This weekend sees the visit of Real Madrid to the green and white half of Seville, currently in danger of costless-falling out of the European places towards mid-table mediocrity. A home win would round up a miserable couple of visits to the Andalusian capital for Mourinho’s side, out-played against Sevilla FC at the beginning of the season, and despite Madrid’s good form, the unpredictable nature of Betis’ performances at home means the current champions of La Liga will not be relishing the trip south.

                However, there is more to the match between Betis and Madrid than meets the eye. For many people the result is guaranteed before kick-off. Here in the south it is far from uncommon to hear people respond to the question “Who do you support?” with a double answer; One of the big two, and their local team. The further you go out of the capital, the more likely you are to find supporters with two loves, this is why there are towns which have yet to see the installation of cash machines or traffic lights, but still boast a Real Madrid Supporters’ Bar.

                For fans in the UK this idea of supporting two teams is an anathema. Anyone who claimed they supported Bolton and Manchester United would barely have time to collect their two scarves before being laughed out of the pub. Of course, the idea of a soft-spot for a local team, or a team you have special affection for, is perfectly acceptable, though always done with the decency of having at least two divisions separating said teams. If you have always been a Luton fan then you accept that as your lot, you still enjoy watching the EPL and Champions League but you never feel it, not in the same way.

                So what is the reason for this footballing unfaithfulness? Does the true love fail to live up to the fans’ expectations and so they need to look elsewhere? Has the spark gone? How do you play it when you turn up at a restaurant with your wife and your mistress is on the next table? It is true that most of the honours in Spanish football are shared between Madrid and Barcelona, just as in most major European leagues, where two or three teams dominate the fight for silverware, but can the desire to win a cup of some sort every year justify this failure to adhere to the solemn vow a fan makes with their club?

                One might assume that in the lower echelons of the league the supporters’ passion is less vociferous. That theory seems inapplicable here as more than one hundred fans turned up at training to verbally abuse the team following its pitiful performance in the derby. That clearly shows the passion is there, albeit misguided and wholly inappropriate. Whether there is enough passion for two clubs depends on the individual, one would assume.

                Betis go into this match knowing that another defeat could jeopardise the good work done in the earlier part of the season. Betis are the sort of side that could inflict an unexpected defeat on Real Madrid whilst managing to get knocked out of the cup days later at the hands of minnows. Their performance last week means that they are guaranteed to put in a better account of themselves this time round, the problem is where are the goals going to come from? Betis have always seemed to be a team with a disproportionate number of strikers, most of them on the bench and the rest not scoring. Maybe some emigrant Sevilla FC fan in Haiti has a voodoo doll with the Betis number 9 shirt on it, as in recent years the role seems to be cursed.   

                In that case, to overcome Real Madrid, Betis will need something special, and looking at the squad it is clear that the midfield has failed to fulfil its promise, and only Beñat seems to have the class and ability to change a game. On Saturday Betis’ fate depends on him, the quality of the service he provides will shape the game, plus if he gets the chance of a costless kick in a decent position, then all he has to do is curl it around Iker Casillas into the net to guarantee the points. Just that., 

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About the author
Craig Cavanagh
Una perspectiva diferente sobre el fútbol en Hispalis y más allá.