Antony equals Mbappe La Liga mark after latest star turn for Betis

Antony-Mbappe

Antony has continued his remarkable career resurgence at Real Betis by matching a leading La Liga mark for the season set by Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe. The Brazilian winger found the net again in Betis' 2-2 draw with Real Sociedad, proving that his difficult spell at Manchester United is now firmly in the rearview mirror.

Matching the elite in Spain

The former Manchester United winger has found his clinical edge since moving to La Liga, specifically becoming a specialist from distance. Following his opening goal at Anoeta, Antony has now equalled Kylian Mbappe as the player with the most goals scored from outside the box this season, with five each in La Liga competition. It is a statistic that highlights the confidence flowing through a player who struggled for consistency during his time in the Premier League.

Speaking after the draw against Sociedad, the Brazilian expressed his pride regarding his recent statistical achievements and his current form under Manuel Pellegrini. "Very happy. That is from a lot of work, as you have said, I have a lot of pride in what I have been doing. I owe much of that to my teammates too, and to the coach who has given me a lot of confidence. We keep moving forward," Antony told DAZN.

antony

Redemption after Man Utd struggles

After being labelled a 'flop' at Old Trafford following a high-profile move from Ajax, Antony’s move to Seville appears to have saved his career. The winger is no longer the erratic presence seen in England; instead, he has become the focal point of the Betis attack. He even admitted that this current campaign is the finest he has ever produced, despite some struggles with injury, finally justifying the potential he showed as a youngster in Amsterdam.

"First, happy for the season I am having. It is the best season. I feel very happy, proud," he said. "I know the sacrifices with which I have been playing. More than 20 games with discomfort, I always say that when I put on this shirt I sacrifice myself. I celebrated with Ruben (Cousillas) because it is his birthday. We have to focus now on Tuesday's game at home to get the three points."

Frustration at the Anoeta

Despite his personal success, the match against Sociedad ended with a sense of missed opportunity for Betis. The Verdiblancos held a two-goal lead before the Basque side fought back to secure a point, a result that leaves Betis only four points ahead of Celta Vigo in the race for European qualification. Antony was quick to acknowledge that he could have done more to kill the game off before the comeback began.

"I speak for myself. I had two opportunities in the first half that I had to score, because of the importance of this match the draw is not so bad, although it would be better to win. We have to turn the page. Today we leave a bit frustrated, sad, on Tuesday we have another very important game with our people. We are going to fight to win the match," he said.

Real Sociedad v Real Betis Balompie - LaLiga EA Sports

Eyes on a European finish

With three games remaining in the La Liga season, Betis are firmly in control of their own destiny as they chase a fifth-place finish. Two of those remaining fixtures will be played at the Benito Villamarin, starting with Elche on Tuesday, and Antony is calling for his team-mates to shift their focus immediately. The Brazilian believes the support of the home crowd will be essential to securing their objective.

"I think before the first goal from Real Sociedad there was already pressure from them. We have to turn the page. We leave very sad, frustrated, but on Tuesday we have a very important match with our people. We have to win. We are four points ahead of Celta. We have three games, two at home. We have to mentally prepare for these games and play well on Tuesday," Antony concluded.