Real Betis and Valencia draw in the last round of La Liga
The forward on loan from Sevilla to Valencia equalizes after a great goal from Antony
Agoal from Rafa Mir with fifteen minutes left left a bittersweet taste for Betis in their farewell to the Benito Villamarín until 2027. Pellegrini ‘s team , who have their most important match of the season ahead in the Conference League final against Chelsea , had taken the lead thanks to a brilliant goal from Antony . But they couldn’t get their last three points of the season and had to settle for a draw before travelling to Poland . The farewell to their fans, however, was the morale boost they had hoped for as they attempted to achieve their dream of a first continental title for the club.
The truth is that when two teams face off on the final day of La Liga with nothing at stake, in terms of the standings, and on top of that, one of them has a European final in five days, it’s hard to see a great football match. The lack of excitement is too much of a burden. Even so, Betis and Valencia tried to put on a worthy show to close the championship.
After suffering through the first few months of the season, seriously flirting with relegation, and having lost their continental options following their extraordinary comeback under Corberán , it seems logical that the team from the capital of Turia is already thinking about their holidays. They tried a couple of times with the score at 0-0, but Ruibal and Bartra prevented Sadiq from finishing.
For Pellegrini ‘s men , the situation was different. They were torn between their desire to bring intensity to the game so as not to lose their competitive rhythm before Wednesday’s match against Chelsea in Poland and the necessary precautions to avoid any injuries that would disrupt their plans for the final. Even so, the Engineer opted for a strong starting lineup, and his players showed their enthusiasm.
Valencia had plenty of the ball early on, but little depth. Javi Guerra , after a good move in the box, tried unsuccessfully before the half-hour mark. But it was Betis who, after a pair of failed shots from Cucho and Fornals , as well as a good save from Mamardashvili against Isco , found the prize of a goal thanks to the talent of one of their biggest stars, the Brazilian Antony .
Altimira stole the ball from Javi Guerra in midfield , Cucho got ahead of Barrenechea , Isco passed to the winger on loan from Manchester United and, with his trademark shot, put it in the top corner. Another great goal for him, his fifth in LaLiga since February, and a morale boost for Betis , who came close to putting the game away after a move by Jesús that Isco failed to complete with precision.
Rafa Mir, from anger to draw
Corberán ‘s men tried to get back into the game before the break, but Diego López , alone against Adrián , took his time to finish, giving Bartra time to cross and block his shot. Seeing that his team hadn’t reacted after the break, the Cheste-born coach wasted no time in making changes to his bench, bringing on two players with pace and goalscoring potential: Hugo Duro and Luis Rioja, who had once come close to joining the Verdiblancos.
The Engineer responded with Bakambu , who will start against Chelsea , and Abde . And it was precisely the Moroccan who came close to making it 2-0 with a great save from Ruibal , breaking the offside line… His pass back after entering the area was a gift for the Betis number 10, whose shot with the inside of his right boot into the top corner was saved by Mamardashvili with an incredible save. His last before leaving for Liverpool this summer…
Ricardo Rodríguez also failed to head in a corner taken by Isco . His shot went off the crossbar. And seeing that their plan wasn’t working, the visiting bench opted for Iván Jaime and Rafa Mir, who was criticized for his Sevilla past. However, the changes that worked for Valencia weren’t theirs, but Pellegrini’s, trying to protect some of his stars for next week’s historic match…
Isco left , and above all, Bartra , who had been key in defense, left . Almeida took advantage of this move to slip a ball behind Mendy , who misjudged what was practically his first intervention of the match, allowing Rafa Mir to receive the ball in the box and equalize with a powerful, low shot just inside the near post. A goal that dampened the festive atmosphere at the Benito Villamarín .
The Verdiblancos kept trying until the very end. They wanted to bid farewell to their fans before traveling to Wroclaw with a victory. But Mamardashvili was once again a force to be reckoned with, preventing that before the match became fraught with several tackles and collisions that led to several yellow cards. The tie was now immutable, and the anger gave way to chants, encouragement, and a banner with a clear message for the final: ” Vamos Balompié” ( Let’s Go Balompié ).
