Real Madrid won’t have to face Real Betis’ biggest talent this weekend
Before Real Madrid faced Cadiz on La Liga’s Matchday 31, they received a boost regarding their weekend fixture against Real Betis, whom they narrowly defeated earlier this season and lost to in the second half of the 2020-2021 season.
In the 11th minute of Los Verdiblancos’ Matchday 31 fixture vs. Athletic Bilbao, playmaker Nabil Fekir received his first red card of the season. That means he will be suspended for the Saturday night fixture against Real Madrid at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano.
This news is a positive for a Madrid side that has not received much positive news in recent days. They had to face Cadiz without several key players, including midfielders Toni Kroos and Luka Modric. And another midfielder, Fede Valverde, officially tested positive for COVID-19 after being in isolation for coming into close contact with an individual who tested positive.
Avoiding Fekir this weekend should be a relief to Real’s defense. Fekir had his way with Los Blancos in the second fixture of the 2019-2020 season and is one of the best players in La Liga. He’s a big reason why Betis are close to securing Europa League football for the 2021-2022 campaign in Manuel Pellegrini’s first season in charge.
Real Madrid will still have to worry about Sergio Canales, though
Fekir has four goals and five assists this season. Per WhoScored.com, the French attacking midfielder is completing just over 85 percent of his passes with 1.4 key passes per game. Better yet, the 27-year-old averages nearly three dribbles completed and fouls drawn per game.
An exciting player, Fekir, together with former Real Madrid man Sergio Canales, helps run the show for Los Verdiblancos. Casemiro and the center backs will certainly have one less headache to worry about on Matchday 32 against Betis’ high-upside attack, which put two goals past Los Merengues in September.
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Madrid will have to worry about a couple of other key players on Betis, including Canales, but not having to face Fekir due to suspension is a boost that Los Blancos will want to take advantage of. It seems like not much else has gone their way.
After the Betis game, Real Madrid will have to face Chelsea in the Champions League semifinals.