Antony’s Manchester United career has been in doubt for some time. A January loan move to Real Betis has reignited his and Betis’ respective seasons.
Leganes vs Real Betis Market
Odds
Leganes
Draw
Real Betis
Odds courtesy of Stake. Correct at time of publishing and subject to change.
25-year-old Brazilian winger, Antony, failed to leave a mark at Old Trafford during his spell with Manchester United. Since joining from Ajax in 2022, Antony has scored just five goals in 62 appearances for the Red Devils.
It was no surprise to see United opt to loan Antony out in January, and the decision has already proven to be a smart one.
Antony has quickly found his stride at Real Betis. In just seven appearances, Antony has already scored three goals and provided as many assists. He also earned two man-of-the-match awards over that period.
When Antony moved to Los Verdiblancos, Betis found themselves in the bottom half of La Liga. Antony’s impact was so strong that, in the space of a month, Betis surged back into European qualification contention.
It’s no wonder the press has already suggested a permanent move to Betis would suit all parties. When pressed, Antony refused to close the door on leaving Old Trafford for good this summer, insisting that he was “very happy” and “very content” with life at Estadio Benito Villamarin.
Antony recently helped Betis to their first La Liga win over Real Madrid since 2020. He was full of energy and confidence and kept the Real Madrid backline under constant pressure.
Real Betis travel to fourth-bottom Leganes this weekend, knowing a win could move them level with fifth-placed Villarreal in the best-case scenario.
Leganes are no slouches on home soil, having defeated Atletico Madrid in January and Sevilla in November. However, they have just one league win in their last seven games, and the relegation threat is growing stronger.
Betis have also averaged two points per game in their last eight La Liga games. This form has coincided with Antony’s arrival, who has greatly improved Betis’ attacking output in his seven appearances. They have scored 13 goals in their last seven La Liga games, outperforming their season average of just 1.30 goals scored per game.
Even their sole defeat with Antony in the side could have gone their way. Betis led 2-0 at Celta Vigo but surrendered the advantage and went on to lose 3-2 in dramatic fashion.
Antony is priced at 2.60 to register an assist or score a goal this weekend. The true probability of this happening sits at around 43%, based on his three goals and assists in seven appearances. Meanwhile, bet365’s odds have priced Antony as having a 38.46% chance of scoring or assisting, so there’s 3-4% of value to play with there.
Given Antony’s recent form, it may also be worth looking at the odds of his likely opposition marker being booked on Sunday. Valentin Rosier is the most probable right-back starter for Leganes. The 28-year-old Frenchman has already accumulated six yellow cards in 24 appearances this season.
Antony could also help his new teammates to push for European honours in the coming weeks. Currently priced at 6/1, Betis are second favourites to lift the European Conference League. They have a favourable run to the final on paper, where Premier League giants Chelsea are most likely to await.
It’s safe to say Antony’s career has been revitalized, as he is helping Betis compete on domestic and continental fronts.