Betis suffered one of the hardest blows in its history by collapsing against Braga and being eliminated from the Europa League. The verdiblancos had done everything right until a clash between Llorente and Bartra allowed Pau Víctor to make it 2-1 after goals from Antony and Abde. Betis fell like a house of cards and, in a deplorable start to the second half, saw Braga turn the score around. Emotions played an important role because Braga, a good team but not a great one, knew how to strike at the right moment against a completely overwhelmed Betis. The mistakes of goalkeeper Pau López and the verdiblanco defense were tremendous in the Portuguese 2-2, 2-3, and 2-4 goals.
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Sevilla suits Braga very well. In 2010, they already eliminated Sevilla in the Champions League qualifiers. A hard, very hard blow, that Betis received, who played 30 great minutes only to then disappear. They had no chance from 2-2 onwards against an opponent with defensive absences and very little European weight. A complete disaster for Betis and also for Spanish football, which sees the possibility of the fifth place being a Champions spot threatened by Germany’s rise.
Betis did not offer any concessions when facing Braga. From the first minute, the Andalusian team, which shows doubts in the League, came out very switched on to the pitch at La Cartuja. Pellegrini put Fidalgo in to strengthen the midfield and Betis found many ways to break up Braga. Especially through the speed of their wings, Antony and Abde, two differential, vertical players with a lot of goal. Braga, with good ball control, lost too many balls under Andalusian pressure, which facilitated the verdiblancos’ runs. The path cleared at 13 minutes, when Antony managed to finish a good cross from Abde. Betis had already warned in two actions, one from Cucho and another from Antony himself. It was a daring and accurate pressing team. At 26, the connection between Fidalgo and Fornals left Abde alone against Hornicek. It was 2-0. The explosion of joy at La Cartuja combined with Carlos Vicens’ gestures on the sideline.
Braga comes back at La Cartuja.
⚽ Ricardo Horta makes it 2-3 against Real Betis.
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The match did turn in eight minutes. Abde scored the third, but VAR disallowed it for a prior offside by Antony. These are the rules of the new football, which demand control of emotions. Betis disconnected somewhat and went from 3-0 to 2-1 in a flash. Bartra and Llorente did not understand each other when clearing a ball, which reached Pau Víctor. The Catalan striker beat Pau López with the first shot on target from Braga in the entire first half. It was the 38th minute. Too much reward for a Portuguese team overwhelmed by circumstances, but who knew how to take advantage of Betis’ unexpected defensive gift. Such concessions are costly at the elite level. The error was almost triple, since Llorente bothered Bartra, Víctor Gómez won the jump against Ricardo and it still seemed that Pau López could have done more. Betis, who had almost sealed the tie, had to keep rowing.
Betis’ start to the second half was dreadful. Their lack of decisiveness and defensive errors accumulated to cause a comeback that no one could have imagined at La Cartuja. Again, control of emotions. Pau López swallowed a lateral foul that Antony should not have committed and Carvalho made it 2-2. Seen and not seen. Amrabat overdid it and committed a penalty. Then came 2-3 and later 2-4 against Betis’ absolute collapse and the sadness of the Andalusian fans, who filled La Cartuja only to suffer a monumental disappointment.
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