Real Betis are facing a rather sore hangover today after being beaten by Rangers 3-2 at the Benito Villamarin on Thursday night. Los Verdiblancos needed just a point at home to secure their passage to the knockout stages, but will instead be facing Conference League football after Christmas.
Betis went behind twice in the first half, but equalised shortly after on both occasions. They had plenty more chances to take the lead, but could not do so, and when Kemar Roofe bundled home late on, they were unable to rescue the match for a third time.
“It’s a very tough blow. We haven’t been up to the task. It was a strange game, they came three times and scored three goals, and we had countless chances. In that final corner they scored against us and we didn’t overcome it,” Manuel Pellegrini told Relevo.
“We have been doing well until now. We had no means of containment or centre-backs, we were left without Guido, and Guardado and William are more playmakers. We had a good first half offensively, enough to finish the game, but we didn’t do it. It’s hard, maybe winning in Prague wasn’t easy, but here at home we should have done it.”
With Guido Rodriguez injured and Chadi Riad not registered for European competition, German Pezzella was their only available central defender. Isco said after the match that there were ‘no excuses’ though, lamenting their soft defensive approach.
“We have failed at home with our people. In football you cannot gift even a second. Today we gifted it and we are left with this face.”
“They got to our goal four or five times and scored three goals against us. In Europe that cannot be. We have not been up to par. In the first half we played good football, with chances, but it wasn’t enough for us.”
After Luiz Felipe was sold to Saudi Arabia post-transfer deadline, it left Pellegrini with just Marc Bartra and Pezzella available at the back, meaning he has been improvising throughout the group stages. Whichever way Pellegrini looks at it though, it will be a major disappointment for Betis though.
