ANDhe Real Betis Balompie has a date with history tonight in the Deutsche Bank Park from Frankfurt. Never to date has he managed to reach the quarterfinals of the UEFA Europa League (he got it twice in the Cup Winnersin 1978 and 1998) and they have not been able to come back from a tie in a continental tournament after losing the first leg at their stadium (with only one precedent, against Chelsea a quarter of a century ago).
In front of Eintracht will have the opportunity to bury this double statistic and get into the top eight of the tournament, prolonging its status as the only Spanish team that continues well into March in all three competitions. Although for this, he will have to offer his best version against an offensive, vertical team that arrives at the match at its best moment of the season, after two consecutive victories in the Bundesliga.
those of Oliver Glasnerwhich except for ache has almost all of its squad ready for the match (the only doubt is Lindström, who trained at a slower rate yesterday), they hope not to regret the very clear goal chances they missed in the second half of their visit to Benito Villamarin last Thursday, including a penalty saved by Claudio Bravo. Because in Europeleaving a rival alive can end up taking a heavy toll.
Especially if, as is the case, during the season they have proven to be a team that was more comfortable and achieved better results away from their stadium than at home. Or if the one in front is a team with the potential of the Betiswho has accumulated no less than 14 away victories in all competitions this season and who, with the change in the regulations regarding goals in the opposite field, only winning the game would serve as a minimum to secure extra time, after 1 -2 of the first leg.
With a lot at stake
for those of Pellegrinirecover last Sunday the path of victories against Athletic It was an important relief and the example to cling to to dream of a historic comeback. And not only because of what it would mean on a sporting level, in a season that is on the way to being one of the best in the entity’s more than 110 years of life, if not the best, but because of the economic impact on the club, adding 1.8 million euros to its box office and at least one more box office in the continental competition.
A long-awaited qualification for the quarterfinals that will depend a lot on the inspiration of players like Fekirmotivated after what happened with Muniain and that will prevent him from playing the next two games of League of your team, and Channels, between cottons by a fissure in a toe of a foot. And without a doubt, with the solidity of a defensive line to which it points Edgar… and to which I could return bellerin, who has just come out of a muscle injury. The comeback operation Betis arrives at his D-day.
