Cucho, Chimy and Bellerín back in Betis squad for Rayo clash as Pablo García misses out
Manuel Pellegrini names a 24-man Betis squad for Saturday's La Liga trip to face Rayo Vallecano, with three key players returning from injury.
Three familiar faces are back in the Betis fold ahead of Saturday’s La Liga Matchday 25 fixture against Rayo Vallecano at the Estadio de La Cartuja — and it’s a proper boost for Pellegrini ahead of a tricky one.
The returnees
Cucho Hernández, Chimy Ávila and Héctor Bellerín have all been named in the squad after shaking off their respective muscular problems. The trio have been grafting away in training with the group for the past few days, and while they’re likely to start on the bench rather than walk straight back into the XI, just having them available again gives El Ingeniero some real options to work with.
- Cucho Hernández – back and ready to cause chaos off the bench if needed
- Chimy Ávila – the Argentine’s energy and directness have been missed
- Héctor Bellerín – the former Arsenal man adds depth to a well-stocked defensive line
The long-term absentees remain
It’s not all rosy, mind. The usual suspects are still nowhere near fit:
- Sofyan Amrabat – still out, weeks to go
- Isco Alarcón – same story, no rush back
- Giovani Lo Celso – the Argentine is another long way off a return
Those three have been Betis’s most persistent headaches this season and there’s no quick fix on the horizon for any of them.
Pablo García the one to make way
With the three returns pushing the squad up to 24, Pellegrini had to trim someone — and the chop went to academy lad Pablo García. He’s had a fairly quiet few weeks in terms of involvement anyway, so it’s not a massive shock, but it’s still a bit of a sickener for the youngster to be watching from the stands rather than even making the bench.
On the bright side for Pellegrini, he’s got every first-team defender and striker at his disposal for this one — which, given the injury chaos Betis have dealt with this season, is practically a luxury.
The full squad
Goalkeepers: Álvaro Valles, Adrián San Miguel, Pau López
Defenders: Ortiz, Bellerín, Ruibal, Diego Llorente, Bartra, Natan, Valentín Gómez, Ricardo Rodríguez, Junior Firpo
Midfielders: Marc Roca, Altimira, Deossa, Fornals, Fidalgo, Antony, Abde, Riquelme
Forwards: Chimy Ávila, Bakambu, Cucho Hernández
Betis will be looking to put in a solid performance in Seville against a Rayo side that never makes life easy for anyone. With a fuller squad than they’ve had in a while, the pressure’s on to deliver.