Preview: Los Blancos tipped for a wonderful start
Sunday marks a fresh start for the all-new Real Madrid squad – boosted by the fitness of Cristiano Ronaldo and the signings of Isco among others. Gone are the days of Jose Mourinho. The Portuguese manager left to Chelsea earlier this summer, allowing Los Blancos to free themselves from the turbulence that resulted in a poor finish to the 2012/13 club football season.
Carlo Ancelotti, with the help of Zinedine Zidane, has brought relief in the camp. Thanks to his openness, the players were able to enjoy their summer tour in USA; they delighted fans – signing autographs and putting on great shows to eventually claim the 2013 International Champions Cup.
During the pre-season campaign, Italian boss Ancelotti tried out several options – one of which included playing Cristiano Ronaldo as a number 9. While speculations continue to link Gareth Bale to a late arrival at the Bernabeu, Real Madrid are expected to stick to the formation that helped them defeat Chelsea 3-1 in the ICC final.
Evidently, all eyes will be on Cristiano Ronaldo to commence the competitive season with a bang. The Portugal captain has been doing well at international level, lately. Fresh from scoring a late equalizer in Portugal’s 1-1 draw against the Netherlands on Wednesday, the former Manchester United talisman will lead Ancelotti’s attack with Karim Benzema, Mesut Özil, Angel Di Maria and Isco supporting the attacking plan.
In central midfield, Casemiro is likely to feature – whether as a substitute or a starter. On Matchday 32 of last season, the youngster played 90 minutes against Real Betis as he made his Real Madrid debut. Less than a year after joining Los Blancos in the winter break, Casemiro looks matured enough to be a big piece in Carlo Ancelotti’s puzzle.
Real Betis have small chances of causing an upset on Sunday, considering how stable the Spanish giants have become since the departure of Mourinho. The Verdiblancos suffered trouncing defeats in their last three visits to the Bernabeu. Stats reveal that they conceded 13 strikes against the hosts in the process but left the stadium with a single goal scored in each of these three encounters.
Betis are without a win in their last three pre-season games – losing 3-0 to Hull City and 2-1 to Everton after recording a 1-1 draw against Fulham at the beginning of the month.
Where to watch the match – live stream, start time, TV channels
beIN Sport is the ultimate source to watch the Spanish La Liga in the United States. Following the sports network’s partnership with SiriusXM Radio, Sunday’s fixture will receive live commentary from the Santiago Bernabeu on SiriusXM FC. Unfortunately for viewers in Canada, no TV station broadcasts La Liga.
Watch Real Madrid vs Real Betis live on Sunday, August 18, 2013:
In UK at 20:00 BST on: Sky Sports 4/HD, Sky Go
In USA at 15:00 ET on: SiriusXM FC (Radio), beIN Sport, beIN Sport Play, beIN Sport en Español
Tune in to ESPN channels if you are located in Latin America, Al Jazeera Sports channels in the Middle East, SuperSports in Africa, Star Sports in Asia, and FOX Sports in available zones. For detailed TV info, go to the Real Madrid vs Betis match page.
Alternatively, you can follow the game through live scores on the LiveSoccerTV homepage this Sunday. Remember, the match starts at 19:00 GMT.
