A loan move that started as a reset is quickly turning into a revival. Antony lit up La Liga with a gorgeous first-time volley and a smart assist as Real Betis swept past Real Sociedad 3-0, in a game that the Seville club controlled from start to finish. Marc Roca finished the job with two second-half goals, and Sociedad ended with nine men after Igor Zubeldia and Sheraldo Becker were sent off.
The highlight came early: Antony drifted in from the right, read the flight of a dropping ball, and hit it first time with his left. No touch, no hesitation, just clean technique and timing. The strike flew past the goalkeeper before the defense could set. It was the kind of finish that reminds you why clubs once queued for him.
From there, Betis dialed up the control. They recycled possession, pulled Sociedad from side to side, and picked their moments to speed up. The visitors (or hosts, depending on your map) struggled to pin down the Brazilian’s movement. When Antony went inside, teammates took the outside lane; when he hugged the touchline, he created lanes for runners through the middle. Betis didn’t rush it. They managed the tempo, forced turnovers, and kept the game tilted their way.
The second half brought the cushion. Roca, who has added late-arrival goals to his tidy midfield work, scored twice to kill the contest. The first was all about conviction: a clean strike after Betis forced a broken play in the final third. The second showcased composure, arriving in space and picking the corner. Roca has been steady all season; this time, he was ruthless.
The red cards to Zubeldia and Becker took any lingering jeopardy out of the game for Sociedad. Down to nine, they were stuck defending in survival mode, too deep to threaten and too stretched to limit the damage. Betis kept the ball, lowered the pulse, and walked the game to the finish line.
For Antony, this is not a one-off. He now has three goals and one assist in four La Liga appearances for Betis. The numbers tell a simple story: he’s playing with freedom, making better decisions, and backing his ability in the final third. The body language is different too—more direct, more decisive, less second-guessing.
Context matters. At Manchester United, the €100 million transfer fee hung over every touch. The Premier League spotlight is unforgiving, and his form stalled. In Spain, the noise is softer and the role is clearer. He’s operating as an inverted right winger, given license to carry the ball inside, combine short, and attack the back post without forcing it. That shift—plus regular minutes—has sharpened his edge.
Manuel Pellegrini’s structure helps. Betis create natural triangles around the ball, which gives Antony a safe pass when he draws pressure and an overlap when he squares his shoulders to shoot. The spacing is cleaner, the distances shorter, and the cues for when to transition are obvious. You can see it in the assist: he waited for the lane to open, slid the ball at the right time, and trusted the runner. No overplaying, just clarity.
This was also a tough night for Real Sociedad. They usually build calmly under Imanol Alguacil, but here their midfield got stretched and the back line lost the duels that normally set their platform. Zubeldia’s dismissal removed their defensive anchor, and Becker’s pace—which is often their release valve—was gone once he walked. They had flashes, but not the final pass or the composure to turn them into shots. Going down to nine made it a damage-limitation exercise.
Zoom out, and the stakes are obvious. Betis are chasing European places again, and wins like this are the kind you bookmark in March and April when the table tightens. It wasn’t just the margin. It was the control, the lack of panic, the sense that chances would keep coming. When the front three hum, Roca times his runs, and the back line clears their lines without fuss, Betis look like a side that can put together a run.
For Manchester United, this revival is useful on two fronts. If Antony keeps this up, he returns sharper, confident, and with a clearer profile that a new or existing coach can plug in. If not, his market value stabilizes after a difficult spell in England. Either way, consistent La Liga minutes beat sitting on the bench and waiting for form to arrive.
There’s also a human element to this. Players don’t just switch form on and off. They need rhythm, they need the ball, and they need to feel that one mistake won’t send them to the stands for a month. In Spain, Antony is getting that rhythm. He’s doing the simple things early, which leaves room for the one or two high-difficulty plays that change games—the volley here being Exhibit A.
Betis’ dressing room balance helps too. Veterans do the boring bits well. Full-backs offer width at the right time. The midfield screens, not just sprints. When a team gives its dribblers a platform, the dribblers give the team territory. That’s what happened here: field position turned into pressure, pressure turned into chances, chances turned into goals.
Sociedad will reset. They’re well-coached, their defensive record is usually strong, and they have enough firepower to rebound. The task now is simple: cut out the rash moments, manage the press better, and get their best runners back into the game without leaving the back door open. With a full complement on the pitch, this is a very different contest.
As for the night itself, the takeaways are clean. Betis looked assured, their key players showed up, and the game state never got away from them. Antony provided the spark and the end product. Roca added the weight from midfield. And Sociedad, short-handed, couldn’t find a way back. Sometimes football is complicated. Sometimes it’s this simple.
Betis gain more than three points—they gain proof that their attacking ideas travel from one week to the next. Pellegrini can rotate without blunting the edge, and opponents now have to plan for a winger who can beat you off the dribble or punish you with a one-touch finish. That single uncertainty—will he drive inside or play early—pulls defenses apart.
For Sociedad, discipline and control return to the to-do list. The red cards will sting, not just in this match but in the next one when suspensions kick in. Rebuilding the spine without Zubeldia for a game matters, and they’ll need to protect the ball higher up so their back line isn’t constantly exposed.
United will watch with interest. This version of Antony is closer to the player they thought they signed: quick decisions, cleaner first touch, and direct end product. The noise fades when the numbers rise. Keep stacking games, and the narrative writes itself.
On the pitch, the formula is repeatable. Give Antony early touches. Give Roca the second wave. Keep the full-backs honest on the overlap. When Betis tick those boxes, they look like a team with answers—especially in games where emotions and cards start flying. They didn’t just win. They managed every phase.
