In a seismic shift for Andalusian football, Real Betis have broken a six-year curse, defeating arch-rivals Sevilla 2-0 at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán Stadium for the first time since 2018. The hero of the hour was midfielder Pablo Fornals, whose moment of individual brilliance sealed a historic victory for Manuel Pellegrini's side in the 144th Seville derby.
Fornals' Magic Breaks the Deadlock
On a Sunday afternoon fraught with tension and a lengthy stoppage, the match was crying out for a moment of quality. It arrived in spectacular fashion from former West Ham United player Pablo Fornals. Capitalising on a catastrophic error from Sevilla's Batista Mendy, Fornals embarked on a mesmerising run, weaving past three defenders with two deft cut-backs that left César Azpilicueta and Kike Salas sprawling on the turf, before coolly slotting past goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos.
"I've watched it back a few times," Fornals admitted post-match. "Because I remembered robbing the ball but not the cut-backs and all that stuff." His teammates and the 600 travelling Betis fans crammed into the south-east corner certainly did, erupting in celebration as the ball hit the net.
A Derby Marred by Delay and Absent Stars
The victory was all the more impressive given Betis's crippling absentee list. In a devastating 24-hour period before the match, the club lost three key players. Playmaker Isco, just back from a four-month injury, was accidentally booted by teammate Sofyan Amrabat in training, ruling both out. Meanwhile, winger Antony saw his appeal against a red card rejected, leaving him suspended.
The Brazilian was reduced to tears upon hearing the news, describing the derby as "the most important game of the year." He watched from an executive box before joining the wild pitchside celebrations at full-time, even placing a Betis flag around the shoulders of match-winner Fornals.
The match itself was far from a classic, with a dire first half giving way to chaos in the second. Play was suspended for 15 minutes after objects were thrown onto the pitch, forcing both teams to retreat to the dressing rooms. When they returned, a significantly emptied stadium saw Sergi Altimira seal the points with a well-taken second goal after a set-piece.
Pellegrini's Tactical Triumph and Sevilla's Deepening Crisis
For Betis manager Manuel Pellegrini, who recently extended his contract for two more years, this was a significant personal milestone—his first derby win at the Sánchez-Pizjuán. His ability to find a solution despite missing his creative heartbeat was telling. "There is no A team and no B team," he stated, emphasising the squad's depth.
The contrast with Sevilla could not be starker. Coach Matías Almeyda confessed to being at a loss, saying, "I can't and shouldn't express [my thoughts]" when asked for solutions. His team, operating with La Liga's lowest salary limit, looked devoid of ideas. Local paper Diario de Sevilla brutally noted defender José Ángel Carmona played as if "driving around London," a damning indictment of his static performance.
The result leaves Sevilla languishing in 13th place, while Betis solidify their position in the European chase. For Pablo Fornals, lauded as a "New King" by the Spanish press and receiving a social media tribute from the watching Isco who put himself "at your feet," it was a night to tell his children about. "This is a real high," he beamed. "I don't know if my kids saw it, but tomorrow, I'll tell them all about the battle." The battle, for now, is decisively won by the green and white half of Seville.
