Real Betis vs Sevilla FC

TOKYO, Feb. 27, 2026 /LALIGA=Kyodo JBN/ -- For fans of Japanese football abroad, few fixtures on the European calendar carry quite the same personal resonance as El Gran Derbi. When Real Betis and Sevilla FC meet this Sunday, it is not just one of LALIGA’s most passionately contested city rivalries; it is a match with genuine threads connecting back to Japan, and one that could produce a historic result in the process.

The Japanese connection to this fixture runs deep. Longtime international Takashi Inui played for Real Betis in 2018/19 and was a popular figure among supporters. Off the pitch, the club has actively engaged with Japan through initiatives such as the “Real Betis Week” in Tokyo alongside Tokyo Verdy, meeting with its Japanese supporters’ club, Béticos Nippon, and even organising a Real Betis Manga Contest at Manga Dojo Tokyo.

Sevilla have their own connections too, having previously fielded Hiroshi Ibusuki in 2011/12 and Hiroshi Kiyotake in 2016/17, and the club has run innovation workshops with J. League professionals covering youth development, scouting, and performance analysis.

While both clubs have strong links to Japan off the pitch, the football story is just as compelling. European contenders Betis enter the derby unbeaten in four league matches, although a 1-1 draw against Rayo Vallecano last weekend ended a three-game winning streak. Sevilla, meanwhile, responded to recent draws with a 1-0 away victory over Getafe and are unbeaten in three.

Historically, Sevilla have been strong away in this fixture; Betis have won just two of the last 16 home derbies in LALIGA EA SPORTS. However, Betis secured a 2-0 away win in November and are now aiming to complete a league double over their city rivals for the first time since 1994/95. A third consecutive league victory over Sevilla would also be a historic first.

The result, as always in a derby, will likely come down to fine margins. But the stakes feel higher than usual. For Betis, history beckons. For Sevilla, pride demands a response.

Be sure to tune in for Real Betis vs Sevilla FC this Sunday morning at 02:30am JST, available live on DAZN and U-NEXT.

About LALIGA

LALIGA is the largest football ecosystem in the world. It is a private sports association composed of the 20 public limited sports companies (SADs) and clubs of LALIGA EA SPORTS and the 22 of LALIGA HYPERMOTION, and is responsible for organising professional football competitions in Spain. LALIGA has over 258 million followers globally across social networks, on 16 platforms and in 20 different languages. With its headquarters in Madrid (Spain) it has the most extensive international network of any sports property and is present in 35 countries through 8 offices. The organisation carries out its social work through its foundation FUNDACION LALIGA and was the world's first professional football league to establish a league for intellectually challenged footballers: LALIGA GENUINE Moeve.

Source: LALIGA