Real Betis host Real Madrid at Estadio La Cartuja de Sevilla on 4 September 2026, Matchday 4 of La Liga. Madrid sit second after three wins from three and ten goals scored, while Betis are seventh after two wins and one loss. Mourinho's side need the points to stay in touch with Barcelona and Betis, coming off a 5-2 mauling by Levante, are desperate to show their new manager something worth building on. Rubi has been in charge for four days, which means there is no meaningful record to analyse between the two managers, though Mourinho's previous spells in Spanish football consistently produced results against Andalusian clubs and nothing about this Betis side suggests that pattern will break here.
Betis had back-to-back 1-0 wins before everything fell apart against Levante. They beat Real Sociedad on 21 August and Valencia on 25 August, low scoring and controlled but with no hint of what was coming: five conceded in a 5-2 hammering on 29 August that exposed real defensive holes and handed Rubi a mess to sort out within days of arriving. Madrid, by contrast, have scored ten and conceded two across three games: a 2-1 win at Espanyol on 22 August, 4-1 over Real Sociedad on 26 August and a 4-0 dispatch of Malaga on 30 August and none of those opponents looked like troubling them.
Rubi inherits a squad with some painful absences. Diego Conde (shoulder), Aitor Ruibal (knee) and Lo Celso (muscle) are all out, taking the goalkeeper, the right flank cover and the central creative link with them. Amrabat, Chimy Avila, Pau Lopez and Pablo Garcia are unavailable too, though Antony at least gives Rubi a runner who can beat defenders in one on one situations on the wing. Madrid are also short, with Militao (hamstring), Raul Asencio (leg), Tchouameni (muscle), Endrick (muscle) and Rodrygo (knee) all missing, which disrupts both the build up from the back and a forward rotation that Mourinho would prefer to have fuller.
Betis typically operate in a 4-2-3-1 built around possession retention and hitting on the counter. Rubi will likely push for more from set pieces and quick transitions, with Isco dropping into pockets between the lines to receive and turn and Rodrigo Riquelme making runs off him. Antony should cause Madrid's left sided defenders real problems in one on one duels. Without Lo Celso, though, Isco gets dragged deeper than Rubi will want, the double pivot gets overloaded and the team loses the direct passing line into the striker that made them effective in those two August wins. If Madrid's press cuts off Isco early and Betis are forced into long balls, there is no Lo Celso to reset and the double pivot will be chasing shadows.
Madrid press high and move quickly. Mbappe, who has scored four in three, is the most direct threat in behind, while Bellingham's two goals and two assists already put him in a different conversation from any midfielder Betis can line up against him. Vinicius creates space through dribbling and drags defenders wide, opening channels for Bellingham arriving centrally. Build up from the back is slower without Tchouameni and Militao, though the squad that remains can still sustain a high line and force errors with their pressing shape. The match ups to watch are Antony against Madrid's left backs, Bellingham against Betis's double pivot and Mbappe in behind if Betis sit high. Isco could be anonymous if Madrid's press cuts off the passing lanes early and Betis need a slow start from Madrid to have any chance of controlling territory.
Set pieces are Betis's most realistic route into this game, given how outgunned they are likely to be in open play. Madrid do concede the occasional one even under Mourinho and dead balls are where Rubi will be looking given the structural disadvantages elsewhere. La Cartuja gives Betis something close to a home crowd but strips away some of the usual atmosphere and on balance Madrid have the better rested squad, the in form striker and a settled system. Betis are being asked to absorb all of that with a manager who has had four days on the training ground.
Real Madrid to win 2-1. Even with five players missing, the squad depth advantage is real and the gap in midfield quality, once Lo Celso went down, is difficult to paper over. Isco in tight spaces and Antony in one on ones could still create something, especially from dead balls and a set piece is their most realistic route to goal. But Betis are leaking too many goals at the back and their midfield is too depleted to contain Mbappe and Bellingham for 90 minutes. Mourinho should keep this controlled.
Ryan Baldi
Football Writer
Ryan Baldi is a professional football writer with years of experience and has been featured by respected outlets such as the BBC, The Guardian, Sky Sports, DAZN, FourFourTwo, ESPN, Yahoo Sport and Football365. He has also written several books including Arsène Who?.
