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FC Barcelona Vs. Real Betis Preview: Flick Makes A Big Change

FC Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick will make a big change when the Catalans travel to Real Betis for a La Liga clash on Saturday.

Flick's men were done a huge favor by Athletic Club last week, after their slip up against Las Palmas.

Pedri's boyhood club beat Barca in Montjuic 2-1 a week ago, meaning that Madrid could have headed two points clear in the title race if they continued winning and also managed to get the better of Valencia in a game in hand now rearranged to January 2.

The Blaugrana got back on track by thrashing Mallorca 5-1 in Son Moix on Tuesday, but Madrid then fluffed its lines in San Mames and fell 2-1 to the Basques 24 hours later.

As Carlo Ancelotti's troops don't play until later on Saturday evening against Barca's Catalan neighbours, the advantage can be as many as seven points in the leader's favor providing it can beat Real Betis.

At his prematch press conference on Friday, Flick said that he expects to encounter a "very good team" in Betis with "very experienced players".

"We know that Isco is back, he is a very good player. They are capable of always pressing high. It's the style they want to play. We need to concentrate on our game, they know how to play," Flick added.

For the important clash at the Estadio Benito Villamarin, Flick will bring Robert Lewandowski into the fold and keep the 4-2-3-1 from Mallorca so famous from his days at Bayern Munich.

That entails wingers Raphinha and Lamine Yamal - who Flick confessed he "needs" - to the left and right of Dani Olmo, who plays in front of a deeper duo of Pedri and Marc Casado.

The defensive line also remains untouched, with Alejandro Balde, Pau Cubarsi, Inigo Martinez and Jules Kounde helping to protect Inaki Pena's goal from left to right.

On the other side of the ball of course is Vitor Roque, who Flick noted was "unhappy" at Barca before going out on loan to Betis with the Brazilian meanwhile saying he wishes to score a goal at his parent club's expense.

FC Barcelona Vs. Real Betis Starting XI: Pena; Balde, Cubarsi, Inigo, Kounde; Casado, Pedri; Raphinha, Olmo, Lamine; Lewandowski

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