Saturday was a great day for Real Betis, as they defeated Valencia 2-1 at the Mestalla. That result saw them leapfrog Los Che into seventh place in the La Liga table, which will be the final European place.
Ayoze Perez’s double was the difference between the teams, although the MVP award once again went to Isco Alarcon, who is having a sensational debut season at Betis. He played a major role in the victory, and he can do so again next week as he prepares to face former club Sevilla in El Gran Derbi.
Isco went into the Valencia match on nine La Liga yellow cards, knowing that one more would have meant he was suspended for next week’s derby. Fortunately for Betis, he avoided a booking – he only played 60 minutes in the end, as Estadio Deportivo have reported that he was struggling with discomfort.
He should recover from that in the next week, meaning that he can take his place in the Real Betis side for the showdown clash at the Benito Villamarin. There’s no doubt that Isco’s presence gives Manuel Pellegrini’s side a significant advantage.
