Dani Ceballos and Giovani Lo Celso get their “mini pre-season” with Betis

Dani Ceballos and Giovani Lo Celso, of Real Betis, return after a stop that has worked for them like a “mini pre-season”: the Sevilla-born midfielder has 73 minutes across three games, while the Argentine has played just 6 minutes in one match after getting over a summer injury.

Manuel Pellegrini addressed the length of the break, saying “three weeks is a lot to stop a championship”, even if for parts of his squad it has meant extra time to get their bodies right. Ceballos arrived in the summer and couldn’t do a proper pre-season, so the focus is on matching the team’s physical level and fitting into Pellegrini’s system. Lo Celso’s comeback has been cautious, coming off recovery and returning on a largely trial basis.

Nine matches in four weeks

Betis have nine fixtures in four weeks: five in LaLiga, three in the Champions League and the start of the Copa del Rey. With heavy rotation expected, the immediate target is for both to start contributing, even if it’s from the bench.