Real Betis Prepares for Copa del Rey Clash Amidst Injury Concerns

The first team of Real Betis returned to training on Monday after a day of rest granted by Manuel Pellegrini following their match against Oviedo on Saturday at the Carlos Tartiere. The training session saw several key absences, including Isco, who is injured, and Amrabat and Abde, who are participating in the Africa Cup of Nations. Additionally, three more players were sidelined.

Cucho Hernández and Junior, both injured during the match against Almada’s team, along with Ortiz, who is dealing with a muscle strain and trained alone in the gym, could not join their teammates on the pitch. Conversely, Congolese forward Cédric Bakambu, who was excluded from the squad last Friday to regain physical fitness following his participation in the African tournament, trained with the group. With the Colombian’s injury, Bakambu is increasingly likely to start in the upcoming matches.

As of today, Betis is preparing for their round of 16 Copa del Rey clash against Elche, scheduled for Wednesday at La Cartuja. This match is crucial, and the club is actively working to create the best possible atmosphere in the stadium to encourage their players to advance in the tournament. The deadline for activating season tickets has been extended to today at 17:00, allowing each member to purchase up to four tickets (priced at €10 each for adults and €5 for children).

This will be Betis’s first home match in the Copa del Rey in nearly three years. Their last appearance in the tournament as hosts was during the round of 16 in the 2022-23 season, where they, as defending champions, were eliminated by Osasuna in a penalty shootout after the match ended 1-1 in regular time and 2-2 in extra time. Since then, all of Pellegrini’s Copa del Rey matches have been played away.