Espanyol vs Real Betis preview - Pochettino aware of Betis threat

Posted Thursday, October 27, 2011 by PA

Espanyol manager Mauricio Pochettino has warned his players to be wary of a "wounded" Real Betis as the teams prepare to meet in the Primera Division.

Espanyol and Real Betis both sit in mid-table with 12 points from eight matches, but they head into their meeting on very different runs of form.

The hosts have ended their poor run away from home with victories at Rayo Vallecano and Racing Santander in the past fortnight, whereas Betis, after enjoying a strong start to the season with four wins in their opening four matches, have now lost four on the bounce.

Pochettino contends that the recent poor form shown by Betis makes them a particularly dangerous opponent.

He told a press conference, broadcast on the club's website: "Betis are a wounded opponent and we will need our maximum concentration, attitude and aggressiveness to take something out of the game.

"It is a very important game for us and we are taking it very seriously. We will have to suffer to achieve a positive result.

"Betis play good football and with great pace, they are a very difficult opponent and we have to compete with their high tempo."

Pochettino has no new injury worries, with long-term absentees Juan Albin and Felipe Mattioni the only players unavailable.

Jordi Amat should reclaim his place at the heart of defence after recovering from the injury that forced him to miss the win over Racing.

Betis manager Pepe Mel is set to change his side's system after the disappointing 2-0 home defeat to Rayo at the weekend.

Mel has favoured a 4-3-3 formation in the first two months of the season but will go with a 4-4-2, with Roque Santa Cruz and Ruben Castro leading the attack.

Mel told the Betis club website: "I have seen the match against Rayo two or three times now and more than just not taking the clear chances that we created there was something else.

"We didn't press quickly enough and this allowed them to get balls in behind us.

"I saw a clear example of this also in the Bernabeu (in the 4-1 defeat to Real Madrid two weeks ago) in the pass from (Angel) Di Maria to (Gonzalo) Higuain between the centre-backs. We pushed out late and the defence was left exposed."

Mel will be able to recall influential playmaker Benat Etxebarria who missed Sunday's game due to gastroenteritis.