Goalkeeper Diego Conde is fit and will travel with Real Betis Balompié to France for their Champions League debut on Tuesday. According to Info Real Betis, the keeper, on loan from Villarreal, has been medically cleared after overcoming the physical issue he suffered in preseason against Granada.
Conde completed an individualized work plan with the club's rehabilitation staff to regain his physical sharpness. His return to full training with the goalkeeper group in recent sessions convinced the coaching staff he is ready. His inclusion in the squad for the match against Lille marks his first official call-up since arriving at Heliópolis.
Diego Conde's recovery provides Manuel Pellegrini with a reliable alternative in goal for a demanding competition. The Chilean manager now has a proven goalkeeper on the bench, increasing internal competition and squad depth. Conde returns at a key moment, as Betis makes its return to the top European competition after several years.
The keeper's comeback adds to the returns of other important players who were also sidelined. Dani Ceballos, Giovani Lo Celso, and Ez Abde have overcome their respective issues and are available for Pellegrini. This wave of nearly simultaneous recoveries allows the coach to approach the start of the Champions League with a broader tactical range. The availability of these players, whose detailed profiles are in the squad section, completely changes the team's options for the match at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy.
Tuesday's match marks the continental return for Real Betis Balompié. The Sevillian side will face a Lille team that finished high in Ligue 1 last season. For Betis, this is the first match of a group stage they aim to progress from. The squad, strengthened in the summer, has the ambition to make a strong impression from the first minute. The status of the group standings can be followed in our standings section once the competition begins.
Manuel Pellegrini has emphasized in press conferences the importance of "arriving with the best possible pieces for a historic date." With the squad almost at full strength, the goal is to start with a positive feeling on French soil. The team's next fixture after the trip to Lille is on Sunday in LaLiga, against Valencia at the Benito Villamarín.
