Controversial defeat

Playing a match with ten players from the twentieth minute is incredibly challenging. If the expulsion is particularly harsh, it becomes even more difficult. Moreover, if a penalty is awarded that shouldn’t have been, even if your goalkeeper makes the save, it’s evident that gaining a positive result on a tough away ground will be an uphill battle. Gil Manzano was not at his best tonight, and as a result, Real Sociedad couldn’t find their rhythm either. The final score was a 3-0 defeat and a lot of frustration.

The match began on equal terms until the referee made the controversial decision to send off Zubeldia, a choice that was, at best, debatable. This decision impacted the entire game for a Real team that was already fatigued. Soon after, Gil Manzano awarded a dubious penalty, which Remiro saved from Lo Celso. Real had to regroup and stretch themselves as best they could. In one of the rare chances, Sučić nearly found the net with a powerful shot that struck the top corner of the goal. The visitors managed to hold their ground well throughout the first half.

At the start of the second half, following a corner kick, Antony found the back of the net, complicating the situation significantly. Marc Roca quickly scored twice in just three minutes, effectively deciding a match that was heavily influenced by the referee's decisions. To make matters worse, Imanol's side finished the game with nine players after Becker received a straight red card for a late, albeit unintentional, challenge, which was justifed. In the final moments of the match, Jon Martín hit the post with a header from a corner kick.

This league loss hinders the txuri urdin chances of moving up the standings. It's being a challenging year in LaLiga, but the realistas need to continue battling since the competition is extremely tight. Now, the focus shifts to securing a spot in the UEFA Europa League Round of 16. Looking forward to seeing you on Thursday at the Reale Arena.

Match sheet:

Real Betis: Adrián, Ortiz (Ruibal, min.73), Bartra (cap), Llorente, Rodríguez, Cardoso, Lo Celso (Roca, min.46), Isco (Vitor Roque, min.82), Jesús (Ávila, min.73), Antony and Cucho (Bakambu, min.73).

Real Sociedad: Remiro, Aramburu (Martín, min.59), Zubeldia, Aguerd, Aihen (Javi López, min.46), Zubimendi, Sučić (Zakharyan, min.76), Brais Méndez (Aritz, min.25), Sergio Gómez, Oyarzabal (cap)(Marín, min.59) and Becker.

Goals: 1-0: Antony, min.51. 2-0: Roca, min.64. 3-0: Roca, min.69.

Referee: Gil Manzano. Booked Aihen for Real Sociedad. Zubeldia was sent off with a straight red card in the 20th minute, and Becker received his red card in the 75th minute.