Deossa's Demolition Job: Colombian Colossus Sets La Liga Duel Record Against Getafe
Betis midfielder Nelson Deossa smashed the La Liga season record by winning 19 duels against Getafe, showing why the Verdiblancos splashed the cash on him last summer.
Betis’ Colombian Powerhouse Finally Finding His Feet
Nelson Deossa is starting to show exactly why Betis’ sporting director Manu Fajardo was so adamant about bringing him to Seville last summer. The Colombian midfielder put in an absolute masterclass against Getafe, delivering the kind of performance that makes scouts weak at the knees.
The standout stat? Deossa won a mind-boggling 19 duels out of 22 attempted - setting a new La Liga record for this season. To put that in perspective, he’s trumped previous benchmarks set by:
- Lucas Boyé (18 duels won vs Rayo)
- Ounahi (17 vs Athletic Club)
- Lamine Yamal and Abqar (16 each vs Alavés)
This wasn’t just some random stat padding either. The lad was absolutely running the show, completely dominating Bordalás’ men who couldn’t get near him all afternoon.
More Than Just Muscle
While the physical dominance catches the eye, Deossa’s all-round game was proper tidy. He recovered eight balls, made two interceptions, and cleared another couple. His distribution wasn’t half bad either - completing 32 passes from 39 attempts, with 12 of them being progressive.
Though we didn’t get to see that rocket of a left foot he possesses, he was constantly hovering around the Getafe box, giving their defenders the heebie-jeebies whenever he approached.
Pellegrini’s Praise
Manager Manuel Pellegrini was chuffed with his midfielder’s performance, acknowledging the adaptation period: “Nelson struggled to adapt to European football and had an ankle injury that set him back. But he’s been improving a lot and today he played a very complete match.”
Interestingly, former Betis favorite Sergio Canales - who played with Deossa at Monterrey in Mexico - was watching from the stands. Word is that Canales gave Betis nothing but glowing reports about the Colombian before they splashed the cash last summer.
Deossa was one of Betis’ most expensive signings of the summer window, second only to Antony, and performances like this suggest he might be worth every penny. After a slow start to life in Spain, the Colombian powerhouse is finally showing why Betis were so keen to get him on their dog and bone.