After making history by advancing past Panathinaikos in the round of 16, Real Betis, coached by Manuel Pellegrini, was knocked out of the Europa League by Portuguese side Braga following a 2-4 home defeat in the second leg at La Cartuja (3-5 aggregate). The Spanish team dominated the first half but collapsed in the second with key errors. Pellegrini described it as a 'very tough elimination' and understood fans' frustration.
Having overcome Panathinaikos to reach the quarterfinals for the first time, Real Betis hosted Braga at Estadio La Cartuja carrying a 1-1 first-leg draw and favored to make the semifinals. In the first half, the home side dominated: Antony scored in the 12th minute with a header from Abde's cross, and Abde made it 2-1 at the 26th after Fornals' run. Pau Víctor pulled one back for the Portuguese after a collision between Bartra and Llorente.
The second half turned nightmarish for Betis. Vítor Carvalho equalized early with a header from Horta's free kick, who then converted a penalty for Amrabat's foul on Tiknaz, making it 2-3. Jean-Baptiste Gorby sealed it at the 74th minute with a shot past Pau López's poor clearance. Braga held on and will face Freiburg in the semis.
Coach Manuel Pellegrini, clearly dejected, said: “It's a very tough elimination. It's hard to find explanations. We had a spectacular first half.” He pointed to errors like an unnecessary penalty and a header in the box, lamenting a lack of maturity: “It has been a very tough night, I understand the fans' annoyance.” The Chilean now eyes the league with seven games left to fight for a European spot.
