European Leagues

Antony: From Man Utd Struggle To Betis Hero

Real Betis had never made it past the quarter-finals of a European competition before reaching this season’s Conference League final

Such has been Antony’s impact on loan at Real Betis from Manchester United, the Spanish club’s players are seemingly willing to go to any lengths to keep the Brazilian winger.

“Antonio of Triana,” started the sinister-sounding message on the Instagram page belonging to Betis captain Isco. “We’re going to kidnap you: this is your first warning.”

It was not long before the second followed as former Betis winger Joaquin got in on the joke by adding: “If I have to provide the car to kidnap him, I will. However it happens, he has to stay.”

It is no wonder Betis want to keep hold of the 25-year-old.

Since his loan move from Old Trafford at the end of January, the Brazil international has helped transform the club’s season.

They moved from ninth in La Liga to sixth and a spot in the Europa League, with Antony also instrumental in taking them to their first European final – when they face Chelsea in the Conference League on Wednesday in Wroclaw, Poland.

‘We’ve seen him cry, we’ve seen him laugh – Betis fans love that’
In 25 matches since he joined, Betis have won 13 and drawn eight, losing only four. Their 51 goals in that time is at a rate of better than two a game and Antony has directly contributed to 14 of them, with nine goals and five assists, including scoring in both legs of the dramatic semi-final victory over Fiorentina.

Betis won 4-3 on aggregate after extra time as Antony, who had grabbed the winner in a 2-1 first-leg home win, netted a wonderful free-kick in Florence and then created the decisive goal for Abde Ezzalzouli to leave Betis on the brink of club history and a first European trophy.

“Antony is already a hero in Betis,” said Spanish football expert and BBC Sport columnist Guillem Balague. “They love a player that’s a bit different, or one that has struggled and finds happiness in Seville.

“Seville is a place for bull fighters. They like the bull fighter that goes off script and does things his own way – and Antony is that kind of player so they absolutely love him. He has been effective and taken the team to another level.

“Betis have given the man love and confidence, played him in the right position and played him all the time. He has been absolutely brilliant and he has been emotional.

“We saw a very cold guy at United, since he has gone to Betis and things have been working, we’ve seen him cry, we’ve see him laugh and Betis fans love that.”

‘I couldn’t take it any more’ – Antony on Man Utd struggles
Antony was one of the first signings made by Erik ten Hag when he became the United manager in 2022, after the pair had won successive Dutch Eredivisie titles together at Ajax.

The fee of £81.3m (95m euros, rising to a potential 100m euros), meant Antony became the second most expensive player in United history – behind Paul Pogba.

It began well. Antony played 44 games in 2022-23, scoring eight goals with three assists, and started in United’s Carabao Cup final win over Newcastle.

In the following campaign 17 of his 38 appearances come as a substitute, and he was an unused sub in the FA Cup final win over Manchester City. That downturn continued in 2024-25, with him not starting a Premier League match before his move to Spain.

“I couldn’t take it any more,” said Antony earlier this week in an emotional interview with TNT Sports Brazil.

“I wasn’t happy, I didn’t feel that desire to play football, and I needed to find myself and be happy again. Playing football was always something I loved – I went through difficult times when I no longer felt that pleasure.”

In his last 44 games for Manchester United in the Premier League, Antony registered three goal involvements (one goal, two assists). He only needed four La Liga matches to beat that, scoring twice and making another two goals

Then United manager Ten Hag said in January last year that Antony’s form had been impacted by off-field issues.

The Brazilian was the subject of a police investigation after allegations of domestic abuse were made against him by three women. He denied the allegations, spoke to Greater Manchester Police voluntarily and was not arrested or charged in either Brazil or the UK.

Antony said his unhappiness affected his family life, describing the period as “very hard days for me”.

He added: “I was at home, not having the strength to even play with my son, going days without eating, staying locked in my room.

“It was very complicated, but thank God, with the help of my family and mainly with the help of God, I managed to get ahead and today I am very happy here.”

However, Balague does not expect Betis to be able to keep Antony because of the transfer fee United would demand.

“Manchester United won’t sell for less than 50m euros and Betis will be in Europe, but I think Antony belongs at Champions League level,” Balague told BBC Sport.

“They are going into the final with the idea of having nothing to lose. They’re in their first final, have a lot of quality, compete really well, battle for everything, follow the ideas of [coach Manuel] Pellegrini and their best players are reaching their best level.

“They are a formidable team, but Chelsea are favourites. Betis should enjoy the last minutes with Antony because he probably won’t stay.”

‘Antony doesn’t fit Amorim’s system’

Antony’s loan move has worked in one sense, he has impressed and now clubs will be much more likely to be keen on signing him – Real Betis would clearly like to have him back.

However, his wages remain high for a club like Betis, so whether he goes back there depends on a deal being done – either with the Brazilian over a wage reduction, or United to offer some kind of subsidy.

The real problem is the price tag if it comes to a permanent sale.

It is fairly obvious the club has no chance of getting the £81.3m they paid for him back. He still has two years left on his initial five-year contract, so for amortisation purposes, United still need to sell him for £32.52m – otherwise they make a loss.

Quite aside from his poor form since joining from Ajax, as a wide player, Antony doesn’t fit Ruben Amorim’s system. We know there are going to be huge changes at Old Trafford this season, it is impossible to think Antony will still be at the club after the transfer window closes on 1 September.

As with many United players this summer, the key is how quickly a deal can be done – and how much it will cost.

Bbc.com

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Arne Slot Confirms Mohamed Salah Is ‘Always In My Mind’ Amid Liverpool Absence

Mohamed Salah sitting on Liverpool bench during Premier League match

Liverpool boss Arne Slot has addressed the speculation surrounding Mohamed Salah, admitting that the Egypt forward is “always in my mind” despite being left out of the last two starting line-ups.

Salah, 33, has had a slow start to the Premier League season, scoring just four goals, and has played only 45 minutes across the last two games. The forward’s omission from the starting XI has sparked talk of a potential Saudi Pro League move, though Salah recently signed a two-year contract extension with Liverpool in April.

Slot Explains Salah Situation

“I think for every player in my mind can start and Mo is an exceptional player for us,” Slot said. “He is always in my mind to either start or to come off the bench.”

Salah played a starring role last season, scoring 29 goals as Liverpool lifted the Premier League in Slot’s first campaign. However, he was an unused substitute in Liverpool’s 2-1 win at West Ham and again came off the bench in the 1-1 draw at home to Sunderland.

Slot acknowledged the chatter around Salah’s absence, saying:

“The chatter, yes because he deserves that, he has been so influential for me and six or seven years. It’s completely normal people talk about it when he isn’t playing.”

Van Dijk Weighs In

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk also commented, highlighting that no player at the club has “unlimited credit”:

“He is still a fantastic player and we still have to remember there is a reason why he has been so successful at the club and we have to respect that. I need him around as one of the leaders. He’s disappointed but that’s absolutely normal. It’s always been the case that no one is undroppable.”

This statement underscores the high standards at Liverpool, even for one of their most prolific stars.

Liverpool’s Current Form

The Reds are currently ninth in the Premier League, 11 points behind leaders Arsenal, having won just two of their nine league games. Salah’s presence will be crucial as Liverpool look to regain momentum, with their next game set against Leeds United.

While fans debate Salah’s place in the squad, both Slot and Van Dijk emphasize that he remains central to Liverpool’s ambitions, both on the pitch and in the dressing room.

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Premier League

‘Frustrated And Angry’ – Ruben Amorim Lets Rip At Man Utd After Throwing Away Lead Against West Ham

'I'm Frustrated' - Amorim Laments As Man Utd Lose Again

Manchester United had a golden opportunity to climb into the Premier League’s top five — but instead, they left Old Trafford with more frustration, more questions, and a visibly angry Ruben Amorim.

Diogo Dalot’s second-half strike should have been the start of a comfortable win. Instead, it became another night where United looked unsure, unfocused, and unable to kill off an opponent fighting for survival.

And Amorim?
He did not hide his feelings one bit.

United Drop Points… Again

United were coming off a shock defeat to 10-man Everton, and this was supposed to be the perfect response. Facing 18th-placed West Ham — a team with just one away win all season — many expected a bounce-back.

But things didn’t go as planned.

The Red Devils struggled to create clear chances, Bruno Fernandes couldn’t pull the strings, and 19-year-old Ayden Heaven looked shaky in his first Premier League start before being taken off at half-time.

West Ham stayed patient, stayed organised, and took their chance when it came.
Soungoutou Magassa pounced late in the game, smashing home from a corner to make it 1-1.

Old Trafford went silent.
Amorim, however, did not.

Amorim: “We Should Have Closed The Game Out”

The United manager could not hide his disappointment after the match.

“We lost control after the first goal,” he said. “We stopped winning second balls. We defended too far from our goal. We had the game under control and we didn’t win. That is frustrating and that is why I am angry.”

He went further on BBC Match of the Day:
“We should have closed the game with the ball. The game was there to win. We had our moments but we lost control. After the goal, we were sloppy. It’s really frustrating.”

For a manager who prides himself on structure, the collapse in control clearly hit a nerve.

The Heaven-Yoro Decision

Amorim raised eyebrows by starting Ayden Heaven and dropping Leny Yoro. But after Heaven collected an early yellow card and struggled against Callum Wilson, the manager had no choice but to make a switch.

“Of course it was the yellow card,” Amorim explained. “One more foul and it could be another yellow. We also needed him for set pieces. We have to be smarter.”

It was a risky gamble that didn’t pay off — but it wasn’t the main reason United failed to take all three points.

Dalot: “The Game Was Ours To Win”

Dalot, who scored United’s goal, echoed his manager’s frustration.

“We cannot get anxious after scoring,” he said. “We became sloppy with the ball. We knew West Ham would look for counters and set pieces, and it was more our fault than anything they did.”

United have now taken just two points from their last three Premier League games at Old Trafford — and the pressure continues to grow.

Sports Market International Verdict

This is the kind of match top-five teams win without stress. But instead, Manchester United once again handed the momentum back to a relegation-fighting opponent.

From missed chances to lack of control to late lapses, the problems are becoming predictable — and the excuses are becoming fewer.

If the Red Devils want to climb back into the elite category, these are the games they simply must win.

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Premier League

Man Utd Are Spiralling – And Only Have Themselves To Blame For Predictable WSL Struggles

Manchester United Women looking dejected during a WSL match

At the start of the season, everything looked like a fairytale for Manchester United Women. They were unbeaten in their first seven WSL games, they were in the Women’s Champions League proper for the first time ever, and momentum was firmly on their side.

Fast-forward a few weeks, and suddenly the Red Devils are battling to stop a worrying slide — with three defeats in four games knocking the confidence out of a team that once looked ready to challenge the very best.

But here’s the truth:
United’s struggles were predictable — and the club only has itself to blame.

A Bright Start Masked a Big Problem

That early-season high was impressive, no doubt. United were dealing with a crisis-level injury list, with 10 senior players unavailable before October. Marc Skinner often had only two senior outfield players on the bench, yet somehow managed to guide the team through Champions League qualifiers, secure three wins in the league phase, and remain unbeaten in the WSL.

It was admirable.
It was brave.
It was also unsustainable.

Depth? What Depth?

Their recent 3-0 demolition in the Manchester derby exposed the obvious: United simply do not have the squad depth to compete on two major fronts.

Even though City have injury concerns of their own, they still looked fresher, sharper and more prepared. The difference?
No Champions League schedule dragging them through two games a week.

It’s not just United suffering, either. Arsenal, another Champions League side, are facing similar challenges. The reality across Europe is clear:
Small squads struggle. Big squads survive. Elite squads thrive.

Barcelona can get away with using the same number of players as United because their starting XI is stacked with world-class talent. United? Not quite.

When You Can’t Train, You Can’t Improve

The problem goes beyond injuries and rotation.

As Skinner said earlier in the season:
“You can’t coach much.”

With games coming fast and recovery time eating into training sessions, there’s less time to fix tactical issues or build new patterns of play. Everything becomes reactive instead of proactive.

This isn’t noticeable when the team is winning — but the moment form dips, it becomes a mountain to climb.

United’s current rut isn’t caused by one bad performance.
It’s the result of weeks and months without the space needed to improve.

So, What Now For Man Utd Women?

The Red Devils are now seven points off the pace in the WSL and desperately need strong results in their final Champions League matches to advance.

Skinner will continue to demand more.
The players will continue to fight.
But unless United finally build a squad designed for both domestic and European battles, seasons like this will repeat themselves.

The spiral didn’t come from nowhere — it came from predictable, avoidable cracks that are now impossible to ignore.