La Liga 2026–2027: Betis vs. Real Sociedad, Probable Lineups

The bizarre start to La Liga continues, with some teams having already played two league matches while others are still waiting to take the field: among the latter are Betis and Real Sociedad, who will face off on Friday at 9 p.m. at the Estadio de la Cartuja in Seville, home of the Andalusian Green-and-Whites.

Betis, which was able to operate without much pressure last year, is in for a very different season, as it will need to defend its position at the top of Spanish soccer—a standing that allowed Manuel Pellegrini’s team to qualify for the Champions League this year. The transfer market has not brought any major changes; however, notable arrivals include midfielder Facundo Bernal, signed from Fluminense for 10.5 million euros, and defender Fran Garcia, who joined from Real Madrid for 4 million.

Real Sociedad, on the other hand, is coming off a season of mixed results: in the league, the Basque side from Donostia/San Sebastián finished in an unremarkable tenth place, fighting until the very end to avoid relegation (they finished four points ahead of the third-to-last spot), while in the Copa del Rey they achieved an unexpected victory, clinched by defeating Atlético Madrid on penalty kicks in the final. No major news from the transfer market: on the incoming side, just a few loan players have returned; on the outgoing side, the club earned 6 million from the transfer of Brais Méndez to Columbus Crew in MLS.

Probable Lineups

BETIS (4-2-3-1): Valles; Bellerin, Bartra, Natan, Garcia; Bernal, Roca; Antony, Fornals, Riquelme; Hernandez. Coach: Pellegrini.

REAL SOCIEDAD (4-2-3-1): Remiro; Aramburu, Zubeldia, Martin, Gomez; Herrera, Sucic; Kubo, Soler, Barrenetxea; Oskarsson. Head Coach: Matarazzo.