Ruibal shines as Betis family affair sees off Villarreal

Betis took another step towards European qualification with a solid victory over high-flying Villarreal, with Aitor Ruibal once again proving to be the Yellow Submarine’s nemesis.

Ruibal: Betis’ secret weapon

The versatile Catalan was absolutely mustard down the right flank, combining defensive solidity with attacking threat. He opened the scoring with an opportunistic finish - his third career goal against Villarreal, who must be sick of the sight of him by now.

Ruibal, who’s reinvented himself as a right-back after spending most of his career as a forward, spoke about the team’s performance with pride: “Hemos jugado en familia, todos juntos, ante un rival complicado.”

That family spirit he mentions was on full display as Betis put in a proper shift against one of this season’s surprise packages.

European dreams gathering momentum

The victory puts Betis in a strong position in their hunt for European football:

• They’ve now secured the head-to-head advantage over Villarreal
• They’ve closed the gap on Espanyol, who dropped points yesterday
• The comeback win earlier in the week has clearly boosted confidence

It was a proper six-pointer, as they say, and Pellegrini’s men knew exactly what was at stake.

Ruibal’s remarkable transformation

What’s particularly impressive about Ruibal is how he’s adapted to his new role. Despite spending most of his career as a forward, he’s now played more games at right-back than in any other position.

“I’m comfortable there, still learning,” he explained after the match, showing the kind of attitude that makes him such a valuable squad member. The bloke’s not fussed where he plays - he just wants to help the team win points.

And if you’re wondering about that celebration? It was dedicated to his little’un, who apparently has a thing for crabs at the moment. Proper family man, on and off the pitch.