Real Betis will look to keep pace with La Liga’s early leaders when Getafe visit the Estadio Benito Villamarín on Thursday evening.

Manuel Pellegrini’s side have collected 12 points from their opening five league matches and return home after another important victory at Villarreal. Getafe have made a considerably quieter start, with José Bordalás’s team struggling for goals despite already securing European football for later in the autumn.

Analysis

Betis are building momentum on two fronts

There has been plenty to admire about the opening weeks of Betis’s campaign. Four victories and a draw from five La Liga matches have lifted them into third place, just three points behind Barcelona, while their Champions League campaign also began with an entertaining 3-2 victory over Lille.

That European success was followed by a 2-1 win at Villarreal, giving Pellegrini’s side consecutive victories during a demanding period of the schedule.

Their overall record is even more impressive. Betis have won five of their six competitive matches this season, with the extraordinary 5-2 defeat at Levante their only setback.

Most significantly, their results have not simply been accumulated against teams expected to occupy the lower reaches of the table. A 1-0 victory over Real Madrid demonstrated their ability to compete with the strongest opposition, while winning at Villarreal further underlined the maturity of a team that finished fifth last season.

Pellegrini has considerable technical quality available through the middle. Isco remains central to the way Betis connect midfield with attack, while Marc Roca was another influential performer against Villarreal. Pablo Fornals has also operated effectively from a deeper position, giving the hosts several players capable of progressing possession against a compact defensive block.

That could be particularly important on Thursday. Getafe are unlikely to provide Betis with the space they enjoyed at various stages against Villarreal, so patience and movement around the penalty area may matter more than attacking at speed.

Antony is pushing for a return to the starting lineup after his recent illness, providing another one-on-one threat in the wide areas. Aitor Ruibal remains unavailable with a knee injury, while Diego Llorente is still managing the broken nose that has recently restricted him.

Betis also have a favourable recent record in this fixture, winning three of the last four meetings. There is, however, an obvious warning from March, when Getafe came away with a 2-0 victory.

Getafe need their attack to catch up with their organisation

Getafe’s early league position is largely explained by one number: three goals. Bordalás’s team have taken five points from their opening five La Liga matches, recording one victory, two draws and two defeats, but they have found it difficult to turn competitive performances into wins because of their limited attacking production.

Successive draws against Celta Vigo and Deportivo La Coruña have at least provided some stability following an uneven opening to the campaign.

There has also been progress elsewhere. After finishing seventh last season, Getafe overcame Partizan in their Conference League playoff and will enter the league phase of that competition next month.

For now, though, the immediate priority is improving their domestic output. Enes Ünal carries much of that responsibility. The 29-year-old has scored three times in seven appearances across competitions and remains the most obvious source of goals in a team that generally places structure and defensive discipline ahead of attacking volume.

That approach has long been associated with Bordalás, and it could be particularly useful at the Benito Villamarín. Allowing Betis to establish rhythm between the lines would make this a difficult evening, so Getafe can be expected to compress the centre of the pitch and challenge the hosts to find alternative routes towards goal.

Their task is complicated by a substantial injury list. Abdel Abqar, Andrés García, Kiko Femenía, Juanmi and Christantus Uche are unavailable.

There is at least some welcome news defensively, with Zaid Romero returning from suspension. He is expected to move straight back into the starting lineup.

Getafe’s victory in the most recent meeting should also give them confidence. They have only beaten Betis twice across the last 11 encounters, but March’s 2-0 success showed that Bordalás has already found a way to disrupt Pellegrini’s side relatively recently.

Verdict

This has the ingredients to be a very different match from some of Betis’s more entertaining early-season encounters. Getafe’s lack of goals does not necessarily make them straightforward opponents. Their organisation can frustrate teams that want to dominate possession, and Betis may have to work patiently rather than expect an early breakthrough.

The difference is the amount of creativity Pellegrini can call upon. Isco, Fornals and potentially Antony give Betis several ways of unlocking a deep defence, while their excellent start suggests they are increasingly comfortable winning different types of matches.

Getafe should keep matters competitive, but unless their attacking production improves substantially, one Betis goal could leave them with a difficult problem to solve.

Our prediction: Real Betis 2-0 Getafe.

Tip

Our tip: Real Betis to win.