When Barcelona and Real Betis locked horns earlier this season, the neutrals were treated to a footballing extravaganza in a game that finally ended 4-3 in favour of the latter.
Quique Setien tactically outclassed Ernesto Valverde in a manner Johan Cruyff would have been proud of.
Betis won the tie thanks to a total team effort, but Giovani Lo Celso and Junior Firpo were the two players who stood out.
The two teams face again on Sunday, with both teams carrying opposite momentum. The Catalan side has enjoyed a great 2019 so far, breezing past crunch fixtures involving the likes of Real Madrid and Lyon (Champions League).
Betis – on the other hand – are drifting away from the top four in the league and have been eliminated from the Europa League.
We take a look at some of the players who can make a difference in this big fixture.
Sergio Busquets (Barcelona)
The midfield battle will be extremely crucial in a game between two sides who like to keep the ball. While Sergio Busquets pulls strings from behind, Barcelona will need Ivan Rakitic to come clutch and aid Busquets and Arthur with his unprecedented work-rate. But the “Octopus of Badia” will be the most crucial player in midfield.
Lo Celso and Sergio Canales make a strong pair in midfield and can cause havoc if they are provided the liberty to take initiative. The Spaniard’s knack of breaking down attacks and converting defence into attack in a blink of an eye will be of great aid to the Catalans.
Sergio Busquets
Busquets has rightly been accused of slacking and playing loose this season and he is now provided with an opportunity to right his wrongs. He will be tasked with silencing William Carvalho – a player of similar qualities – and shut down the Betis midfield.
Sergio Canales (Real Betis)
Canales was one of the best performers for Betis on that fateful night. The former Real Madrid midfielder will be looking to replicate his performance on Sunday and hand his team a much-needed win.
His main strength lies in carrying the ball across enemy lines and delivering that final ball.
Sergio Canales has been in good form for Real Betis
He could exploit the space left by full-back Jordi Alba – who prefers to push up – and whip in a cross for Joaquin to head home. Canales will hence have a crucial role to play as he positions himself in the abandoned space on the right. The Spaniard will also be looking to show the world why he was called up to the Spain squad for the next set of friendlies.
Philippe Coutinho (Barcelona)
Philippe Coutinho coming clutch at this time could do a lot of good to Barcelona, especially with the Champions League ties around the corner. The Brazilian will be looking to build on his good shift against Lyon as he attempts to convince Barcelona that Ousmane Dembele’s injury is probably not a huge concern.
The former Liverpool man will be up against Aissa Mandi and Marc Bartra – two top defenders. With Alba pushing high on the pitch, Coutinho’s role will be more central and probably more direct.
Philippe Coutinho
His link-up with Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi is gradually improving and a top performance against a team which maintains a good shape will boost his confidence ahead of the tough tests ahead. Also, despite playing a three-man defence, Betis are not as compact as other teams in the league. So, watch out for Coutinho’s trademark shot from distance.
Pau Lopez (Real Betis)
Barcelona are now making it a habit to shower the opposition with shots, which are rarely off-target. In such a game, the opposition custodian will have to be on top of his game to prevent a meltdown.
A couple of early goals can shatter the confidence of Setien’s men and set the game up for a one-sided finish, Lopez must remain calm and composed in order to prevent this.
ICYMI | We got excited before because @SergioCanales got called up to the national team for the first time, but Pau López is also on the list (but he's more used to it)! 💪💚 pic.twitter.com/pQ0KP3u4YB
— Real Betis Balompié (@RealBetis_en) March 15, 2019
Betis like to play a high line and are hence prone to getting hit on the counter. Therefore, Lopez must assume the role of a sweeper keeper and be careful with his decisions when he rushes to win the ball.
A team which has Messi is also threatening at set-pieces – especially direct free-kicks. Betis will need Lopez to not succumb to pressure and deliver a solid 10 to prevent the Argentine from taking the tie away from the hosts.
