Betis vs Villarreal: Key Matchup in LaLiga EA Sports

On Saturday, January 17, 2026, Real Betis will take on Villarreal at 21:00 CET at the Estadio de La Cartuja, in a match corresponding to the 20th round of LaLiga EA Sports. Both teams are engaged in the battle for European qualification, and this encounter marks the beginning of the second half of the season. Betis will strive to enhance their performance, while Villarreal aims to maintain their current form.

Manager Manuel Pellegrini faces several challenges, as he will be without Isco, Junior, Bellerín, and Cucho due to injuries. Additionally, he will miss international players Abde and Amrabat, who are set to compete in the Africa Cup of Nations final tomorrow with Morocco. Following a demanding match on Wednesday, where his team dramatically turned the tide to secure a place in the Copa del Rey quarter-finals, Pellegrini will need to rotate his squad while keeping their hopes alive in three competitions.

On the other hand, Marcelino’s Villarreal enters the match after being eliminated from the Copa del Rey and facing mathematical elimination from the Champions League, despite having two more league matches to play. With a week of preparation behind them, Marcelino does not anticipate needing to rest any players. However, they will also be without key players such as Gueye and Akhomach, who are participating in the Africa Cup of Nations and are subject to transfer speculation, respectively.

The clash between Betis and Villarreal is expected to be an exciting matchup, broadcast live on Movistar LaLiga TV, available through Movistar+ and Orange. Fans can also follow the action through Radio MARCA commentary or live updates on MARCA.com, which will provide pre-match coverage, team line-ups, match reports, goal videos, press conferences, and player remarks following the game.

Betis heads into this fixture after a 1-1 draw against Oviedo at Carlos Tartiere, currently positioned 6th in the standings with 29 points. Villarreal, on the other hand, arrives after a 3-1 victory over Alavés at Estadio de La Cerámica, holding the 3rd spot in the league table with 41 points and still with one postponed match to play.