Aitor Ruibal’s Impactful Performance Secures Betis Victory Over Villarreal

Aitor Ruibal, maintaining his position as right-back, was pivotal in Real Betis’s victory over Villarreal last night at La Cartuja. The versatile Catalan footballer opened the scoring with an opportunistic goal and proved nearly unbeatable on his flank. This marked his third goal against Villarreal, demonstrating his familiarity with the team. Reflecting on the match during an interview with Movistar LaLiga TV, he shared his insights.

On the importance of the victory, Ruibal remarked, “In the first half, we struggled to capitalize on our steals, but today we played as a fantastic team. We worked together as a family against a tough opponent like Villarreal, who is having a remarkable season in LaLiga. If we compete this way, we can challenge anyone.”

He emphasized the significance of the match in relation to European qualification: “It was crucial. These are six-point matches. Winning this one gives us the advantage in goal difference and brings us closer to Espanyol, who lost yesterday. We knew this week was vital. Our recent comeback victory provided us with a lot of confidence.”

When asked how he defines himself as a player, he stated, “I have always said that I was a forward for most of my life, but I have now played more games as a full-back than in any other position. I feel comfortable, I am still learning, and I have no preference regarding position. What matters is the victory and that Betis continues to accumulate points.”

As for his goal celebration, Ruibal dedicated it to his son, adding, “All my goals are for my son. He’s currently busy with his crab toy.”