Betis' Relegation Zone Curse: Pellegrini's Men Floundering Against Bottom-Dwellers
Real Betis have dropped a whopping 11 points from 5 matches against teams in La Liga's relegation zone this season, severely damaging their European ambitions.
Betis’ European ambitions continue to be undermined by their bizarre inability to dispatch La Liga’s basement dwellers, with Pellegrini’s men repeatedly dropping points against relegation-threatened sides.
The Relegation Zone Curse
The numbers make for grim reading in the Benito Villamarín boardroom. From five matches against teams occupying the bottom three spots when facing Betis, Pellegrini’s squad has managed:
- 0 wins
- 4 draws
- 1 defeat
- 11 points dropped
It’s a proper mare for the Verdiblancos, who would be firmly in the Champions League conversation had they converted these fixtures into expected victories. Instead, they’ve repeatedly faltered against teams fighting for survival.
The Catalogue of Disappointment
The pattern began with back-to-back 2-2 and 1-1 draws against Levante and Valencia respectively - both away from home. The Valencia result particularly stung as Betis had taken the lead only to concede late on.
When Girona visited La Cartuja while languishing near the bottom, another 1-1 draw ensued. January brought more of the same with an identical scoreline at Carlos Tartiere against Oviedo.
Mendizorroza Misery
The situation worsened yesterday at Mendizorroza, where Betis suffered their second away league defeat of the season against an Alavés side occupying a relegation spot. This latest stumble cost them the chance to climb to fifth position and open a three-point gap over Celta.
Not Just About Fixture Congestion
Interestingly, this relegation zone bogey can’t simply be attributed to European fixture congestion. Two of the four draws came following international breaks, and the Oviedo stalemate occurred after a full week’s preparation. Only the Valencia draw and yesterday’s Alavés defeat came after midweek Europa League action.
Injury Crisis Not a Complete Excuse
While Pellegrini’s options have been severely limited by injuries to key players - with Bellerín, Ruibal, Junior, Amrabat, Isco, Lo Celso, Riquelme and Cucho all sidelined - this doesn’t fully explain their struggles against relegation-threatened opposition.
With a squad as deep and talented as Betis possess, these results against teams scrapping for survival represent a serious Achilles’ heel that could ultimately cost them their European dreams. Something’s gotta give, or it’ll be curtains for their top-four hopes.