Real Betis Balompié is now a Champions League team. A two-decade wait came to an end this Tuesday at La Cartuja thanks to a right-footed strike by Pablo Fornals that sealed the green-and-white club’s return to Europe’s top competition.
Under the guidance of Manuel Pellegrini, who continues to cement his legacy, Betis capitalized on Celta’s slip-up to secure a goal that seemed like a distant dream at the start of the season.
It was Pablo Fornals who scored the decisive 2-1 goal in front of more than 51,000 Betis fans packing La Cartuja.
This milestone should not be overlooked: Betis had not competed in the Champions League since the 2005/2006 season.
It has been 21 years since Assunçao scored the goal in Mallorca that led to Betis’ historic qualification for the Champions League.
