Seville is a city draped with sunshine for over 300 days a year. It is also a hotbed of football with passions running high for its two footballing teams: La Liga rivals Real Betis Balompié and Sevilla Football Club.
Flamboyant, colourful and ferocious – the hallmarks of the biggest city derby in Spanish football. It’s a fixture that brings together the neighbourhoods of Heliópolis of the green and whites of Betis. They are more the historic working-class district. Up against them are their arch city rivals of the red and whites of Sevilla; a club who, traditionally, are more upper class, located in the suburb of Nervión. Nowadays, the class divide is not what it was but the intensity of the derby very much is.
Sevilla v Real Betis: La Liga Returns
Tale of the Derby Tape
There have been 183 matches head-to-head between the two eternal rivals. Sevilla have the upper hand with 87 victories to Betis’ 53 wins with 43 draws.
City Successes
Sevilla have had a glorious rich recent history with five UEFA Cup/Europa League wins with a remarkable three consecutive final triumphs lead by ex-Arsenal manager Unai Emery. Two English clubs were put to the sword in the finals in Middlesbrough and Liverpool. Add to that further successes in the Copa del Rey and it has been a trophy-laden time for the red and white side of the city.
Contrast that to Real Betis, who have been up and down like a yo-yo in recent times and crave the consistency of their neighbours. The club has featured, however, in three European campaigns since the new millennium. Real Betis became the first club in the southern province of Andalusia to play in the Champions League in 2005. They featured in a group including Liverpool and Chelsea, defeating the latter at home in a famous win. Betis were last in the Europa League two seasons ago and topped their group ahead of AC Milan. In fact, Real Betis managed to win in the San Siro with a delightful goal by current Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Giovani Lo Celso.
Real Betis also have cup pedigree having won the Copa del Rey in 2005, defeating Osasuna in the final.
Classic Derby Encounter
If we go down memory lane of Spain’s most intense derby, we can rewind to the 180th derby edition. It was given added festive spice due to the fact it was scheduled for January 6th 2018 – Spain’s Christmas Day.
There was a terrific festival atmosphere to welcome the two teams at the Estadio Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán, Sevilla’s home. The derby, as is notorious, started at a frenzied pace and it was Betis who made a blistering start with their midfield dynamo Fabián Ruiz scoring after just 34 seconds with a rasping left-footed strike. It set the tone for this classic encounter as three more goals created a topsy-turvy first half. Forward Wissam Ben Yedder equalized for the hosts with a lovely flick over the goalkeeper before defender Zou Feddal put Betis back in the ascendency with a powerful header. Simon Kjær drew Sevilla level once again to close out a thrilling first 45 minutes deadlocked at 2-2.
Pulsating La Liga Derby Game
Fans tried to catch their breath, gripped by a scintillating first half. However, the second half brought further drama in mass dosage with another four goals served up. Between the 60th and 70th minutes, three further goals arrived. In the 63rd minute, a beautiful team goal was finished off by Betis’ Danish left-back Riza Durmisi, being the pick of the goals. It quickly became 4-2 two minutes later thanks to striker Sergio León scoring on his birthday. But back came Sevilla again in minute 67 with centre back Clément Lenglet nodding in as the see-saw nature continued.
With the score 4-3, a chaotic scene resembling a basketball contest ensued with each team attacking one other in a thrilling tug-of-footballing-war finale, culminating with a breakaway Betis goal by winger Cristian Tello in the final minute of an extraordinary game to win the derby for the green and white half of the city, their first in Sevilla’s stadium in 60 years. Ecstasy for Betis but despair for Sevilla.
“It was a tremendously entertaining footballing match and the perfect Christmas gift for our supporters,” said Joaquín, the delighted Betis captain.
Rivalry aside, the game lived up to the billing and was an outstanding game of football befitting of one of the greatest derbies on the planet.
Return of La Liga with a Bang
These two eternal city rivals will lock horns once again this Thursday evening (9pm UK time) and celebrate the next instalment of the city’s spectacular footballing centrepiece.
The Sevillano derby is a fitting way for football to return to Spain after this pause of the sporting calendar. Both teams go into the derby with much at stake. Sevilla, currently, are third with 47 points and chasing a Champions League place. Last time out they draw 2-2 against Atlético Madrid thanks to goals from striker Luuk de Jong and winger Lucas Ocampos.
As for Real Betis, they are currently in 12th position with 33 points, nine points off their Europa League target position. After a winless streak of eight matches, they shocked La Liga, defeating league leaders at the time Real Madrid 2-1 with goals from Sidnei and Tello.
One’s to Watch
Sevilla have Dutchman Luuk de Jong, who has five goals in 24 games. He scored the winner in the corresponding fixture of the derby back late last year.
Another key man will be Argentine international Lucas Ocampos. Since his move to Spain from France’s Ligue 1, the right-winger has been in sparkling form. He has netted ten goals in 22 games and also scored in the derby which beat Betis 2-1.
Diego Carlos is Sevilla’s defensive general and his strong physical attributes have been key to his team. He has 25 appearances with two goals to his name.
For Real Betis, the main threat is their captain, leader and legend Joaquín. At 38 years young, the evergreen Joaquín is having one of his best La Liga seasons. The attacker has an impressive eight goals in 26 games. This included his first career hat trick against Athletic Bilbao. Due to this, he is the oldest player in La Liga history to achieve the feat.
World Cup winner Nabil Fekir is the maverick of the team and everything flows through him. He has had a decent debut season in Spain with seven goals in 22 games
Midfielder Sergio Canales has had a difficult season with only 17 appearances and one goal but is still a key player on his day as his history has shown to play for Real Madrid and Spain.
The 184th derby of Sevilla is almost upon us.
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