epa08235726 RCD Mallorca's Ante Budimir (C) in action against Real Betis' Joel Robles (L) and Aissa Mandi (R) during a Spanish LaLiga soccer match between Real Betis and RCD Mallorca at Benito Villamarin stadium in Sevilla, southern Spain, 21 February 2020. EPA/JULIO MUNOZ
DStv and GOtv subscribers can look forward to seeing one of Africa’s top footballing sons, Real Betis and Algerian defender, Aissa Mandi, in action, when the 2019-20 La Liga season resumes on Thursday.
Mandi and his Betis teammates travel to Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan to face city arch-rivals, Sevilla, in the Seville derby, also known as the El Gran Derbi. The match kicks off on Thursday at 9pm, and will be aired live on SuperSport 7 to DStv Premium, Compact and Compact Plus subscribers and SuperSport Select 4 exclusive to GOtv Max subscribers.
The encounter is been billed as a cracker as it signals the resumption of the current La Liga season, which was suspended due to the world events back in March.
The two teams are experiencing very different fortunes, with Sevilla looking to secure a top-four finish and a place in the UEFA Champions League next season, while Real Betis are trying to push themselves up to mid-table and remain clear of the relegation battle below them.
Mandi will be a key man for the visitors, with his defensive nous visibly present for his team throughout the current season. He has made 22 appearances and averages 1.2 tackles per game, while his excellent passing completion rate (89.6 per cent) demonstrates how important he is to building attacks from deep positions.
The French-born player will look to bring his international experience – which includes 55 caps for Algeria’s Fennec Foxes and the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations title – to bear as both Betis and Sevilla will be looking to find their feet after three months away from competitive action.
“Playing in front of empty stadiums will be strange, but we must focus on the job at hand,” said Mandi. “I am looking forward to getting back to football and hopefully, we [Real Betis] can end the season strongly and move up the La Liga table.”
The Algerian will also use the remainder of the 2019-20 season as a chance to showcase his skills, with the 28-year-old being strongly linked with a move to Premier League clubs such as Newcastle United and Liverpool.
For more details on this match and other football fixtures for the 2019/2020 season, visit www.dstv.com and www.gotvafrica.com or download MyDStvApp and MyGOtvApp to subscribe or upgrade, and join in on the excitement. And while you’re on the move, you can stream matches on DStv Now.
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