From Youth League heroics to Metropolitano: Rodrigo Marina's rapid rise at Betis
With Betis' striker crisis deepening through injuries and transfer market misses, 19-year-old academy star Rodrigo Marina gets his first-team chance against Atletico Madrid.
Betis’ striker crisis has reached boiling point with the Verdiblancos forced to turn to their youth ranks as injuries and transfer market failures leave them desperately short up top for their trip to the Spanish capital.
Striker search gone wrong
For months, the Seville club had been banging on about needing a proper centre-forward to provide competition for Chicho Hernández. But their January transfer window took an unexpected detour when several factors converged:
- Bakambu blocking his own exit
- Unconvincing offers for Chimy Ávila
- Lo Celso’s long-term injury
These setbacks saw Betis pivot to signing Álvaro Fidalgo instead, shelving plans for that much-needed number nine.
Injury crisis deepens
The situation’s gone from bad to worse, I’m afraid. The club had hoped Hernández would be fit by early February, eyeing last Thursday’s Copa clash with Atlético. But not only did the Colombian miss that quarter-final, he’s out for today’s match too, with serious doubts about his availability for next week’s trip to Mallorca.
To rub salt in the wound, Chimy Ávila has now joined him in the treatment room with a late fitness issue, leaving Betis’ attacking options looking proper thin on the ground.
Enter Marina: The youth sensation
With Bakambu – who hasn’t played a single minute since the club tried to ship him out in January – as the only recognised striker available (unless you count Ruibal or Pablo García as makeshift options), Pellegrini’s been forced to look to the academy.
Step forward Rodrigo Marina, the 19-year-old sensation from Plasencia, Cáceres, who’s been lighting up Betis’ reserve teams. The youngster, tied down until 2028, has:
- Scored 3 goals for the B team in Primera RFEF
- Netted an impressive 8 goals in the UEFA Youth League (making him the second-highest scorer in Europe’s premier youth competition)
- Just this week, bagged a hat-trick against Tottenham to send Betis into the last 16
Now the teenager gets his chance to travel with the first team to Madrid, dreaming of a potential La Liga debut at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano. Talk about being thrown in at the deep end – but that’s how the cream rises to the top, innit?