Betis-Deportivo La Coruna

[Verdiblanco de Holanda]

Real Betis midfielder Arzu hopes his side can continue making the most of their favourable fixture list when they welcome Deportivo La Coruna to the Estadio Manuel Ruiz de Lopera this weekend.

Betis were rooted to the foot of the table after taking just two points from their opening six games, but since then they have climbed up to 14th after recording back-to-back victories over Osasuna and Real Mallorca.

The Seville-based club then made it a hat-trick of wins with a 2-0 Copa del Rey triumph over Castellon in midweek.

One of the main reasons for that turnaround is the calibre of opposition Betis have been facing, with the team having had to play the big four of Sevilla, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Villarreal in their opening six matches.

Things look to be a little easier for Betis now though and Arzu wants them to make hay while they can, saying: "We must continue game by game and win against Deportivo, now we have an easier calendar. We want to maintain our good run of form.

"We have been doing a good job, both before when we were losing and now when are winning.

"The victories have given us a lot more calm to do our jobs. We are seeing the fruits of our labour, although it is a little later in coming. We are going to continue working hard."

Betis coach Paco Chaparro will again be without striker Edu for the visit of 12th-placed Depor.

Edu, who was the club's top scorer for the second year running last season, is set to be out for around six weeks after suffering a recurrence of a leg injury as he scored Betis' first goal in their cup clash with Castellon.

Winger Mark Gonzalez and Spain centre-back Juanito are also missing, but Nelson and Achille Emana have both shaken off knocks and have been named in an 18-man squad for Sunday.

Chaparro said: "Our objective is to be much more calm so that the team can continue growing. But I know that Deportivo are going to try and cause us a lot of problems.

"They don't have a bad team and have spent three years playing together. If we want to grow, we have to continue looking game by game and winning."

UEFA Cup participants Depor go into the match having had a inconsistent start to the campaign.

In their opening match they defeated two-time reigning Spanish champions Real Madrid, but since then they have managed just one other league victory - against Numancia.

Last weekend's 3-0 home defeat to Sporting Gijon was a low point for the Galician side, who have also had trouble scoring in La Liga.

They have netted just five times in eight league games this term, two of which came in the win against Real Madrid, while two more came in a 4-2 defeat at Valencia.

Overall, Depor have failed to score in five league games and coach Miguel Angel Lotina admits: "It's not good and we need to improve."

Pablo Amo and Antonio Tomas are both suspended for Sunday's game, while Omar Bravo, Laure, Dudu Aouate, Gustavo Munua and Cristian have been omitted.

[anarkia78]

Respuesta: Betis-Deportivo La Coruna

Tomorrow is the day for break the witchcraft of Deportivo.

Betis 2 - 1 Deportivo

[templario85]

Respuesta: Betis-Deportivo La Coruna

I think... Betis 2 - Deportivo 1.

They have a team of average level. We are better than they.

[GMDcubano]

Respuesta: Betis-Deportivo La Coruna

We will win for 3-1 wiht goals of Nelson Sergio Garcia and Aurelio or Capi

[Verdiblanco de Holanda]

Respuesta: Betis-Deportivo La Coruna

Betis 1 - 0 Deportivo

[Merino II]

Respuesta: Betis-Deportivo La Coruna

I hope we win 3-0. The match is too late and I don't feel like suffering. I wish an easy and quiet match.

[Verdiblanco de Holanda]

Respuesta: Betis-Deportivo La Coruna

Betis-Deportivo La Coruna 0-3

[Verdiblanco de Holanda]

Respuesta: Betis-Deportivo La Coruna

Player ratings: Real Betis 0-3 Deportivo La Coruña

It was a highly entertaining but controversial game as Betis dominated every aspect of the match, but still ended up losing 0-3 to Deportivo.

Casto – 6: Should have come off his line to claim Guardado’s cross for the first goal. But like he teammates, he simply stopped playing, expecting the referee to blow the whistle.

Nélson – 6: Went toe to toe with Guardado all game long, whether it was to defend against the Mexican or to attack him. Will be disappointed that his attacking forays failed to bear any fruit.

Rivas – 6: Organizes his backline well. Went up to the other side of the pitch for the attacking set-pieces and had a few decent look-ins at goal. But he was in disarray once his side had to defend on the counter.

Arzu – 5: It was his poor judgement to needlessly rush well off his line and clattered into this teammate, Capi which led to Depor’s all-important opening goal.

Fernando Vega – 5.5: Wasn’t as adventurous as his rightback. Strayed upfront a few times but never had any significant impact.

Aurélio – 6: Tidied up at the back but didn’t show much attacking initiative in the first period. Had to be more involved upfront when his side went behind.

Emana – 7: Very industrious. Always provided the support to his defenders and to his attackers. A typical box-to-box midfielder. Had to be withdrawn at the break due to a suspected injury.

Capi – 5.5: Not a flashy kind of player but knew where to position himself to receive passes from his teammates.

Damía – 6: Saw a lot of the ball on the right flank and combined well with Nélson but his deliveries into the box were often sub-standard.

Sergio García – 6.5: Almost every attack went through him. Very dangerous with his passing, crossing and shooting. Let his teammates down when he foolishly got himself sent off for a double yellow… the second for simulation.

Pavone – 6: Started brightly and had a few decent half chances but fell away badly in the second half.

Substitutes:

Juanma – 5.5: Worked hard to try to create something from the flanks. But like all of his teammates, the final ball was never incisive enough.

José Mari – 5: Had a chance immediately after coming on. But once Sergio García was sent off, he was completely isolated.

DEPORTIVO LA CORUÑA

Aranzubia – 7.5: Single-handedly kept Depor in the game with a number of excellent saves.

Manuel Pablo – 7.5: Constantly hovered around the halfway line when his team attack. Never had the confidence to go any further forward but was rock solid at the back when he was called into action.

Lopo – 7.5: Shadowed Pavone closely throughout the game. Combined well with his fellow defenders and hardly put a foot wrong.

Zé Castro – 7: Very nervy start to the game but grew in confidence and made a number of crucial interceptions especially when Betis were pouring forward relentlessly.

Filipe Luis – 6: For a Brazilian leftback, he stays inside his own half a lot. A rather anonymous display but he carried out his duties.

De Gúzman – N/A: Had to be withdrawn from the game after just five minutes due to injury.

Juan Rodríguez – 6: Hung around quietly deep in midfield to help stem the Betis assaults.

Lafita – 8.5: Initiated the first goal and got himself on the scoresheet with a beautifully taken second goal. His third goal was a clear offside but he wouldn’t care much. A very effective performance.

Verdu – 6.5: Made a lot of runs into the box from deep but never really delivered any significant end product.

Guardado – 8: Kept switching flanks with Lafita. Was a constant menace everytime he had the ball and got himself involved with every attack. Set-up the first goal, albeit controversially.

Riki – 6: Missed at least three excellent chances right infront of goal but put one away on the fourth attempt.

Substitutes:

Sergio – 7: As usual, battled for every ball in midfield and always knew how to close down spaces.

Valerón – 5.5: Didn’t have time to do much of anything but he did set up the third goal.

[Verdiblanco de Holanda]

Respuesta: Betis-Deportivo La Coruna

Lafita: Betis had nothing to complain about.

Ángel Lafita does not believe that there was any reason for Deportivo La Coruña to kick the ball out before their opening goal against Real Betis.
The Galician team's midfielder scored and went on to add a second before the home team complained that they had players down and that the game should have been stopped.

But Lafita is not convinced that anyone was injured because Betis played on and only made a fuss once the ball was in the net and then again after the game, which they lost 3-0 in the Ruiz de Lopera.

"At no time did they complain about anything. If there was something really bad then the referee is the first person who is going to stop the game and there was nothing," Marca quote him as saying.

"In the move I felt that someone tried to trip me but could not and I jumped around two more and they stayed there because they could not reach the ball.

"That was why I felt that we did not have to put the ball out."

Despite Betis' complaints, Lafita is delighted to have scored his first ever brace in la Primera and vowed to work hard on his finishing so that he can repeat the feat.

"I have never scored two goals in the same game in the first division before and it feels great," he continued.

"Now I think it is something out of the ordinary because it is not my strong point, but I will keep trying to improve that."

[Verdiblanco de Holanda]

Respuesta: Betis-Deportivo La Coruna

Betis just looking for excuses - Guardado

Andrés Guardado believes that Real Betis were looking for any excuse to explain their defeat by Deportivo La Coruña as the controversy over the opening goal continued.
The Mexican international and Riki played on after Capi and Arzu had collided and stayed down before scoring the first goal of the Galicians 3-0 triumph in the Ruiz de Lopera on Sunday.

Betis complained that the ball should have been kicked out as both their players stayed down, but Depor believe that the duo were not hurt at all and that they are looking for excuses.

"Betis are trying to justify the defeat, but it does not bother us," Guardado was quoted as saying in AS.

"It was a collision between then and it would have been difficult to kick the ball out.

"Unfortunately for them we took advantage of that happening, but those things happen sometimes. We are not guilty of anything."

Ángel Lafita agreed with his team-mate and thinks that Capi stayed down deliberately after failing to prevent him from moving clear with the ball after the incident.

"At no time did they have reason to complain. They were not seriously injured and it they had been then the referee could have stopped it. Anyway, Capi tried to trip when he was on the floor," he added.