Betis and Girona played to a 1-1 draw in a tense two-legged duel. Girona, who entered the final match of 2023 as leaders, now depend on Real Madrid’s results in Vitoria to decide their fate. The Catalans were the better side in the first half and took the lead, but Betis answered decisively near the end. A goal from Argentine defender Germán Pezzella leveled the score.
The Brazilian-born Spaniard Artem Dovbyk opened the scoring for Girona with a well-placed penalty in the 39th minute, but the youngster Pezzella struck back two minutes before the final whistle after a corner kick confusion, sending the ball across the goal line to even things up. The bout featured intense duels over loose balls and disciplined defending, with the set-piece battle proving crucial in the late stages.
Enthusiasm surrounded Benito Villamarín as Betis showcased a strong home record in La Liga (five wins and three draws) and complemented it with an impressive away record for Girona (seven wins and one draw). Both teams, despite some defeats, carried six and seven points respectively in their tallies, highlighting the ongoing balance at the summit of the table.
Manuel Pellegrini’s Betis side faced the challenge of several absences, including their primary playmaker, Isco Alarcón, which led to five changes from the previous 0-0 draw in San Sebastián. Héctor Bellerín, Juan Miranda, Andrés Guardado, Rodri Sánchez, and Assane Diao entered the starting XI, while Rodri filled in defensively in a high-pressing system designed to disrupt Girona’s fluid, vertical game. Girona arrived with a plan built on contact and rapid transitions, forcing Betis to adapt at various moments in the first half.
Michél Sánchez’s Girona controlled possession and pressed aggressively, relying on quick combination play, smart off-ball movement, and timely steals. However, the Catalans found it challenging to manufacture truly dangerous chances early on, especially after Bellerín’s injury altered Betis’s dynamics and required a quick switch to Aitor Ruibal in the hours that followed.
Midway through the first period, Betis created chances through bursts of pace, including a strong curling effort from Diao and a late run from Willian José that began with a rebound following Gazzaniga’s initial save. Willian José’s long-range effort was first blocked by Gazzaniga and then cleared by the Girona defense, underscoring the home side’s persistence in attack.
As the match progressed, Girona were forced into a substitution when David López went down injured; Juanpe came on in the 34th minute to reinforce the defense. Sávio Moreira’s left-sided forays continued to stretch Betis, who remained vigilant in the middle and looked for openings behind the full-backs. Moreira’s feed down the flank culminated in a left-wing cross that found Sávio, and the resulting sequence opened the door for the home side’s equalizer just before the break. The referee awarded a penalty after a challenge inside the box, and Dovbyk converted confidently to give Girona a 0-1 lead.
After the break, Pellegrini responded with a yellow card to William Carvalho for a foul on Guardado, signaling Betis’s push to reclaim initiative. Girona’s approach stayed compact, and they continued to threaten on the counter, though their tempo gradually settled as Betis pressed higher and looked to exploit spaces behind the Girona back line. The Andalusian side threatened through set pieces and patient buildup, but the visitors stood firm for long stretches, resisting a concerted wave of attacks.
Betis’s bench brought fresh energy midway through the second half as the coach introduced Altimira, Abde, and Borja Iglesias in a triple switch. The adjustments created width and pace on the flanks, with Abde providing sharp touches on the left and Iglesias keeping Betis’s strike partnership lively. A dangerous cross from Abde sparked a late sequence that forced a defensive clearance, illustrating Betis’s renewed threat in the 70s minute and beyond. Ruibal’s influence grew as the game wore on, injecting spirit and directness into Betis’s attacking play, though a definitive winner proved elusive.
The closing stages were a flurry of attempts. Betis pressed high and flirted with danger on the break, while Girona continued to defend with discipline and look for opportunities to counter. A final surge from Betis produced a sequence of pressure around the 88th minute, culminating in Pezzella’s late heroics as he pounced on a loose ball from a corner and guided it into the net for the equalizer. The stadium erupted as the scoreline shifted to 1-1.
Though Girona created moments of urgency in the dying minutes, a late foray from Daley Blind for Girona narrowly missed the target, while Cristhian Stuani’s late run and a potential winner were ruled offside after a flick from Rui Silva. In the end, the draw left Girona perched at the top with a sense of relief for securing a point, while Betis walked away with a hard-fought result that preserved their position and left both sides with something to build on going into the new year.
Source notes and game footage credits appear in post-match recaps from league broadcast partners, with highlights and key moments summarized in dedicated match reports and official scorelines across league portals and club channels. For a complete breakdown of plays, see attribution notes accompanying game footage and official match reports.