La Liga: Real Madrid held by Betis earlier than Champions League ultimate

Real Madrid’s common starters have been held by Real Betis to 0-0 within the crew’s final match earlier than the Champions League ultimate.

Madrid started with the crew that’s anticipated to face Liverpool on May 28 in Paris, the place it would attempt to win a record-extending 14th European title.

Madrid gained the Spanish league weeks in the past and coach Carlo Ancelotti had been rotating the squad, however he put his greatest on the sector in opposition to Betis to fine-tune them forward of the journey to France subsequent week.

At halftime, Ancelotti changed Casemiro with Eduardo Camavinga and Toni Kroos with Federico Valverde. Later within the second half he rested Luka Modric, Rodrygo and Ferland Mendy.

Veteran left again Marcelo got here in for Mendy in what might have been his ultimate match with Madrid, though Ancelotti mentioned no determination on the participant’s future had been made but. The Brazilian obtained an enormous ovation from the followers when getting into the match and after the ultimate whistle at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.

“He will still be one of our captains in Paris,” Ancelotti mentioned. “If in the end he leaves, he will leave as one of the best full backs in the world.”

Karim Benzema got here closest to scoring for Madrid however ended his marketing campaign with a league-leading 27 objectives, 10 greater than another participant.

Since clinching its record-extending thirty fifth league title, Madrid eradicated Manchester City within the semifinals of the Champions League earlier than routing Levante 6-0 and drawing at Cádiz 1-1.

The draw left Madrid 13 factors forward of second-placed Barcelona, which closes its season in opposition to seventh-placed Villarreal on Sunday.

Betis secured fifth place with the draw, its greatest league end since 2005. Manuel Pellegrini’s crew had already earned a spot within the second-tier Europa League by successful the Copa del Rey in a ultimate in opposition to Valencia final month.

Before the match, each groups did a guard of honor, with gamers lining as much as salute the opponents for his or her titles.

“We deserve a 10 for our season,” Pellegrini mentioned.

It was Betis’ fifth straight recreation with out conceding away to Madrid within the league. It gained two of these matches, drawing the final three in a row.

In the opposite match on Friday, already relegated Levante made positive it gained’t end final after a 4-2 win at Twelfth-placed Rayo Vallecano, with Gonzalo Melero scoring twice for the guests.

Granada, Mallorca and Cádiz will struggle to keep away from relegation on Sunday, whereas Villarreal and Athletic attempt to finish in seventh place and earn the berth for the Europa Conference League.