Real Betis v Barcelona preview: Jeremy Mathieu will not be fit
Wednesday 4 May 2016 09:03, UK
Barcelona are back in red-hot form and they head to Real Betis on Saturday knowing that three more wins will help them seal the La Liga title.
Luis Enrique's side looked set to coast to the crown until back-to-back defeats to Real Sociedad and Valencia, which sandwiched their Champions League elimination at the hands of Atletico Madrid.
Live La Liga Football
But since that triple setback Barca have bounced back in style, scoring 14 goals without reply against Deportivo La Coruna and Sporting Gijon, and know three more wins is sure to prove enough, live on Sky Sports 3 HD from 7.15pm.
They go to Betis level on points with second-placed Atletico but top of the table courtesy of their head-to-head record, with Real Madrid still hoping to capitalise on any further setbacks a point behind the top two.
Barcelona goalkeeper Claudio Bravo insists his side's dramatic recent slump in form can act as the "wake-up call" they need in order to wrap up another title.
"We had a couple of setbacks. Those accidents were wake-up calls, because we now have no more room left for error," he said.
"It has helped to keep clean sheets in the last two games. It was a different story in other games and we must have confidence in ourselves."
After the way they bounced back in their last two games, Barcelona will be big favourites at Betis, whom they have beaten in each of their last five meetings.
Jeremy Mathieu will not be fit to take part despite returning to training following a knee operation while Betis trio Bruno, Juan Manuel Vargas and Didier Digard all face late tests.
Betis go into the game in 13th place after a disappointing 2-0 derby defeat to Sevilla last Sunday.
Defender Martin Montoya - who spent 15 years at Barcelona before being loaned out to Inter Milan and then Betis in February - insisted he would have no split loyalties ahead of the fixture.
Montoya told his club's official website: "I owe everything to Barcelona, the club that has given me the chance to play at the highest level in the Primera Division. It will always be home to me.
"I have always said I want Barca to win every title possible because it is the team where I have always been and has given me the opportunity to grow.
"[But] I am defending the shirt of Betis and I want to play and win again this weekend. The goal of this team is to get as high in the league as possible and I owe it to them to help them."
