Real Betis launched their La Liga season with a narrow 1-0 victory against Real Sociedad, the previous season’s Copa del Rey champions, in a closely contested match on Friday.
The decisive moment came just after the hour mark when Rodrigo Riquelme expertly volleyed home a cross from Cucho Hernandez at the back post, securing the full three points for Manuel Pellegrini‘s squad.
Upcoming fixtures spotlight Madrid and Barcelona
Following Betis’ opening success, attention now turns to Real Madrid, who will begin their campaign under Jose Mourinho on Saturday. Mourinho, returning for his second spell as head coach, faces a significant challenge to help the club rebound after two consecutive seasons without major silverware. Their first test comes away at Espanyol.
The reigning Spanish champions, Barcelona, will also kick off their league journey soon, visiting Elche on Sunday for their opening fixture under Hansi Flick.