The Verdiblancos triumphed over the Txuri-urdines with a decisive scoreline of 3-1 during their recent clash, effectively showcasing their form in the ongoing La Liga season. The home team took the lead early with a goal from Juan Hernández in the 6th minute. Despite a brief response from Real Sociedad’s Brais Méndez, who equalized in the 12th minute, Betis regained control with two more goals, including an own goal by Alex Remiro in the 48th minute and a strike from Pablo Fornals in the 68th minute.
Hernández’s opener sent the home crowd into a frenzy, as he connected with a precise center from Giovani Lo Celso, firing a shot past goalkeeper Alejandro Remiro Gargallo. Betis was close to extending their lead further when Abde Ezzalzouli hit the post in the 71st minute, narrowly missing the chance.
Pablo Fornals was undoubtedly the standout performer, contributing significantly with a goal, 47 successful passes, and three shots on target. Juan Hernández also impressed with his goal, three attempts on goal, and 15 accurate passes.
Coach Manuel Pellegrini utilized a 4-5-1 formation, placing Pau López in goal, with Héctor Bellerín, Diego Llorente, Natan, and Júnior Firpo forming the defensive line. The midfield saw Sofyan Amrabat, Pablo Fornals, Antony, Giovani Lo Celso, and Abde Ezzalzouli, while Juan Hernández was tasked with leading the attack.
On the other side, Sergio Francisco’s squad adopted a 4-4-2 setup, featuring Alex Remiro in goal, supported by defenders Jon Aramburu, Igor Zubeldía, Duje Caleta-Car, and Sergio Gómez. Their midfield included Ander Barrenetxea, Jon Gorrotxategi, Pablo Marín, and Brais Méndez, with Mikel Oyarzábal and Takefusa Kubo up front.
Referee Mateo Busquets Ferrer officiated the match, which was filled with intensity. Following this victory, Betis now sits at fourth place on the table with 9 points, while Real Sociedad finds themselves in 17th place with just 2 points.
Substitutions for Betis:
45’ 2T – Diego Llorente for Marc Bartra
69’ 2T – Antony for Pablo Garcia and Júnior Firpo for Valentín Gómez
70’ 2T – Pablo Fornals for Marc Roca
85’ 2T – Giovani Lo Celso for Rodrigo Riquelme
Cautions for Betis:
33’ 1T Sofyan Amrabat (Unsporting conduct), 38’ 1T Natan (Unsporting conduct), 20’ 2T Júnior Firpo (Unsporting conduct)
Substitutions for Real Sociedad:
58’ 2T – Ander Barrenetxea for Carlos Soler and Jon Gorrotxategi for Gonçalo Guedes
65’ 2T – Takefusa Kubo for Luka Sucic and Pablo Marín for Arsen Zakharyan
74’ 2T – Jon Aramburu for Aritz Elustondo
Cautions for Real Sociedad:
6’ 1T Brais Méndez (Unsporting conduct), 17’ 1T Pablo Marín (Unsporting conduct), 25’ 1T Jon Aramburu (Unsporting conduct), 33’ 1T Jon Gorrotxategi (Unsporting conduct), 8’ 2T Igor Zubeldía (Unsporting conduct), 25’ 2T Duje Caleta-Car (Unsporting conduct), 40’ 2T Carlos Soler (Unsporting conduct)
Next up, Betis will host Osasuna, while Real Sociedad will face Mallorca at the Reale Arena in their following fixtures.