Real Madrid: 5 Players On Real Betis To Watch This Week

Real Betis have won both of their games to start the 2020-2021 La Liga season, so Real Madrid must be on alert.

Real Madrid didn’t get the three points they wanted in their opener against Real Sociedad, drawing 0-0 with La Real at the Anoeta Stadium. This weekend, Los Blancos must travel to Andalusia to take on Real Betis, who have won their first two games of the season under new manager Manuel Pellegrini.

Betis defeated Madrid in their last outing this March, getting a winning goal from Cristian Tello in the 82nd minute. Here are five players on Los Verdiblancos whom Los Blancos must keep a close eye on.

DM William Carvalho

Now a seasoned veteran, William Carvalho is one of La Liga’s better defensive midfielders and is off to a good start this season. He scored in Sunday’s 2-0 win over Real Valladolid, as Los Verdiblancos coasted to victory.

A strong, intelligent defensive presence in the middle of the park, William Carvalho can make space and life difficult for the likes of Luka Modric. He is adding more on the offensive end under Pellegrini so far, so that’s something to watch this Saturday.

RB Emerson

Emerson was one of Real Betis’ standout players last season, and his creativity and work rate in the attack on the right side can make him a tricky customer for Real Madrid. Defensively, he can be exploited by Los Blancos, since it is relatively easy to catch Emerson out, due to how aggressively he attacks for Betis.

Still, he is one of La Liga’s best fullbacks and has six key passes and seven fouls drawn, per WhoScored.com, so far this season. Emerson is a name heard frequently on every broadcast.

CAM Sergio Canales

A former Real Madrid product, Sergio Canales is capable of pulling the strings for Real Betis as the central attacking midfielder to fellow standouts Joaquin and Nabil Fekir. He’s not as productive as those two players, but Canales is a talented playmaker in his own right and is capable of scoring some spectacular goals.

Canales has started the 2020-2021 season hot for Betis, recording a team-high nine key passes with an additional three dribbles completed. Silky and technical, Canales will make sure Casemiro pays attention to him on Matchday 3.

CB Aissa Mandi

Real Betis center back Aissa Mandi will be key for Manuel Pellegrini getting the most out of this team defensively. Mandi is a composed center back who is more known for his defensive work than for his play on the ball. He and Marc Bartra will work together to keep Karim Benzema quiet, especially in the air.

Between the two of them, Mandi is the player Benzema will try to go one-on-one against the most, using his skill and dribbling ability to get around the Algerian center back.

ST Borja Iglesias

Finally, watch for the man up top, Borja Iglesias. Joaquin and Nabil Fekir are Betis’ stars in the attack, but Iglesias is the X-Factor for Los Verdiblancos against Real Madrid this weekend. If he breaks loose in the box or beats the back four on a counterattack for a well-placed long ball, then he could have a deciding goal in this game.

Iglesias struggled against both Alaves and Valladolid, losing the ball six times with just two shots in his last outing. But let’s not forget, Iglesias had 17 goals in 2018-2019 for Espanyol. It always seems like it’s the players we least expect, such as Tello in March, who rise to the occasion for Betis against Madrid by finding the back of the net.