Antony finds himself again

Antony is proving his worth at Real Betis.

On Europa League night at the Benito Villamarín stadium, the Brazilian once again proved why Manuel Pellegrini bet on him: a goal and an assist were enough to help Real Betis escape defeat against Nottingham Forest and confirm the return of a star who seemed to have faded.

The turning point from the Old Trafford obsession

Antony left Manchester United with the label of a “flop” worth 85.5 million pounds - the huge amount of money the “Red Devils” spent in 2022 to recruit from Ajax. His lackluster performances, criticized attitude and obscure days at Old Trafford made him a name often ridiculed. In fact, in the memories of many Premier League fans, Antony is just a symbol of waste and lack of direction in MU's transfer policy.

However, Spain opened another door. Betis loaned Antony last season, and he immediately found inspiration in football again. 9 goals, 5 assists in 26 games not only erased the image of a "redundant" at Old Trafford but also made Pellegrini decide to spend 21 million pounds to buy him. For Betis, it was a bargain. For Antony, it was a chance to be reborn.

Against Nottingham Forest, Betis started the game proactively and scored the opening goal. However, the Premier League representative - under the leadership of Ange Postecoglou - was not easy to defeat. Two sharp shots from striker Igor Jesus helped the visitors come back, and it seemed that Postecoglou would have his first European victory with Forest.

Antony shone in Real Betis' 2-2 draw with Forest in the Europa League.

But then Antony appeared. A smart positioning in the box, a neat finish into the net, and the score was level again. The goal not only saved Betis from defeat, but also served as a clear message: Antony was no longer a shadow of himself. He was enjoying a new chapter – one where trust, comfort and responsibility were in the right place.

Joe Cole, who watched the game on TNT, pointed out the key point: “When you know you should have won, the mentality becomes more fragile. Forest fell into that state and Antony took full advantage. The difference today was character and confidence.”

It was that “confidence” that Antony had lost at Old Trafford. He was booed and criticized as a player who only knew how to dribble without soul. But at Betis, the Brazilian player is proving that when his spirit is released, he can bring real value to the team.

Image of a returning star

Pellegrini took a gamble, and so far he has won. Antony has not only contributed goals and assists, but has also brought new energy to the Betis attack. He is willing to press, moves more intelligently off the ball and, most importantly, is willing to take responsibility in difficult moments.

The equalizer against Forest was not a moment of spontaneity, but a testament to progress. At Betis, Antony is not a name whose every touch is scrutinized, but a key factor in the European plans of an ambitious team that has always been considered an “underdog” in La Liga.

Antony is now the mainstay of Real Betis.

Antony may never have been a “money-making” signing for Manchester United, but at Betis he has rewritten the definition of his career. Every goal and every assist now not only helps Pellegrini’s team move forward, but also acts as a stroke of the pen to gradually erase the dark memories of Old Trafford.

Betis fans have reason to believe, and for Antony, the journey to find himself has truly begun. From “flop” to “hero”, from the ridiculed to the new hope, Antony’s revival story is a living proof of the magic that football brings: sometimes all it takes is a different environment, a new belief, a player who seemed to have passed his prime can explode again.

Source: https://znews.vn/antony-tim-lai-chinh-minh-post1588189.html