Real Betis Balompié returned to the Champions League on Monday after a 21-year absence. The Seville-based team faced Lille at the Stade Pierre Mauroy at 21:00, a match broadcast on Movistar Liga de Campeones 3 and officiated by Bulgarian referee Georgi Kabakov, with Bram Van Driessche as VAR.
How did Betis reach this Champions League?
The last time Betis played in Europe's top competition was on 6 December 2005, a 0-1 loss to Anderlecht at the Benito Villamarín. That date was 7,581 days before Monday's match. That season, after that elimination, the club fought to avoid relegation and only secured safety on the penultimate matchday. The then-president, Manuel Ruiz de Lopera, celebrated that Anderlecht match excessively and did not return to the directors' box for nearly two years. Lopera resigned in June 2006, left the club in 2009 after two relegation threats, and sold it to Luis Oliver in July 2010, a shady businessman whom the members eventually ousted after a lengthy legal process.
The change came in September 2015, when Ángel Haro and José Miguel López Catalán took control of the club. According to the Mundo Deportivo report, Betis's best years have come since the arrival of this board and Chilean manager Manuel Pellegrini. Under Pellegrini, Betis has qualified for European competitions for six consecutive seasons, the latest being for this Champions League.
What lineup did Betis field?
Pellegrini lined up Álvaro Valles in goal. The defense consisted of Héctor Bellerín, Marc Bartra, Natan, and Junior. In midfield, Facundo Bernal and Pablo Fornals played, with Antony, Isco, and Rodrigo Riquelme supporting striker Troy Parrott. Two important new faces in the squad were the inclusion of Dani Ceballos and Giovani Lo Celso for the first time this season. Goalkeeper Diego Conde also returned to the group.
However, the team had several absences. Ez Abde was omitted again, while Diego Llorente remained in Seville as a precaution due to the potential need for a protective mask. Iker Losa was excluded for tactical reasons and Aitor Ruibal is still in the final stages of his preparation. You can check the full status of the squad on our page.
What is the team's current context?
Betis arrives at this European match in good form. They are fourth in La Liga with 9 points, from 3 wins and 1 loss in their first four games, with a record of 5 goals scored and 5 conceded. Their recent form is WLWW, which includes an agonizing victory over Real Madrid. That win was their third in the first four matchdays, putting the team in podium positions. Right now, Betis is 3 points behind leaders Barcelona and has a seven-point lead over Villarreal, their direct rival for fourth and fifth places. Their next league fixture is precisely against Villarreal, on 14 September.
What does this return mean for the club?
This return to the Champions League closes a cycle of more than two decades marked by institutional and sporting instability. Lopera's phrase, "Lopera baja al campo y mete un gol" (Lopera goes down to the pitch and scores a goal), symbolizes a bygone era of personal protagonism. The current era, with Haro, López Catalán, and Pellegrini, has brought stability and sustained growth. Qualification for this Champions League is the standout achievement of this project.
The team now faces a season packed with matches, aiming to consolidate itself in Europe and in the league. The match against Lille is just the first step in a European adventure that fans have been waiting for since 2005. The squad, with players like Isco and the addition of Ceballos and Lo Celso, has the necessary experience to compete on this stage. The next challenge is on Sunday, 14 September, with a visit to La Cerámica to face Villarreal.
