Real Madrid vs Real Betis predictions and betting tips – Blancos aim to kick-start season

Real Madrid resume their La Liga title push on Sunday with a home game against Real Betis. Xabi Alonso remains under pressure, so he could do with a big result at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu.

Will Madrid emerge triumphant in their first game of 2026, or will Real Betis cause Alonso more problems?

• Real Madrid to win and both teams to score – 11/8 with Sky Bet
• Both teams to score in the second half – 19/10 with 247Bet
• Cucho Hernandez to score anytime – 12/5 with Paddy Power

Real Madrid vs Real Betis odds

Find the latest Real Madrid vs Real Betis betting odds here. All odds are provided by our recommended football bookmakers and are subject to change.

Real Madrid vs Real Betis predictions

Xabi Alonso’s worst nightmare did not come to pass as he avoided the sack before Christmas. 

Three consecutive victories before the festive break earned Alonso a stay of execution after a difficult period previously.

Make no mistake, though: the Real Madrid manager remains under pressure. A couple of adverse results in January could see him dismissed in the weeks ahead. 

From the outside, that may appear strange. Madrid are hardly in a disastrous position. A four-point deficit to the top spot in La Liga is eminently bridgeable. 

In the Champions League, the Blancos are on course to secure a top-eight finish to advance directly to the round of 16, something they failed to do last term.

Indeed, Madrid hardly set the world alight in Carlo Ancelotti’s final campaign at the helm. With a new manager at the helm, there were always likely to be teething problems.

Alonso is confronted by two main issues. One is the unrelenting demands that are part and parcel of managing the biggest club in the world. As a former Madrid player, Alonso already had first-hand experience of the sky-high expectations at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu. But nothing quite compares to being in the hot seat.

Another problem is the apparent clash of cultures that Alonso has run into. The Spaniard is very much a modern coach. He believes in systems, structure and attention to detail. Alonso is a hands-on micromanager, much like many of his peers at the top of the game.

Yet Madrid have never responded particularly well to that kind of boss. This is a club of superstars, from Alfredo Di Stefano to Zinedine Zidane to Cristiano Ronaldo. It is no coincidence that their two most successful managers of the 21st century were Zidane and Ancelotti, two relatively laid-back coaches who gave their players considerable agency.

Alonso will believe he can still turn the situation around. A strong start to 2026 would have the former Bayer Leverkusen honcho sitting more comfortably. 

Alonso has recently been backed by several figures associated with Madrid, including legendary former players Raul and Toni Kroos, plus Ancelotti’s former assistant Francesco Mauri.

However, the only thing that really matters at the Bernabeu is results. If they are positive over the next few weeks, Alonso will strengthen his position. If they are not, he may find himself looking for a new job.

Real Madrid vs Real Betis betting tips

Real Madrid and Real Betis will do battle on Sunday as La Liga returns after the Christmas break.

Madrid to ease some pressure

Given his situation, Alonso would have wished for a more straightforward assignment with which to kick-start the new year.

Real Betis are sixth in La Liga at the beginning of 2026. They have designs on Champions League qualification, even though they currently trail fourth-placed Villarreal by seven points.

Manuel Pellegrini’s men have lost only one of their last 13 games in all competitions, so Madrid should expect a tricky encounter.

Having said that, the hosts should come out on top in front of their own fans. But a clean sheet is unlikely against opponents that have struck in 12 of those last 13 outings.

Back Real Madrid to win and both teams to score at 11/8 with Sky Bet

Entertaining second half?

Only Barcelona have a better second-half record than Real Madrid this term. 

Even amid a patchy spell of form in recent weeks, the Blancos have found the back of the net in five of their last six second halves in the league.

Real Betis are no pushovers after the interval, though. They rank fourth in the second-half table, while only Barcelona have outscored the Seville-based outfit between minutes 46 and 90.

Madrid have looked vulnerable defensively of late, so we fancy goals at both ends after half-time on Sunday.

Select both teams to score in the second half at 19/10 with 247Bet

Hernandez worth a punt

Kylian Mbappe is usually the obvious choice in the anytime scorer market, but the France international is not available for this game.

Jude Bellingham, Rodrygo and Vinicius Junior are alternative Real Madrid picks to make the net ripple, but why not go for a Real Betis player?

Cucho Hernandez has scored seven times in La Liga this season, which means only four players in the entire division have been more prolific than the Real Betis forward.

With Madrid still missing several key defenders, the Colombian international will get chances this weekend.

Choose Cucho Hernandez to score any time at 12/5 with Paddy Power

Real Madrid vs Real Betis predicted lineups

• Real Madrid expected lineup: Courtois; Asencio, Rudiger, Huijsen, Carreras; Guler, Tchouameni, Bellingham; Rodrygo, Garcia, Vinicius.
• Real Betis expected lineup: Valles; Ortiz, Bartra, Natan, Rodriguez; Deossa, Roca; Antony, Fornals, Ruibal; Hernandez.

Where to watch Real Madrid vs Real Betis

• Location: Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain.
• Date and time: Sunday 4th January, 3.15pm.
• How to watch: Premier Sports 1.

More LaLiga predictions

We have plenty more LaLiga predictions and picks – find our latest betting tips from expert punters in our match preview overview.

About the author

Greg Lea

Greg Lea is a freelance football writer from London. He predominantly covers the Premier League and has had work published by the Guardian, FourFourTwo, ESPN and others.

Follow Greg on X: @GregLeaFootball

Commercial content notice: Taking one of the bookmaker offers featured in this article may result in a payment to talkSPORT. 18+. T&Cs apply. GambleAware.org

Remember to gamble responsibly

A responsible gambler is someone who:

• Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
• Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
• Never chase their losses
• Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressed
• Gamcare – www.gamcare.org.uk
• GambleAware – www.gambleaware.org

Find our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here.

For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to www.gamstop.co.uk to be excluded from all UK-regulated gambling websites.