thibaut Courtois has not yet been able to go home with a clean sheet and his defense, which Carlo Ancelotti has not repeated in any of the three clashes in Almería, Vigo and Barcelona, ​​must improve, especially since Betis have a lot of power up front, personified in its two strikers, Borja Iglesias and Juanmi, who have scored all six goals.

Four have been made by 'Panda', one less than those led by Karim Benzema, key in last Sunday's victory at the RCDE Stadium and who continues to form a very dangerous couple with Vinicius Jr. Two teams that have goals and talent up front for break that streak of three matches in the capital without celebrating any.

It seems that Ancelotti will continue with his rotation policy at the start of the season, where the only thing that has been indisputable is the attacking front made up of the French, the Brazilian and the Uruguayan Fede Valverde, who started all three games.

Thus, in defense the return of the two full-backs, Dani Carvajal and Ferland Mendy, is expected, while David Alaba, Eder Militao and Antonio Rüdiger will fight to be one of the two central defenders, and in midfield, Ancelotti could repeat with Tchouameni , Kroos and Modric, although the proximity of the Champions League could be an opportunity for Camavinga, Ceballos, or even Valverde if Rodrygo Goes is chosen above.

For his part, Pellegrini will have two important casualties for his offensive network since he will not be able to count on the injured Willian Carvalho, recently renewed and key in midfield, and the suspended German Pezzella. Andrés Guardado and Luiz Pelipe are emerging as their respective substitutes in an eleven where the entry of Sergio Canales could be another of the Verdiblancas novelties.

REAL MADRID: Courtois; Carvajal, Militao, Alaba, Mendy; Kroos, Tchouameni, Camavinga; Rodrygo, Benzema y Vinicius.

REAL BETS: Rui Silva; Sabaly, Louis Philip, Edgar, Alex Moreno; Guido Rodriguez, Guard; Channels, Fekir, John; and Borja Churches.

--REFEREE: Sánchez Martínez (C.Murciano).

--Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.

--TIME: 4.15pm/Movistar LaLiga.