Inter Milan and Real Betis announced their starting elevens for the club friendly at Stadio Comunale San Nicola in Bari, with kick-off set for 18:30 on 15 August 2026. The match, part of both clubs’ preseason preparations, ended in a 1-0 victory for Inter.
Inter manager Cristian Chivu chose a 4-2-3-1 formation. Josep Martínez started in goal, behind a defensive line of A. Diouf, L. Bovio, A. Bastoni and Y. Bisseck. N. Barella, who captained the side, and H. Çalhanoğlu formed the defensive midfield pairing. Behind striker A. Bonny, F. Esposito, Carlos Augusto and P. Zieliński made up the attacking trio.
Inter’s bench offered depth, with M. Akanji, F. Dimarco, Lautaro Martínez, H. Mkhitaryan, B. Pavard and J. Stones available for rotation. The squad balanced experience with emerging talent during a preseason programme that had already included a 1-1 draw with AC Milan on 5 August and a 2-1 win over Juventus on 8 August, both at Optus Stadium.
Real Betis, under Manuel Pellegrini, also lined up in a 4-2-3-1 system. Álvaro Valles started in goal, with Fran García, Natan, Marc Bartra, wearing the captain’s armband, and Héctor Bellerín in front of him. Marc Roca and F. Bernal formed the midfield pairing, while Rodrigo Riquelme, Pablo Fornals and Antony were tasked with creating chances for striker C. Hernández.
The result completed Inter’s run of preseason fixtures, which began with a 1-1 draw against Manchester City at Hong Kong’s Kai Tak Sports Park on 1 August, followed by a penalty-shootout win. Inter then drew with AC Milan, beat Juventus and closed the sequence with a 1-0 victory over Betis in Bari. Match listings from SuperSport and ESPN classify the Bari encounter as a completed club friendly.
As a friendly rather than a league or cup fixture, the Bari match gave both clubs a chance to assess tactical setups and player fitness without league points at stake. Inter came away with a narrow win as both teams continued preparations for the 2026-27 campaign.
Stadio Comunale San Nicola hosted the international club encounter in Bari. Preseason friendlies give managers room to test lineups and formations, integrate players and build cohesion ahead of competitive fixtures. For Inter and Real Betis, the match formed part of that preparation under Chivu and Pellegrini.
