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Sparks will fly when two Andalusian sides draw swords in the 11th round of La Liga at Estadio de la Cartuja on Saturday.
Malaga are coming off a morale-boosting victory in the Copa del Rey and will set their sights on their first league win of the season.
Real Betis, meanwhile, will look to improve their fortunes in this competition.
Read our Real Betis vs Malaga prediction, preview and betting tips below, and make sure to check out our today's betting tips page for more of our expert predictions.
Real Betis vs Malaga key stats
- Malaga's last three league matches have all featured goals at both ends.
- Real Betis have six wins in their seven home games this season.
- At least five cards were awarded in seven of the last eight H2Hs.
Real Betis vs Malaga preview: Can the visitors earn their first win?
Real Betis vs Malaga — Tale of the Tape
| Real Betis | vs | Malaga |
|---|---|---|
| 4th | Position | 20th |
| 20 | Points | 5 |
| 16 | Goals For | 7 |
| 14 | Goals Against | 19 |
| 5 | Clean Sheets | 1 |
| 4th | Home / Away Rank | 18th |
*These figures were accurate at the time of publishing.
Real Betis were held to a goalless draw by Celta Vigo on Sunday. Including their 5-2 home defeat against Barcelona the previous weekend, Los Verdiblancos have gone winless in back-to-back league games for the first time this season.
Due to their recent run of results in this competition, Manuel Pellegrini's side have dropped to fourth. They have a 6-2-2 win-draw-loss record and trail leaders Barcelona by seven points.
On the positive side, Betis have been one of the league's best home teams. They have played seven matches at Estadio de la Cartuja across all competitions this season, winning six of them.
Cucho Hernandez is ruled out with a calf injury, and in his absence, Nelson Deossa is expected to lead the attack for the hosts. Head coach Pellegrini will likely field a strong side for this clash, with Isco, Antony, and Abdessamad Ezzalzouli all expected to start.
On the other hand, Malaga kicked off their Copa del Rey campaign with a 3-0 victory over amateur side Sporting de Alcazar on Tuesday.
That was the visiting team's first win in all competitions this season, and they are the only winless side in the Spanish top flight so far.
Due to their lack of victories, Juan Funes' troops find themselves at the bottom of the league table, having earned five points from 10 top-flight fixtures.
The visitors have been plagued by injuries, with up to five players ruled out for this clash, including Diego Murillo, Julen Lobete, Aaron Ochoa, Pablo Martinez, and Joaquin Munoz.
This will be the first competitive clash between these Andalusian rivals since April 2018. While Real Betis have won the last four competitive H2Hs, Malaga were victorious in their most recent encounter: an August 2025 friendly.
Real Betis vs Malaga form guide & betting tips
| Real Betis | vs | Malaga |
|---|---|---|
W
D
W
L
D
|
La Liga Form |
L
L
D
L
D
|
| 8 | Points | 2 |
| 8th | Form Table | 19th |
| 9 | Goals For | 5 |
| 8 | Goals Against | 11 |
W
W
L
W
D
|
Form (All Comps) |
L
D
L
D
W
|
Whispers Predicts: Real Betis 3-1 Malaga
Priced at 7/20 (1.35), Real Betis are considered favourites by the bookmakers ahead of this skirmish.
While Malaga are still hunting for their first win in the Spanish top flight, Real Betis have won almost all their home games in all competitions. Keeping in mind that Los Verdiblancos won the last four H2Hs in this competition, we are confident that the hosts will earn a fairly comfortable victory.
Three of the last four encounters between these outfits produced goals at both ends, and this can be backed at 17/20 (1.85).
We also fancy over 4.5 total cards at 5/6 (1.83), as was the case in seven of the last eight clashes between these local rivals.
> Over 4.5 total cards at 5/6 (1.83) | Likelihood: Probable
> BTTS – Yes at 17/20 (1.85) | Likelihood: Probable
> Match result: Real Betis at 7/20 (1.35) | Likelihood: Possible
> Real Betis & BTTS – Yes at 33/20 (2.65) | Likelihood: Possible
> Correct Score: 3-1 at 19/2 (10.50) | Likelihood: Outsider