Abde returns and makes the Betis squad vs Levante

Manuel Pellegrini laid out the Real Betis squad this Friday for the match on Saturday against Levante at the Ciutat de Valencia. The headline is the return of Ez Abde, who is included in the squad after a period of waiting, as the coach confirmed in his press briefing.

Abde is back

In the same list, José Antonio Morante is still not available and will need a few more days before returning.

Lo Celso still on the timetable

Pellegrini also gave an update on Giovani Lo Celso: the Argentine trained with the group in part for the first time since his return after the World Cup, but the manager said he still needs at least fifteen days to be ready. That means he won’t play vs Levante, nor next week’s game against the Real Madrid.

As for the team plan, the Betis boss suggested he could repeat the same starting XI used in the opener vs Real Sociedad, because the backline starters were rested last Tuesday in Mestalla against Valencia. From the start, Betis would line up with: Valles; Bellerín, Bartra, Natan, Fran García; Facundo Bernal, Marc Roca; Antony, Fornals, Riquelme; and Cucho Hernández.

There’s also a possibility that Troy Parrott starts, with rest for one of the attackers who began the first two games just five days apart: Cucho Hernández, Riquelme, Antony or Fornals. The rest of the squad is completed by Manu González, De Pablo, Ortiz, Llorente, Valentín, Iker Losada, Fidalgo, Deossa, Pablo García, Isco and Abde, plus Parrott (as Pellegrini said in his press conference).