Real Betis Season Preview: Building Upon Success
The new LaLiga season is almost upon us, and that means a return to the thing we all love most. But how are Real Betis set up for this upcoming campaign? Can they build on Manuel Pellegrini's successful debut campaign?
Real Betis Balompié enjoyed a fine season after finishing in 6th position, rewarding the Green and Whites with a return to UEFA’s Europa League for this upcoming year. And it was a terrific end to the campaign, yielding a consistent run of just two defeats in 25 games as 2021 brought sustained joy to the Beticismo.
The team showed continuous improvement throughout the whole of last season, with the key component being the wonderful work of new manager Manuel Pellegrini. “The Engineer” welded a band of talented footballers lacking an identity and common goal together, which eventually bore fruit for the club and provided Betis with a strong foundational platform to build upon for the season ahead - something they’d lacked in recent years.
Thoughts now turn to this new season which is very much on the horizon as we count down the days to MD1.
The club now has a golden opportunity to achieve a goal which has been notoriously difficult to earn throughout its history – sustainable success and continuity at the top half of LaLiga.
One only needs to look back at previous successful seasons to see Betis’ inability to maintain pace. More often than not, when they have achieved a great season in the past, the following campaign is usually one in which the club has struggled to replicate that. It is high time the club moves on from it’s “roller coaster” status full of very high ups and deep lows and find that much-needed equilibrium.
Of course, that’s easier said than done. In the midst of a global health pandemic where the club have done fantastically well with its limited financial resources to achieve a European spot, some around the industry believed it was an overachievement. Regardless of opinion, it will be a challenge to pick up where they left off and simply ‘go again’.
Yet through crisis opens up opportunity and through opportunity lies hope. And the hope is that with the managers’ blueprint now fully integrated into his pupils, there is hope that this season can be as successful as the previous. Yes, the club is in a difficult financial situation, like most clubs, and likely need to dispense with some of the more expendable players to cut their cloth accordingly.
However, with the abundance of playing staff options available that the club possess, plus the nucleus of the youth players of Paul, Robert, Rodri, Raúl and Dani Rebollo, Betis can face up to the challenge with that hope. It will be a demanding season with three competitions, but this is what you strive for in football – To play on the European continent with a competitive squad. Crucially, the club have cover in practically all areas apart from the defence, which the sporting department are actively seeking to find a solution to and cover those bases.
The return of Victor Camarasa can be a key ‘signing’ too after a year-long absence. His return gives the team further depth in one of the most curial areas of the pitch and judging by his first two games in pre-season, he has returned in fine form.
So far, Betis have played a handful of games during the pre-season. The team started with a short trip to Switzerland where a rainy setting provided the cool but ideal training conditions. Betis defeated FC Winterthur of the Swiss Second Division. There was a debut for Right-Back Senegal international Youssouf Sabaly, who has come in to replace the departed Emerson, who moved to Barcelona. The team ran out comfortable winners (0-4) thanks to goals from Loren, Yassin Fekir, Juanmi, and Borja Iglesias. It was a useful exercise to gain match fitness, which is the most important element at this height of the summer.
Then came the first of three games against English opposition. The squad faced Wolverhampton Wanderers in close by Gibraltar. It was a game of few chances, which Real Betis had more of the possession but were null in attack. Wolves improved after the break and won with the only goal of the game, scored by Patrice Cutrone. There was a second-half debut for Portuguese international goalkeeper Rui Silva and the squad got another 90 minutes under their belts.
After this came the clubs’ second overseas pre-season camp in England. Betis played both Derby County and Leeds United during their week-long excursion. The squad stayed in the plush facilities of St. Georges Park in Staffordshire, which provided a comfortable home base whilst in the UK.
The Rams of Wayne Rooney were the first opponents on English soil and it was the home side who defeated Betis 1-0 at Pride Park. Betis had the better of the play but lacked tempo, cohesiveness and displayed a little too many mistakes during the game. Food for thought and much to correct. But pre-season is precisely here for that reason.
Real Betis aim to provide their supporters with further success this season. The Benito Villamarín will be rocking once more and the club’s loyal supporters hope that the club can indeed build upon their success and achieve that much-yearned stability.
The new LaLiga season is almost upon us, and that means a return to the thing we all love most. But how are Real Betis set up for this upcoming campaign? Can they build on Manuel Pellegrini's successful debut campaign?
Real Betis Balompié enjoyed a fine season after finishing in 6th position, rewarding the Green and Whites with a return to UEFA’s Europa League for this upcoming year. And it was a terrific end to the campaign, yielding a consistent run of just two defeats in 25 games as 2021 brought sustained joy to the Beticismo.
The team showed continuous improvement throughout the whole of last season, with the key component being the wonderful work of new manager Manuel Pellegrini. “The Engineer” welded a band of talented footballers lacking an identity and common goal together, which eventually bore fruit for the club and provided Betis with a strong foundational platform to build upon for the season ahead - something they’d lacked in recent years.
Thoughts now turn to this new season which is very much on the horizon as we count down the days to MD1.
The club now has a golden opportunity to achieve a goal which has been notoriously difficult to earn throughout its history – sustainable success and continuity at the top half of LaLiga.
One only needs to look back at previous successful seasons to see Betis’ inability to maintain pace. More often than not, when they have achieved a great season in the past, the following campaign is usually one in which the club has struggled to replicate that. It is high time the club moves on from it’s “roller coaster” status full of very high ups and deep lows and find that much-needed equilibrium.
Of course, that’s easier said than done. In the midst of a global health pandemic where the club have done fantastically well with its limited financial resources to achieve a European spot, some around the industry believed it was an overachievement. Regardless of opinion, it will be a challenge to pick up where they left off and simply ‘go again’.
Yet through crisis opens up opportunity and through opportunity lies hope. And the hope is that with the managers’ blueprint now fully integrated into his pupils, there is hope that this season can be as successful as the previous. Yes, the club is in a difficult financial situation, like most clubs, and likely need to dispense with some of the more expendable players to cut their cloth accordingly.
However, with the abundance of playing staff options available that the club possess, plus the nucleus of the youth players of Paul, Robert, Rodri, Raúl and Dani Rebollo, Betis can face up to the challenge with that hope. It will be a demanding season with three competitions, but this is what you strive for in football – To play on the European continent with a competitive squad. Crucially, the club have cover in practically all areas apart from the defence, which the sporting department are actively seeking to find a solution to and cover those bases.
The return of Victor Camarasa can be a key ‘signing’ too after a year-long absence. His return gives the team further depth in one of the most curial areas of the pitch and judging by his first two games in pre-season, he has returned in fine form.
So far, Betis have played a handful of games during the pre-season. The team started with a short trip to Switzerland where a rainy setting provided the cool but ideal training conditions. Betis defeated FC Winterthur of the Swiss Second Division. There was a debut for Right-Back Senegal international Youssouf Sabaly, who has come in to replace the departed Emerson, who moved to Barcelona. The team ran out comfortable winners (0-4) thanks to goals from Loren, Yassin Fekir, Juanmi, and Borja Iglesias. It was a useful exercise to gain match fitness, which is the most important element at this height of the summer.
Then came the first of three games against English opposition. The squad faced Wolverhampton Wanderers in close by Gibraltar. It was a game of few chances, which Real Betis had more of the possession but were null in attack. Wolves improved after the break and won with the only goal of the game, scored by Patrice Cutrone. There was a second-half debut for Portuguese international goalkeeper Rui Silva and the squad got another 90 minutes under their belts.
After this came the clubs’ second overseas pre-season camp in England. Betis played both Derby County and Leeds United during their week-long excursion. The squad stayed in the plush facilities of St. Georges Park in Staffordshire, which provided a comfortable home base whilst in the UK.
The Rams of Wayne Rooney were the first opponents on English soil and it was the home side who defeated Betis 1-0 at Pride Park. Betis had the better of the play but lacked tempo, cohesiveness and displayed a little too many mistakes during the game. Food for thought and much to correct. But pre-season is precisely here for that reason.
Real Betis aim to provide their supporters with further success this season. The Benito Villamarín will be rocking once more and the club’s loyal supporters hope that the club can indeed build upon their success and achieve that much-yearned stability.
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