Antony Back on the Grass as Betis Gear Up for Rayo Clash
Antony returned to outdoor training on Thursday ahead of Betis's La Liga home game against Rayo Vallecano, easing concerns over his ongoing pubic issue.
Good news out of Seville — Antony is back on the pitch and should be fit to face Rayo Vallecano on Saturday, which is a proper boost for Pellegrini’s side as they look to keep their Champions League push ticking over.
Antony Makes His Return
The Brazilian winger has been managing a pubic pain issue for a few weeks now, which has meant a fairly carefully managed schedule — splitting his time between the gym at the Luis del Sol training ground and sessions with the rest of the squad. This Thursday, though, he was back out on the grass, and by all accounts there’s no reason to think he’ll miss the Rayo game at La Cartuja.
Pellegrini has been clear that it’s not a proper injury as such — more something that needs careful handling to keep the discomfort under control. So Betis’s medical staff are basically building a bespoke weekly plan around him, making sure he doesn’t aggravate things. It’s a fine line, but it seems to be working.
The Injury Room
With Antony back in the mix, Betis are down to three long-term absentees:
- Sofyan Amrabat – still in the early stages of his recovery, currently working in the Netherlands but expected back in Seville soon to step up his rehab
- Isco Alarcón – putting the work in daily at the training ground but not yet back on the actual pitch
- Giovani Lo Celso – still a few weeks away from returning after his muscle injury
Not ideal, obviously, but the squad has been getting on with it.
What’s at Stake Against Rayo
Saturday’s home game against Iñigo Pérez’s Rayo side matters quite a bit in the context of the table. Betis will be looking for three points to do a couple of things:
- Hold off the teams behind them — they’ve got a gap to protect
- Chip away at Atlético de Madrid’s lead — Atleti currently sit in the final Champions League spot, and the gap between them and Betis has grown
Villarreal didn’t help matters either, beating Levante to put seven points between themselves and Betis in the standings. So Pellegrini’s lot really need to be picking up maximum points in games like this one.
A home match against Rayo is absolutely winnable — and with Antony potentially back in the XI, there’s a bit more spark in that attack. Whether he starts or comes off the bench will probably depend on how he comes through Friday’s final training session, but even having him available is a result in itself.
Betis train again on Friday before the Saturday showdown. Keep an eye on that team sheet.