Real Betis plays its first preseason friendly this Saturday against the modest VfL Sportfreunde Lotte from the Oberliga Niederrhein. Manuel Pellegrini will see his two new signings, Facundo Bernal and Fran García, in action in a match that will serve as preparation for the 2026/27 season.
Real Betis Balompié kicks off the 2026/27 season with a first preseason test against a German fourth division rival. The team, led by Manuel Pellegrini, faces VfL Sportfreunde Lotte this Saturday at 15:30 hours, in a match taking place in Germany that will help the Chilean coach start shaping his new project.
Two New Faces in the Lineup
The main attraction of the match will be to see the two signings for Betis this season: Uruguayan midfielder Facundo Bernal and left-back Fran García. Both have already participated in several training sessions with the team, so they are expected to get minutes in this first friendly. Bernal travelled with the squad on the first day, while Fran García joined two days later, accompanied by Manu Fajardo and Ramón Alarcón.
In addition to the reinforcements, the match will allow the youth players to prove their worth. Players such as Óscar Masqué, Emmanuel N'Goran, Carlos de Roa, Iván Corralejo, Gnangoro Bouare, Rica Fúnez, Borja Alonso, Kwame Sosu, and Rodrigo Marina have all travelled to Germany. They will all seek to convince Pellegrini that they deserve a spot in the first team or at least in the next phase of preseason.
The Goalkeeping Dilemma
One of the positions generating the most uncertainty is the goalkeeper. Following the departure of Pau López, and with Diego Conde still pending arrival, goalkeeper Álvaro Valles is set to start this match. Manu González is still enjoying a few days off after winning the U19 European Championship, and Guilherme Fernandes, although in Germany, is expected to go on loan to Córdoba. Therefore, Valles could play the entire match.
In defence, Pellegrini has multiple options. At right-back, Héctor Bellerín and Masqué; in central defence, the four first-team centre-backs plus N'Goran; and on the left, Junior Firpo, Fran García, and De Roa. Enough variations to distribute minutes.
The Midfield and Attack
In midfield, the Chilean has Bernal, Marc Roca, Pablo Fornals, and even Nelson Deossa, although the latter is negotiating his move to Vasco da Gama and probably won't play. From the B team, Gnangoro Bouare and Rica Fúnez will also get their chance. With Isco absent, the playmaker role will go to Iker Losada or Iván Corralejo.
In attack, Abde has not joined the group after the World Cup and is recovering, so Rodrigo Riquelme is likely to take the left wing. On the right, Antony and Pablo García are competing for the spot, while Rodrigo Marina awaits his chance as a centre-forward. Borja Alonso and Kwame Sosu will also get minutes to demonstrate that they can continue in the next stage.
The match against Lotte, a team from the Oberliga Niederrhein (fifth tier of German football), will not be a high-level test, but it will serve as an initial contact for players to gain rhythm and for Pellegrini to start defining his starting eleven for the season. After this match, the squad will return to Seville that same night to begin the second part of their preparation on Monday.
For Betis fans, this first friendly is an opportunity to see the initial strokes of the team that will compete this season. Although the opponent is modest, the excitement for the new project and to see the signings in action is guaranteed.
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