Real Betis Aims for Easy Victory Against Gent in Conference League

SEVILLE, Spain — Real Betis prepares to host Gent on February 20, 2025, for the second leg of their UEFA Conference League knockout round playoff at Estadio Benito Villamarin. After a convincing 3-0 victory in the first leg in Belgium, Betis significantly enters this match in a strong position.

Betis is just one win away from advancing to the round of 16, potentially facing either Chelsea or Vitoria de Guimaraes. The Spanish club’s triumph last week featured a dominant performance, including scoring within minutes of the second half’s start and solidifying their lead with further goals.

“We have to maintain our focus and confidence. We know that one more match can get us closer to our goal,” said a Betis spokesperson.

In their last league fixture, Real Betis secured a 3-0 win against 10-man Real Sociedad, ending a challenging streak that saw them go without a home win since October. Antony’s impressive performance included a goal, while substitutes added two more for a crucial victory, pushing Betis up to eighth in La Liga.

Despite league struggles, Betis has excelled in the Conference League, achieving three wins in four home games this season. They will look to extend their impressive home performance, especially as they hold a significant advantage from the first leg.

Track Record: Betis has only experienced a three-goal defeat once this season, in a heavy Copa del Rey loss to Barcelona. This record is encouraging for their upcoming matchup against Gent.

On the other hand, Gent enters the match after struggling in their prior performance. They hold a complicated position in their campaign, finishing 17th in the Belgian league last season. Gent made it to the quarter-finals in the 2022-23 Conference League but faced elimination in last year’s playoff by Maccabi Tel Aviv.

“With our recent form, we know it is a tall order. We will give everything we have to turn this around,” said a Gent representative.

The Belgian side comes off a 3-2 win over Beerschot, where they fought back from a two-goal deficit with a brace of penalties. However, Gent’s away form has been troubling, winning only one of their last 14 competitive matches on the road.

Gent’s prospects seem dashed given their away record in the tournament and the pressure of needing to recover a three-goal deficit in Spain. They will attempt to draw inspiration from their previous Conference League successes, but the challenge ahead is formidable.

In terms of squad news, Real Betis will be missing Roca and others due to injuries. Gent will also be without several key players sidelined for the knockout rounds.

The anticipated starting lineup for Real Betis includes Vieites; Sabaly, Bartra, Natan, and Perraud; Altimira and Cardoso; Antony, Avila, Ezzalzouli; and Bakambu. Gent is expected to field Roef; Mitrovic, Watanabe, and Torunarigha; Samoise, Ito, Lopes, Brown; Kums; and Vanzeir alongside Gudjohnsen.

While Gent needs a daring strategy to overcome their deficit, it might play into Betis’ hands. Most analysts predict that another dominant performance could propel the hosts into the next round of the Conference League.