Match Centre

Real Betis edged a five-goal thriller but the underlying metrics suggest their victory was deserved, with the visitors' superior shot volume (20 to 6) and higher quality chances ultimately telling. Though Lille led twice through Ayase Ueda (12') and Alexsandro (36'), Betis' Marc Bartra (33', 49') and Troy Parrott (53') capitalised on defensive lapses, with Lille's red card for Ethan Mbappé (56') compounding their issues by forcing them to chase with 10 men.

Despite Lille's marginally higher xG efficiency (2 goals from 1.3 xG vs Betis' 3 from 2.9), Pellegrini's side dominated the shot count (10 inside the box to Lille's 4) and created overloads through Isco (2 key passes) and Riquelme (1 assist). Betis' 55% possession allowed them to sustain pressure, particularly after Lille went down to ten, with their 10 shots from outside the box highlighting tactical patience against a compact block.

The decisive stat: Betis produced 20 shots to Lille's 6 - a disparity that ultimately overwhelmed the hosts' early efficiency.