How “outstanding” Antony performed for Real Betis in shock victory vs Real Madrid

Manchester United loanee Antony and his Real Betis side provided a shock victory over Real Madrid on Saturday evening.

Antony has had a successful time on loan at Real Betis so far after he departed Manchester United in the January transfer window.

The Brazilian winger had five goal contributions in his first six games as a Betis player and even earned a nomination for the La Liga Player of the Month in February alongside Kylian Mbappe.

It seemed like the United loanee would not be involved in a big game against Real Madrid this weekend after he was sent off in the final minutes against Getafe last weekend.

However, the controversial red card ended up being rescinded after Betis appealed to La Liga about the incident, meaning that Antony could play against Madrid.

Carlo Ancelotti’s side were stunned by Betis, who won the game 2-1 on Saturday night and put a major dent in Madrid’s hopes of winning La Liga.

Antony played the full 90 minutes in a game where goals from Isco and Cardoso secured a surprising three points for the underdogs.

How Antony performed for Betis vs Madrid

Antony has been the standout performer for Betis alongside Isco in recent weeks but his display against Madrid was filled with more grit.

Sporting News described the United loanee’s defensive work on the night as “outstanding” in their match reaction.

“Antony’s attacking impact may have been limited today, but his defensive work has been outstanding,” they wrote.

Meanwhile, FotMob provided Antony with a 7.5/10 rating for his display. The 24-year-old completed 35 of his attempted 38 passes, won three tackles and also won seven duels.

Antony’s loan success is good for United

United will be glad to see Antony doing well on loan at Betis, and the winger’s form has even seen him return to the Brazil squad for the upcoming international break.

Read More: Antony reveals he was close to joining Premier League club after making bold Ballon d’Or claim

Antony’s value was at rock bottom before this loan move. If he continues in this positive form until the end of the season, the Reds could get a solid amount for him.

Ruben Amorim needs signings at Old Trafford and sales are going to be important in order to do that. Antony’s success so far will help in relation to that.

“Antony is so much better now in Spain,” Amorim told reporters this week. “It’s [because of] a lot of factors but I guarantee you it’s physicality.”

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