Real Madrid vs Real Betis: Prediction, Lineups, Kickoff Time | La Liga 2025/26

Real Madrid vs Real Betis — Match Preview

La Liga action returns to the Santiago Bernabéu on Saturday, 3 January 2026, with a blockbuster clash between Real Madrid and Real Betis. Los Blancos sit 2nd in the table with 42 points and have stabilized their season with three consecutive wins to close out 2025, including a professional 2–0 victory over Sevilla. However, they face a Betis side that is currently 6th (28 points) and unbeaten in their last four matches across all competitions. Manuel Pellegrini’s men thrashed Getafe 4–0 before the break, but both sides arrive in the capital severely depleted by injuries and international call-ups (AFCON), making this a test of squad depth as much as quality.

Real Madrid vs Real Betis — Match Info

• Competition: La Liga (Matchday 19)
• Venue: Estadio Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid (Capacity: 83,186)
• Date: Saturday, 3 January 2026
• Kickoff: 21:00 CET | 20:00 GMT | 15:00 ET
• Referee: TBC (RFEF Appointment)

Real Madrid vs Real Betis — Match Stakes

Real Madrid (2nd — 42 pts):

• Win → Moves to 45 pts; keeps the pressure on the league leaders and maintains momentum.
• Draw → A stumble in the title race; risks falling 4+ points behind if 1st place wins.
• Loss → Ends the winning streak; exposes the squad’s reliance on missing stars like Mbappe.

Real Betis (6th — 28 pts):

• Win → Moves to 31 pts; solidifies a Europa League spot and closes the gap on the Top 4.
• Draw → A massive point at the Bernabéu; keeps the unbeaten run alive.
• Loss → Could drop to 7th or 8th; halts the momentum built by the Getafe win.

Real Madrid vs Real Betis — Team News

Real Madrid:

• Mbappe K. — Out (Knee Injury – Huge Blow).¹
• Alexander-Arnold T. — Out (Thigh Injury – Key Creator Missing).²
• Eder Militao — Out (Hamstring Injury).³
• Diaz B. — Out (International Duty – AFCON with Morocco).⁴
• Carvajal D. — Questionable (Knee – Lucas Vazquez likely to start).
• Tactical Shift: Without Mbappe and Brahim, Carlo Ancelotti will likely revert to a front two of Vinícius Jr. and Rodrygo, with Jude Bellingham operating as the #10.

Real Betis:

• Isco — Out (Injury – Creative Hub Missing).
• Ezzalzouli A. — Out (International Duty – AFCON).
• Amrabat S. — Out (International Duty – AFCON).
• Bakambu C. — Out (International Duty – AFCON).
• Firpo J. — Questionable (Hamstring).
• Llorente D. — Questionable (Thigh).
• Depleted Spine: Betis are missing their midfield engine (Amrabat), creative spark (Isco), and pace on the wing (Abde).

Real Madrid vs Real Betis — Team Form (Last 5 Matches)

Real Madrid

• 21/12 — 2–0 vs Sevilla (La Liga)
• 18/12 — 3–2 vs CF Talavera (Copa del Rey)
• 15/12 — 2–1 vs Alaves (La Liga)
• 11/12 — 1–2 vs Manchester City (UCL)
• 08/12 — 0–2 vs Celta Vigo (La Liga)

Real Betis

• 22/12 — 4–0 vs Getafe (La Liga)
• 19/12 — 2–0 vs Real Murcia (Copa del Rey)
• 16/12 — 0–0 vs Rayo Vallecano (La Liga)
• 11/12 — 3–1 vs Dinamo Zagreb (UEL)
• 06/12 — 3–5 vs Barcelona (La Liga)

Real Madrid vs Real Betis — Head-to-Head (Last 5 Meetings)

• 01/03/2025 — Betis 2–1 Real Madrid (La Liga)
• 02/09/2024 — Real Madrid 2–0 Betis (La Liga)
• 26/05/2024 — Real Madrid 0–0 Betis (La Liga)
• 09/12/2023 — Betis 1–1 Real Madrid (La Liga)
• 06/03/2023 — Betis 0–0 Real Madrid (La Liga)

Real Madrid vs Real Betis — Playing XI (Predicted Lineups)

Real Madrid (4-3-1-2)

Courtois; Vazquez, Rudiger, Tchouameni, Mendy; Valverde, Camavinga, Modric; Bellingham; Rodrygo, Vinícius Jr.

Real Betis (4-2-3-1)

Rui Silva; Bellerin, Bartra, Natan, Perraud; Cardoso, Roca; Fornals, Lo Celso, Avila; Vitor Roque

Real Madrid vs Real Betis — Impact Bench

Real Madrid: Endrick (Goal threat), Ceballos (Control), Garcia (Energy)

Betis: Juanmi (Poacher), Ruibal (Utility), Rodri (Creativity)

Real Madrid vs Real Betis — Tactical Analysis

Real Madrid

Without Kylian Mbappé, Madrid loses raw explosive power, but they often play with more fluidity when Bellingham links the midfield to Vini and Rodrygo. They will target Betis’ makeshift left side (if Firpo is out) using Lucas Vazquez and Valverde. Defensively, they must be wary; they’ve kept only one clean sheet in the league prior to the Sevilla game.

Real Betis

Pellegrini has a headache. Losing Amrabat exposes the back four, and without Isco, the creativity falls entirely on Giovani Lo Celso. Betis will try to keep the ball to frustrate the Bernabéu crowd, but their transition threat is severely blunted without Abde Ezzalzouli. Expect them to sit deeper than usual and rely on Vitor Roque’s movement in the channels.

Real Madrid vs Real Betis — Key Battles

• Bellingham vs Cardoso — The battle for the space between the lines.
• Vinícius Jr. vs Bellerin — Pace vs Pace (though Vini has the dribbling edge).
• Lo Celso vs Camavinga — Betis’ creator vs Madrid’s destroyer.
• Rudiger vs Vitor Roque — Physicality vs agility.

Real Madrid vs Real Betis — Spotlight Players

Real Madrid — Jude Bellingham

With Mbappe out, the spotlight returns to Jude. He needs to dominate the final third and arrive late in the box to provide the goals Madrid will miss from their French superstar.

Real Betis — Giovani Lo Celso

The Argentine is the heartbeat of this depleted Betis side. If he can dictate the tempo and find passes for Roque and Avila, Betis have a chance. If he is shut down, Betis will struggle to create anything.

Real Madrid vs Real Betis — Prediction

Real Madrid 2–0 Real Betis

Betis are missing too many key pieces (Isco, Amrabat, Abde) to truly threaten Real Madrid at the Bernabéu. While Madrid are without Mbappe, the Vini-Rodrygo-Bellingham triumvirate is more than enough to break down a weakened Betis defense. Expect a controlled home win.

Real Madrid vs Real Betis — Betting Insights

• Real Madrid to Win — High Probability.
• Under 2.5 Goals — Likely (Madrid missing Mbappe; Betis missing creators).
• Jude Bellingham to Score — High Value.

Real Madrid vs Real Betis — Where to Watch

• Spain: Movistar LaLiga
• USA: ESPN+
• UK: Premier Sports / LaLigaTV

Real Madrid vs Real Betis — FAQs

Q: When is the Real Madrid vs Betis match?

A: The match kicks off on Saturday, 3 January 2026, at 21:00 CET.

Q: Is Kylian Mbappe playing?

A: No. He is ruled out with a knee injury.

Q: Why are so many Betis players missing?

A: Several key players (Amrabat, Ezzalzouli, Bakambu) are away on international duty for AFCON 2025.

Call to Action — SportsphereArena Community

Can Vini & Jude carry the load without Mbappe?

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