Villarreal fall at La Cartuja in an open match marked by Comesaña’s sending‑off
Villarreal were defeated by Real Betis at La Cartuja (2-0). The Betis side took the lead on the scoreboard and, with the match wide open, García Verdura punished the Submarine harshly, leaving them with one player fewer after sending off Santi Comesaña for a tough challenge on Lo Celso, who minutes earlier had stepped on the Galician midfielder without consequence. With a man advantage, Fornals scored the second and sealed a tight match that ended up becoming an unfair punishment for the Yellows.
In recent seasons, the clash against Betis has become one of the most important fixtures of the year for both sides. A key match to define the European spots in LALIGA EA Sports, with the reward extending beyond the three points in play and the goal average. Leaving La Cartuja victorious meant a statement for the Submarine, unbeaten until now, and for Betis, the quickest route to closing in on the Champions League positions.
To approach the match, Marcelino made only two changes compared to the Submarine’s previous starting eleven against Deportivo Alavés (3-1). He brought in Gerard Moreno instead of Ayoze Pérez after his excellent and decisive second half against the Basque side, and also introduced Pau Navarro for Santiago Mouriño on the right side of the backline.
