Antony shines at Betis, claiming revenge after Manchester United struggles

Antony (25, Real Betis) is spending time for revenge after leaving Manchester United.

British media '90MIN' reported on the 21st (Korean time) that "Antony came to Betis to take 'revenge on himself' after experiencing 'horror' at Man U. Manuel Pellegrini, the Betis manager, stated that he is trying to take revenge on himself to prove he has sufficient skills to compete in Europe after two and a half years of disappointing performances."

On the 17th, Betis crushed Real Sociedad 3-0 in the 24th round of the 2024-2025 La Liga season at the Estadio Benito Villamarín in Seville, Spain. With this victory, Betis moved up to eighth place in the league, continuing their competition for a spot in European tournaments.

Antony was on fire. He dazzled the Sociedad defense, scoring one goal and providing one assist, and was named the man of the match (MOTM) by La Liga's office. He has now been awarded MOTM for three consecutive matches.

On that day, Antony scored a thunderous opening goal in the 6th minute of the second half. He seized the ball cleared by the opposing defense from a corner kick and blasted it into the net with a powerful left-footed volley.

But that was not the end. In the 19th minute of the second half, Antony provided an accurate pass to Marc Roca on the right side, adding an assist. Thanks to this, Betis completed a comprehensive 3-0 victory with Roca's clinching goal in the 24th minute of the second half.

Antony has changed 180° since leaving Man U. He is considered one of the 'flops' among the worst signings in Man U's history.

In fact, Antony was a highly regarded prospect across Europe during his time at Ajax. He attracted interest from Liverpool, who were struggling to re-sign Mohamed Salah, but he donned the Man U jersey instead. Ajax's then-manager Erik ten Hag brought Antony along when he joined Man U, which secured his transfer for a staggering €100 million (about 150.3 billion won).

Ultimately, this was the worst choice. Antony caught attention by shaking the Arsenal net in his debut match, but he continued to slide downhill afterward. He was ridiculed as a 'spinning top' for wasting tempo with inefficient individual plays and managed only 4 goals in 25 league matches during the 2022-2023 season.

His first season was relatively better. Antony scored just 1 goal in 29 Premier League matches last season, failing to make any impact. His final tally for the season was merely 3 goals and 2 assists in official matches. This season also saw no turnaround. Antony could not secure a spot under the newly appointed manager Rúben Amorim and chose to go on loan to Betis.

Upon arriving at the Spanish airport, Antony smiled widely and said, "I am so happy. I am ready." In fact, he started to spread his wings immediately after leaving Man U. He showcased sharp skills in his debut match against Athletic Bilbao and was named MOTM without scoring any attacking points.

He quickly got back on the scoring sheet. Antony struck his debut goal against Celta Vigo and scored again in matches against Gent and Betis, recording goals in three consecutive matches.

Manager Pellegrini mentioned 'mindset' as a reason for Antony's revival. He remarked, "The most important thing is Antony's attitude and self-criticism. Man U paid so much money because he is a great player. However, for reasons unknown to me, he has not performed as expected."

Pellegrini continued, "Antony is trying to take revenge on himself to show that he is a much more mature player. I have had many conversations to calm him down. Antony is a great player who does important work for the team. He will help us a lot. I hope he maintains his form until the end of the season."

Antony also expressed gratitude to manager Pellegrini. In a recent interview with 'RTV Betis', he said, "The trust the manager has shown in me is immense. I am truly thankful. I spoke with the manager before coming here, and that gave me great confidence. Not just the manager, but my teammates are actively supporting me too."

Antony has regained happiness at Betis. He stated, "It was very important for me to have a good start. I have found myself again. When I work happily, everything naturally unfolds." He added, "I wake up every morning with a smile and go to bed with a smile. That is the most important part for me."

Antony explained, "Although I did not get many opportunities at Man U, I worked hard every day. There were tough moments in Manchester, but there were many good memories too. I won the FA Cup and EFL Cup with Man U, and I am happy about that. However, when I say 'I have found myself again,' it ultimately means happiness."

He also emphasized, "I needed to be happy with myself. The same goes for Brazil. The sun here and the city vibe help me a lot. I am really happy here. Of course, being named MVP is a joyful thing, but I want to achieve more. Above all, what is important is that the team wins and everyone is happy."