Adrián San Miguel: 'La Cartuja Will Be a Cauldron' — Betis Captain Relishing Derby Week
Betis goalkeeper Adrián San Miguel opens up on Sunday's Seville derby at La Cartuja, Fidalgo's adaptation, and why no derby compares to this one.
Betis captain and Seville native Adrián San Miguel has made no secret of just how much Sunday’s derby means to him — and honestly, listening to the man talk about it, you can feel the buzz radiating off the page.
A Sevillano Through and Through
Adrián, 39, grew up bético to his bones. He lived through derbies in the academy, then with the first team, before heading off to England for a spell. Now back in Seville and approaching the twilight of his career, he’s got a perspective on this fixture that very few players can match. Last season he was part of the squad that beat Sevilla 2-1 at Villamarín, with goals from Cardoso and Cucho Hernández. This time round, it’s La Cartuja — and he’s absolutely buzzing for it.
La Cartuja Is Growing On Everyone
The temporary switch away from Villamarín hasn’t been without its teething problems, but Adrián reckons the fans are coming round to it:
- Betis have been pulling close to 60,000 for most home games there
- He’s confident Sunday will be a complete sell-out
- His view? Villamarín is irreplaceable, but La Cartuja is getting closer to that atmosphere with every big match
He wants the ground to feel like a home fortress — and a derby seems like the perfect occasion to make that point.
No Derby Compares — Not Even Merseyside
Adrián spent time in England and drew an interesting comparison with the Liverpool-Everton derby. His take was pretty clear: the Merseyside derby is a proper occasion, but the two clubs are rarely fighting for the same thing at the same time. In Seville, it doesn’t matter where either side sits in the table — the intensity is always the same, it’s always decided by fine margins, and crucially, it consumes the entire city before, during and after the match. He gave West Ham a mention too, but wasn’t exactly losing sleep over that comparison either.
Fidalgo Settling In Nicely
Adrián had warm words for new signing Álvaro Fidalgo, who lives close to the training ground and has been soaking up the derby atmosphere all week just by stepping outside. The captain’s assessment:
- Fidalgo has landed on his feet in the dressing room
- Hard-working, respectful, quality not in question
- Crucially, he’s already clocking how massive this fixture is
That kind of buy-in from a new arrival matters, and Adrián clearly rates him as a proper addition to the squad.
Where Betis Stand — and What They’re Dreaming Of
Betis currently sit fifth in La Liga and are eyeing fourth. Adrián was measured but ambitious — keep fifth, but why not dream of fourth? He acknowledged Sevilla are in a complicated spot institutionally, though their recent win has eased some of the relegation anxiety. Not that any of that changes what Sunday means.
Europa League? After Sunday, Mate
With the Europa League last-16 draw also on the horizon, Adrián was pretty blunt: the derby takes priority this week. Whoever Betis get in Europe, they’ll need to beat them anyway if they want to reach the final in Istanbul. The draw can wait — the focus is firmly on La Cartuja.
As he put it himself: “La Cartuja va a ser un hervidero” — and if you need that translated, you’re probably not ready for Sunday.