Betis and Athletic drew 0-0 on Thursday in a game defined by Luiz Henrique’s imprint, with the Brazilian winger repeatedly testing the visitors’ defense. The Spanish international goalkeeper Unai Simón stood tall in key moments, coming out on top in several one-on-one duels.
Right from the opening minutes, Luiz Henrique demanded a decision after a challenge near the box, then seized the ball and produced the first clear chance of the evening by shrugging off Yuri Berchiche in the middle of the pitch. The winger surged toward the edge of the area and fired a shot that Simón parried skillfully at minute 10, denying Betis an early lead.
The Brazilian proved to be a constant threat on the right wing, switching footing to find space and feeding Athletic’s defense with dangerous runs. Álex Moreno contributed to the pressure with a crisp cross that narrowly escaped a teammate, underscoring Betis’s intent to push high and stay on the front foot.
Athletic sought to counter with pace, and Iñaki Williams started on the right to test Berchiche and the Betis back line. A clever run from behind Álex Moreno delivered a through ball to Sancet in a dangerous position, but Luiz Felipe timed his intervention perfectly to block the shot and prevent a scoring opportunity at close range.
Luiz Henrique kept charging at the defense, weaving and feinting as he moved toward the top of the box. He twisted away from Berchiche in a moment of individual magic before unleashing a shot from a difficult angle that Simón managed to push away to his right post in a notable save at minute 58.
The Spaniard extended his excellence a little later, meeting another powerful effort from Fekir with decisive reflexes that sent the ball aside and preserved the scoreless draw.
To adjust, Ernesto Valverde brought on fresh legs late in the game, reshaping the attack with Berenguer and Raúl García joining from the bench. The changes injected renewed energy into Betis’s approach and kept Athletic on their toes as the clock wound down.
The substitutions paid off with Betis pushing more men forward and dictating play around Rui Silva’s area. Berenguer whipped a cross from the left that Raúl García could have converted with a fraction more accuracy, just missing by a few centimeters.
As stoppage time approached, both teams appeared content to settle for a point. Willian José pressed forward with a long free kick in added time, while Luiz Felipe was sent off for a tough challenge on Muniain in the final sequence of play.
Data sheet:
0 – Real Betis: Rui Silva; Sabaly, Luiz Felipe, Félix, Álex Moreno; William Carvalho, Guardado; Luiz Henrique, Canales, Fekir; Borja Iglesias. Willian José came on for Borja Iglesias (min 66), Joaquín for Luiz Henrique (min 84), Juanmi for Canales (min 77).
0 – Athletic Club: Unai Simón; De Marcos, Vivian, Yeray, Berchiche; Dani García, Vesga; Iñaki Williams, Sancet, Nico Williams; Guruzeta. Berenguer entered for Iñaki Williams (min 72), Muniain for Sancet (min 67), Raúl García for Guruzeta (min 72).
Judge: Hernández Hernández (Las Palmas). Luiz Felipe received a direct red at minute 96 for a harsh tackle on Muniain. Substitutions and cautions were noted for both sides throughout the match.
Event: The fifteenth LaLiga matchday took place at the Benito Villamarín stadium with a crowd of 53,565 fans in attendance. Before kickoff, Betis figures Germán Pezzella and Guido Rodríguez, recently recognized as world champions in Argentina and Qatar respectively, greeted the supporters.