The party goes on in Seville: it’s time for Real Betis and Sevilla to face off in El Gran Derbi

Real Betis and Sevilla will face off on Sunday in an important match, as they aim to finish the season by meeting their respective objectives.

Real Betis and Sevilla have largely been competing from afar this year in La Liga, at opposite ends of the table, but the standings count for little when it’s time for El Gran Derbi. This is the most important match of the year in the Andalusian capital and it’s experienced in a special way in the stands and on the pitch, with nerves, intensity and competitiveness. In fact, the last three duels between the two teams have ended in a draw.

Manuel Pellegrini’s team are better positioned in the table, with 48 points and the realistic goal of playing in European competition next season. With two consecutive victories following on from four defeats in a row, Los Verdiblancos have moved back into the European positions and enter El Gran Derbi full of confidence and ready to try to take three more points off their biggest rival.

For Sevilla, the season has been more complicated, even to the point of fearing relegation. However, with three wins in the last five games, Quique Sanchez Flores’ team have eased those fears and shown that their players still have quality. Europe may be out of reach, but winning El Gran Derbi would at least be a small triumph for all their fans in the final stretch of a tough season.

The match will be special for Isco Alarcon, who is playing against his former team and in front of his new fans. The Spaniard has recently recovered from injury and, in the match against Valencia at Mestalla, he proved that he is ready for El Gran Derbi. He is the player in La Liga with the third-most dribbles and the undisputed leader of Pellegrini’s side.

He will face a former Real Madrid teammate, Sergio Ramos, who will be playing his first El Gran Derbi in almost 20 years, as he was left on the bench in the first meeting of this season, unable to play. The centre-back from Seville has not played at Real Betis’ stadium in a Sevilla shirt since May 2005. He lost that match, so will strive for a different outcome this time.

The duel in the dugouts is also attractive. Pellegrini is the opponent Quique Sanchez Flores has faced the most times as coach and the head-to-head record is very favourable to the Real Betis man. They have met on 17 occasions, with 11 wins for the Chilean, two draws and four victories for the Spanish manager. For Pellegrini, he has only faced Unai Emery more times, on 19 occasions, so this is certainly a classic battle of the dugouts.

The city just enjoyed its famous Feria de Sevilla, and now another party atmosphere is coming to the city. For this city, El Gran Derbi between Real Betis and Sevilla can’t be matched by any other La Liga matchday, as the importance of this match is so high, especially when it takes place towards the end of the season. One team is pushing for Europe and the other hopes to give their fans something to celebrate in this up-and-down season, so the Estadio Benito Villamarin will be the place to be in Seville on Sunday night.

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