After a torrid time at Manchester United, Brazilian winger Antony is looking to rehabilitate his reputation away on loan at Real Betis. Having played only two games in Spain so far, things are going well and his latest performance has earned plenty of praise from local media.
Antony left Old Trafford in January, with his status unfortunately secured as one of the biggest Premier League flops ever. Following an £86 move from Ajax in 2022, the 24-year-old mustered just 12 goals and five assists in 96 appearances across all competitions.
That said, Man United obviously felt there was something special about the player to spend so much money on him in the first place, and Real Betis have already enjoyed a few glimpses of that apparent quality.
On debut, he was handed the Man of the Match award for his efforts during the 2-2 draw with Athletic Bilbao. He also played a key role in the first goal, with his initial shot being saved allowing Isco to tap in the rebound. On a personal note, things got even better against Celta Vigo this weekend.
Antony Shines vs Celta Vigo
Two tackles, two shots, one goal
Once more, starting at right-wing for Betis, Antony earned yet another Man of the Match award. He lasted 72 minutes – the exact same amount of action he saw on debut – but opened his goalscoring account vs Celta Vigo.
His first goal for his loan club came in the 10th minute of the match, with the Brazilian keeping his cool to slot a fine left-footed finish into the far corner to put Betis 1-0 up. Although his side would ultimately lose the game 3-2, the winger can hold his head up high.
He finished the game with a 7.0 SofaScore rating, having managed two shots on target (100% accuracy) and completing 22/29 passes with 45 touches. He also worked hard defensively, with two tackles, while winning four out of eight attempted duels.
Related
Man United Have ‘Inserted Unique Clause’ in Real Betis’ Deal to Sign Antony
United want Antony to get as much game time as possible on loan and may have found a way to ensure that happens.
“Very magical”
In particular, the press seemed to be impressed by the technique he used to adjust his body and then generate enough power to finesse the ball into the back of the net for his first La Liga goal. El Desmarque wrote:
“Antony’s incredible ankle twist: a great goal full of quality in Balaidos. Antony has fallen to his feet at Betis.”
Along a similar vein, Spanish outlet AS loved the finish, noting: “Betis is excited and Antony responds: the gesture he makes with his ankle is very magical.”
Cope also praised the goal, writing: “Great goal from the Brazilian, who places the ball away from Guaita’s reach with a subtle touch, after a very good attack play by Betis.”
Finally, El Desmarque went into more detail about the specifics of Antony’s performance, writing:
“His extraordinary ankle turn defines him as a soccer player and the enormous resources he has. He started with strength, although with the passing of the minutes, he lowered the piston and was less accurate with the ball.”
It’s been an exciting start to life on loan for Antony. However, fans may well remember that he managed to score one goal in each of his first three Premier League outings, before then finding the back of the net just twice more in his following 59 games. With that in mind, he will need to show greater consistency if he is to be a true hit in La Liga.
Stats via SofaScore and Transfermarkt – correct as of 09.02.25
About Author
