Betis Faces Challenges in Pursuit of European Qualification

Real Betis was unable to achieve its objective of finishing the first half of the season with over 30 points, a benchmark that coach Manuel Pellegrini sets each season as essential for contention for European positions. Although the team fell short by just one point, it is clear that a stronger second half will be crucial if they hope to qualify for the Europa League or keep alive their ambition for a Champions League spot.

This season, Betis has only lost four matches, all against teams involved in the highest level of European competition: three at home against Athletic Club, Atlético de Madrid, and Barcelona, and one away at Real Madrid. Notably, the Santiago Bernabéu is the only stadium where Pellegrini’s team has faced defeat this season across LaLiga and other competitions such as the Europa League and Copa del Rey. However, they faced a significant challenge at the Carlos Tartiere, which highlights one of their major areas for improvement.

At the start of matchday 19, Oviedo, Levante, Valencia, and Girona occupied the bottom four places in the standings. Betis has not managed to secure a victory against any of these teams this season. While they have not lost either, ending with four draws—three of which were away—these results mean they have squandered eight out of twelve potential points against clearly inferior opponents, primarily due to lapses in both attacking and defensive areas.

These eight lost points, typically considered within reach, would have placed Pellegrini’s side not only in the fifth position of the table, which they relinquished to Espanyol a few weeks ago, but also just a point behind Atlético Madrid in fourth place. This serves as a reminder for Betis, who will host Oviedo, Levante, and Valencia at La Cartuja in the second half of the season while also visiting Montilivi. While the team has proven difficult to defeat, they have struggled significantly to secure victories, particularly in away matches.

In their recent match, Betis missed four clear opportunities in the first half and ran out of time to complete a comeback. Moreover, defensive fragility reared its head again against an opponent that had not scored at home for nearly four months and had not won since September. Addressing these concerns is essential for the Andalusian team if they aim to comfortably surpass the 30 points mark in the second half of the season, which is crucial for ensuring continued participation in European competitions and safeguarding the club’s economic growth.