Real Betis – Real Sociedad: Andalusians overpower Basques with blistering second-half display (3-1)

Betis secured their second league victory after a dominant second-half performance overwhelmed Real Sociedad. Manuel Pellegrini’s side used quick transitions from deep to eventually overpower the opposition, whose man-to-man high press had troubled them in the first half.

Tactical analysis and match report by David Pugh.

Real Betis welcomed Real Sociedad to the Estadio La Cartuja on La Liga matchday five on a warm Friday evening in Seville. Neither side is where it would like to be in the league standings, after somewhat sluggish starts. Tenth-placed Betis slipped to a narrow defeat in their previous home fixture against Athletic Club and a victory would momentarily take the Andalusians into the Champions League spots. Meanwhile, seventeenth-placed Real went into the clash on the back of a 1-2 defeat against league leaders Real Madrid at the Reale Arena and looking to chalk up their first win of the campaign following draws against Valencia and Alavés.

Betis boss Manuel Pellegrini made five changes to his previous starting XI with Pau López, Diego Llorente – his first start since April –, Sofyan Amrabat, Giovani Lo Celso, Abde Ezzalzouli coming in for Valentín Gómez, Sergi Altimira, Rodrigo Riquelme, Álvaro Valles and Nelson Deossa.

The Chilean coach deployed . . .