Spanish side Real Betis earned a convincing home victory over Aris in the Europa League group stage, sealing a 4-1 win in round four. The triumph highlighted Betis’ offensive depth with goals from Borja Iglesias, Aitor Ruibal, Marc Roca, and Eze Abde securing the result. Alexander Kokorin found the back of the net for Aris, all the way from the bench, as he entered the game in the 76th minute to pull one back for the Cypriot club.
Following this result, Betis sits atop Group C with nine points, while Aris occupies the bottom spot with three points. The match underscored Betis’ strong form in the continental competition and reinforced their position at the head of the group standings as the campaign progresses.
Kokorin remains on loan to Aris from Fiorentina. In the summer transfer window of 2022, Fiorentina, which owns the Russian striker’s rights, loaned him to Aris. During that spell, Kokorin appeared in 27 league matches and scored 11 goals, contributing to Aris’ notable success last season as they captured the league title in Cyprus.
At the start of the 2023-24 season, Kokorin returned to Fiorentina and began pre-season training with the Italian club. He started the season with Fiorentina, who competed in the Conference League, before once again being loaned out to Aris for further competitive action in Cyprus. This loan arrangement kept him exposed in European competition while the parent club assessed its options for the forward’s development.
In related remarks, a previous coach has attributed portions of Kokorin’s career challenges to the time he spent serving a prison sentence, suggesting that it disrupted the trajectory of his professional progress. Such statements reflect perceptions within the sport about how off-field issues can influence on-field opportunities and long-term form.