Real Betis vs Osasuna preview - Mel chasing `deserved' European spot

Posted Friday, March 08, 2013 by PA

Real Betis coach Pepe Mel feels a place in Europe next season would be just reward for all the hard work that has gone on at the club in recent years.

Betis will take on struggling Osasuna on Friday night knowing a win will lift them into the top five in the Primera Division.

Mel knows a top-six finish would assure them of a place in the Europa League at the very least and he feels that is nothing less than the Seville club deserve.

"We have 12 finals left this season, we should go out and be competitive," he said on the club's official website.

"We have nothing to hide and we will fight with all our strength to get into Europe.

"We must be ambitious. To get into Europe would be the culmination of three years of doing things right."

However, Mel is aware things could go wrong against an Osasuna side battling to pull away from the relegation zone.

"It would be foolish to underestimate them," he said. "We are playing against a team that could bite us.

"Osasuna will try to win and so will we. We need the three points as much as they do."

Osasuna are three places and five points clear of the bottom three, but three wins in their last five league matches has helped restore some confidence.

Defender Marc Bertran told www.osasuna.es: "I think the team are doing well and our dynamic is good.

"We have to keep thinking positive and we know the Betis match is very important.

"Betis are up there on merit. They have a very good team, are playing well and it will be a difficult game. We have to be prepared and not let our guard down.

"If we do things right, as we have been doing lately, then we can win."

Osasuna coach Jose Luis Mendilibar is without injured duo Asier Riesgo and Raoul Loe, while midfielder Guillermo Molins is a doubt for Betis because of illness.