Real Betis Balompié suffered their first pre-season loss after falling to Granada in the Trofeo Ciudad de Granada. Manuel Pellegrini’s side, which had won its first two pre-season friendlies, dropped a narrow defeat marked by a straight red card to Natan in extra time.

What happened in the Granada friendly?

Betis started strongly. At the five-minute mark, Ángel Ortiz whipped in a low cross from the left wing and Gonzalo Petit outmuscled the Granada centre-backs only for Lizoain to palm the ball away. However, the hosts struck first before the quarter-hour: Pedro Alemañ delivered a lateral free-kick, Owen Mira rose above Ortiz to head past Diego Conde.

Betis fought back and fashioned several clear chances. Morante headed over from a corner and later a slick move involving Ortiz, Corralejo and Petit ended with Petit’s shot saved by another Lizoain stoppage. Pellegrini’s men kept pressing, and Ortiz forced another fine save from Lizoain after a run inside.

The controversy and the change that changed everything

Equality was shattered by an accidental clash. Diego Conde, making his first start, misjudged an interception and brought down teammate Diego Llorente, who lay dazed on the pitch. The goalkeeper, jarred by the collision, had to be withdrawn and play was halted for several minutes. From that moment Betis lost momentum and barely threatened before half-time.

After the interval Granada nearly doubled their lead when Chinaza’s shot clipped the crossbar. Natan, already booked twice for heavy challenges on Bellerín, saw his side run out of real chances to equalise.

Why this result matters for Real Betis Balompié

Pellegrini’s side arrives at pre-season with the Champions League as the priority. While flashes of quality appeared, the uneven display and defensive errors left doubts over their competitive level. The defeat, their first of the build-up, serves as a wake-up call ahead of the next friendlies and the start of the league campaign.

The club, which finished last season in fifth place on 60 points (15 wins, 15 draws and 8 losses), must tighten up before the league opener. The lack of cutting edge in the final third and errors in build-up play were the standout weaknesses.

What’s next for Betis?

Betis now turns to another friendly to keep refining. Pellegrini will review his starting eleven and the intensity in the opening minutes, where Granada struck first. The squad, with youngsters like Petit and Mira pushing for places, will get another chance to show their progress ahead of the 2026-27 season, which kicks off in August.