Brazilian winger Antony has found fresh motivation since joining Real Betis on loan and head coach Manuel Pellegrini says the 25-year-old arrived in Spain determined to prove himself.
Antony was signed by Manchester United for €100 million from Ajax but managed just five Premier League goals in two-and-a-half seasons.
However, he has already matched that tally in 17 LaLiga appearances for Betis. He has also netted four goals in the club’s impressive Conference League run, ahead of Wednesday’s final against Chelsea.
Speaking ahead of the final in Wrocław, Poland, Pellegrini explained how Antony came to Betis with a point to prove.
“I spoke with him before he came to Betis. He told me that he was not playing because he was not happy, but he had a lot of complaints about what he has done also.
“He wanted revenge and here in Betis I think he had it and he did it in the way we know he can do because it’s not easy for you to play as a 100-million player.
Antony was doing some Joga Bonito during the final training session ahead of the Final vs Chelsea! 🇧🇷🌟 pic.twitter.com/G76PSzKIGY
— The Touchline | Football Coverage (@TouchlineX) May 27, 2025
“And Antony is a very good player. I am absolutely sure that this is a huge time for him here in Betis to help improve his career.”
Antony’s resurgence has brought a fresh spark to Betis, but his long-term future remains up in the air.
The Spanish club have expressed their wish to keep the Brazil international permanently, though financial hurdles could prevent that from happening.
While Betis operate on a limited budget, their Conference League final opponents Chelsea are in a different financial league. Still, Pellegrini is confident that his team can compete on an equal footing.
“We don’t think that we are David and Goliath,” said the Betis boss.
“I think that tomorrow we’ll have exactly the same possibility to win the game. We are going to start from the first minute to try to do it.
“It doesn’t matter how much budget one team or the other team has. In 90 minutes on the pitch, we will have exactly the same chance to win that game.”
Betis has a long history in Spanish football, winning La Liga in 1934-35 and lifting the Copa del Rey three times – the latest in 2022. However, European silverware has so far eluded them, with this final marking the first time they’ve gone beyond the quarter-finals of any European competition.
