Antony's bench meltdown: Brazilian star kicks equipment after Betis defeat
Betis winger Antony couldn't hide his frustration after being subbed off during a poor performance against Alavés, with cameras catching his emotional reaction.
The Brazilian winger couldn’t contain his emotions after being hooked in Betis’ disappointing defeat at Mendizorroza, with cameras catching him kicking equipment and on the verge of tears.
Not His Night in Vitoria
Talk about having your cheddar turned, eh? Antony’s evening at Alavés was one to forget as Manuel Pellegrini’s Betis suffered a proper defeat at Mendizorroza. The Brazilian had forced himself to be available despite ongoing pubic problems that had kept him out of the Salonica trip, but his determination to help an injury-ravaged squad backfired spectacularly.
The usually silky number 7 looked well off the pace - struggling to make any meaningful impact as Betis found themselves two goals down after Toni Martínez doubled Alavés’ advantage early in the second half.
The Triple Switch and the Tantrum
Pellegrini, clearly not impressed with what he was seeing, didn’t hang about. The Chilean gaffer made three changes on 59 minutes, with Antony among those given the shepherd’s hook.
What followed was a proper strop that the cameras lapped up:
- Kicking sporting equipment that was on the ground
- Angrily throwing his gloves away
- Visibly muttering something while looking thoroughly hacked off
- At one point appearing close to tears with his head in his hands
The frustration seemed more self-directed than aimed at his manager’s decision - a player who knows he’s capable of much more having a right old barney with himself after a below-par showing.
Context of Crisis
The Brazilian’s meltdown encapsulated Betis’ difficult night perfectly. The Verdiblancos are dealing with an injury crisis that forced Antony to play through discomfort in the first place, and the defeat at Alavés will sting all the more because of their depleted resources.
Pellegrini now faces the challenge of lifting spirits in a squad that’s running on fumes, with Antony’s emotional reaction highlighting just how much pressure the players are feeling during this difficult patch.