Deportivo vs Real Betis match prediction: the battle for the European spots is heating up - 20.09.2026
On September 20, Deportivo will face Betis at Riazor in the seventh round of La Liga. The match promises to be particularly intriguing: the teams are close to each other in the table, and both have looked confident so far. As of September 16, Deportivo have nine points from five matches, while Betis have nine points from four. The Galicians are also still unbeaten in the league.
- Читайте также: El Gouna are still without a league win: El Gouna vs Petrojet Suez prediction
Deportivo clearly have no intention of making up the numbers after returning to the top flight. The team opened the season with a 1-1 draw against Elche, then drew 1-1 with Malaga, but followed that up with a very impressive run. First, Depor comfortably defeated Valencia 3-1 at home, then sensationally beat Villarreal 3-2 away. In the last round, the team recorded another draw, 1-1 with Getafe. As a result, Deportivo have two wins and three draws, with a goal difference of 9:6.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang deserves special attention. The vastly experienced forward has fit perfectly into the new Deportivo side and has already put together a prolific run. According to Goal, the Gabon international scored in each of his first five league appearances, matching a feat achieved by Zlatan Ibrahimovic 17 years ago. That is a very real headache for the Betis defense.
Betis have also made a bright start. Manuel Pellegrini's side have collected nine points from four matches: they beat Valencia 1-0, lost 5-2 to Levante, and then defeated Real Madrid 1-0 and Villarreal 2-1. The latest result is especially significant — at La Ceramica, the Seville side fell behind after Gerard Moreno's goal but managed to turn the game around thanks to goals from Cucho Hernandez and Natan.
At the same time, Betis are facing a very demanding schedule. The team played Getafe on September 17 and will head to La Coruna just three days later. Pellegrini himself recently spoke openly about his frustration at having to play three matches in a week. Therefore, the visitors' physical condition ahead of the trip to Riazor will be a key talking point.
There are also personnel concerns. Aitor Ruibal and Diego Llorente remain sidelined for Betis, with the latter recovering from a muscular injury. Noe is also doubtful. On the other hand, Ez Abde has returned after health problems, while Dani Ceballos is now available to Pellegrini, although he still needs to regain his best condition.
Deportivo will surely look to make the most of home advantage. Riazor is returning to the big-time football stage, and the team have already shown that they can cause problems for high-level opponents. The victory over Villarreal is an excellent example: the Galicians were not afraid to play on the front foot and scored three times away from home. Now they will face another ambitious opponent.
The head-to-head history adds another layer of intrigue. The last official meeting between these teams at Riazor took place back in February 2018 and ended with a 1-0 victory for Betis. Now, more than eight years later, the sides will meet again in La Coruna — although the current Deportivo are an entirely different team.
All in all, we should expect a match with no obvious script. Deportivo will surely try to capitalize on home advantage and extend their unbeaten run, while Betis will look to prove that their excellent start is no fluke. The individual battle between Aubameyang and the visitors' defense will be one to watch. If the Gabon international can find space once again, Depor will have a very serious chance of making Pellegrini's team sweat. And given the attacking potential on both sides, there should be no shortage of entertainment at Riazor.
My prediction: both teams to score - yes.
