The 2026 calendar year kicks off at the Santiago Bernabéu today, Sunday, January 4, with a high-stakes La Liga encounter as Real Madrid hosts Real Betis. For head coach Xabi Alonso, the pressure is mounting; despite a solid season, Los Blancos enter the new year trailing rivals Barcelona by four points and must navigate a significant injury crisis to keep their title hopes alive.
Real Betis, managed by the evergreen Manuel Pellegrini, arrives in Madrid as the league’s "Road Kings"—the only team in La Liga yet to lose an away match this season.
Match Details: Kick-off & Official Info
Competition: La Liga EA Sports (Matchday 18)
Date: Sunday, January 4, 2026
Kick-off: 15:15 GMT / 16:15 CET / 10:15 ET
Venue: Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid
Referee: Juan Martínez Munuera
Broadcast: ESPN Deportes (US), LALIGA TV / Movistar+ (Spain), Premier Sports (UK)
Form Guide: The Hunt for the Summit
Real Madrid: Chasing Barcelona
Real Madrid closed out 2025 in 2nd place (42 points), trailing Barcelona after a shaky December. While they ended the year with a 2–0 victory over Sevilla, the loss of their talismanic forward just before the break has cast a shadow over their New Year preparations. With the Spanish Super Cup semifinal against Atlético Madrid looming next week, Alonso needs a dominant performance today to restore confidence and close the gap at the top.
Real Betis: The Unbeaten Travelers
Sitting in 6th place (28 points), Real Betis is enjoying a remarkably consistent campaign. They are currently on a four-match unbeaten run across all competitions, including a statement 4–0 thrashing of Getafe in their final game of 2025. Pellegrini has built a side that is notoriously difficult to break down, particularly in high-pressure away environments.
Team News & AFCON Absentees
Real Madrid Team News
The Mbappé Blow: In a massive setback, Kylian Mbappé is OUT after suffering a knee sprain during a training session on New Year's Eve. He is expected to miss at least three weeks.
Injury Ward: Trent Alexander-Arnold remains sidelined with a hamstring injury, while Éder Militão is out until late January. Dani Carvajal has returned to training but is unlikely to start.
AFCON Absence: Brahim Díaz is unavailable as he represents Morocco in the Africa Cup of Nations.
Predicted XI (4-3-3): Courtois; Valverde, Rüdiger, Asencio, Carreras; Tchouaméni, Bellingham, Camavinga; Rodrygo, Gonzalo García, Vinícius Júnior.
Real Betis Team News
AFCON Raid: The Verdiblancos are severely depleted by the tournament in Morocco, missing Sofyan Amrabat (Morocco), Ez Abde (Morocco), and Cédric Bakambu (DR Congo).
Missing Magic: The legendary Isco remains out with a long-term muscle injury, depriving Betis of their primary creative spark.
Defensive Doubt: Center-back Diego Llorente is ruled out until mid-January.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Rui Silva; Bellerín, Natan, Bartra, Perraud; Marc Roca, Johnny Cardoso; Fornals, Losada, Juanmi; Vitor Roque.
Head-to-Head (H2H) & Key Stats
The "Stalemate" Special: Three of the last five meetings between these two sides have ended in draws.
Recent Meeting: Real Betis won the last encounter 2–1 in March 2025, thanks to a late penalty from Isco.
Bernabéu Fortress: Real Madrid has only won two of their last seven home matches against Real Betis, making this one of their most difficult fixtures in recent seasons.
Goal Factor: Real Madrid has kept a clean sheet in 60% of their home games this season, but they are facing the league's most clinical counter-attacking unit.
Tactical Analysis: Life Without Mbappé
The absence of Kylian Mbappé (who has scored nearly 50% of Madrid's goals this season) forces Xabi Alonso into a tactical reshuffle. Rodrygo is expected to move into a more central role, supported by the youth of Gonzalo García. The burden of creativity falls squarely on Jude Bellingham, who will need to make late runs into the box to compensate for the missing strike power.
For Betis, the plan is simple: absorb and strike. Without Amrabat in the midfield, Johnny Cardoso will be tasked with neutralizing Madrid’s engine room. If they can survive the initial wave of pressure, the pace of Vitor Roque on the counter could expose a Real Madrid backline that has looked vulnerable in the absence of Militão.
Match Prediction
Real Madrid often struggles against Betis’s defensive organization, and the loss of Mbappé is a psychological as well as a tactical blow. However, the Bernabéu crowd usually provides a "New Year lift," and Vinícius Júnior’s individual brilliance might be enough to settle a tight affair.
Final Score Prediction: Real Madrid 1–0 Real Betis
