Villarreal CF suffered their fourth consecutive La Liga defeat, losing 1-2 to Real Betis at La Cerámica. Manuel Pellegrini's side came from behind after an early Gerard Moreno goal to take all three points, a win the Chilean manager rated highly given the opponent and the venue.
After the match, Pellegrini outlined the keys to his team's victory. "It is not easy to create this amount of chances for a team like Villarreal here in their home," said the Betis boss. He acknowledged that despite dominating the second half with four or five clear opportunities, his team failed to convert them into more goals, though they maintained defensive solidity.
Betis's comeback
The match started with Villarreal taking the lead thanks to a Gerard Moreno goal in the 29th minute, assisted by Renato Veiga. However, Betis reacted before halftime. Cucho Hernández equalised in the 39th and Natan Bernardo de Souza completed the comeback just four minutes later, making it 1-2. Pellegrini considered the game "a great match" and was pleased that two teams committed to attacking football provided a spectacle.
Villarreal's situation
This defeat leaves Villarreal in a difficult league position. The Yellow Submarine sits 18th with just 2 points after five matchdays, with a record of zero wins, two draws, and three losses. Their recent form is concerning: LLLDD in their last five league games. Also, the team has conceded 10 goals while scoring only 7, for a -3 goal difference. They are 13 points behind leaders Barcelona.
With Juan Foyth confirmed out, the team must regroup quickly. The next fixture is a direct clash against 17th-placed Malaga away on September 17. Check the full schedule on our fixtures page and the squad status on squad.
Pellegrini, whose Betis faces three games this week including a Champions League tie, noted that Villarreal is a direct rival in the fight for top positions. The Betis manager relied on creative players like Fidalgo, Gio Lo Celso, Ceballos, and Isco to exploit the spaces left by a Villarreal side forced to take risks while chasing the game. Villarreal, for their part, created few chances, especially in the second half, after a first period with a couple of dangerous attacks. The team must now focus on ending their poor run against Malaga.
Background and full detail: Marca - Primera
