In brief
With a recent impressive performance in a surprising 2-1 victory over Real Madrid, Antony’s loan to Real Betis has been a huge success.
His influence at Betis draws attention to Man United’s shortcomings.
The success of Antony’s loan might help United’s finances through a possible summer sale.
Any Manchester United supporter would have laughed a few weeks ago at the thought of Antony going on loan to Real Betis, winning three Man of the Match awards in his first seven games, helping the team win its first title against Real Madrid in five years, and becoming one of La Liga’s poster boys. However, the Brazilian winger has done just that after only two months away from Old Trafford’s problems.
In 2022, Antony moved from Ajax to Manchester United for an incredible £86 million, but his ideal transfer soon fell through. The 24-year-old only managed 12 goals and five assists in 96 games, which was far less than the impact United had hoped for from such a high-profile signing. Although there had been concerns about his future for a while, his January loan to Real Betis felt like the last straw. His problems only got worse under new manager Ruben Amorim.
After joining one of the largest football teams in the world, players who don’t create an impression are typically blamed for either not having the talent to perform at their best or because their negative attitude upsets the apple cart. However, it has become somewhat of a recurring theme that Manchester’s yellow brick road runs away from the M16 rather than towards it, and Antony is now the only person who is pointing out the club’s shortcomings.
Antony Shines Again as Betis Beat Real Madrid
The Brazilian is in the form of his life and even La Liga is raving about him
The fact that the winger is being used as the focal point of La Liga social media accounts’ attempts to boost interaction with Spain’s top division is, if there is anything that now demonstrates how far Antony has gone since leaving Manchester United. Instead of concentrating on Real Madrid’s defeat, they were eager to laud the Brazilian following Betis’ unexpected win. View the caption for La Liga’s viral post below:
- “The Antony effect.”
The ANTONY effect… pic.twitter.com/7xfQwWxgs1
— LALIGA English (@LaLigaEN) March 1, 2025
After consecutive La Liga wins over Real Sociedad and Getafe, which equalled the number of wins they had claimed in the competition during their previous 11 games, most Spanish teams would typically write off their upcoming matchup with Real Madrid. Nobody would have predicted Betis to even earn a point against the current Champions League favourites, but Los Blancos have found an extra gear since the beginning of the 2024–25 season after a poor start.
However, the Seville-based team overcame the odds thanks to Antony’s influence. Carlo Ancelotti’s team defeated Brahim Diaz’s opening goal with goals from Johnny Cardoso and Isco, giving Betis a 2-1 victory. Even though Antony didn’t score, he once again gave a fantastic display. The 24-year-old recorded six tackles, won seven duels, took 65 touches, completed 35 of his 39 pass attempts, and provided two crucial passes in the last third of his 90 minutes on the pitch.
In their match reaction, Sporting News called the United loanee’s defensive performance that evening “outstanding.” They penned:
“Antony has played excellent defence today, despite his limited offensive impact.”
You can tell a player has performed either horribly or incredibly well when highlight compilations are posted on social media after the final whistle. Another two-minute clip showcasing the Brazilian in his prime was presented to Antony. View the video below:
Antony vs Real Madrid
The GOAT 🐐pic.twitter.com/0cb5MZeqkd— Dubbu (@Dubbu01) March 1, 2025
He played significantly better than his opposite number, Vinicius Junior, who caused quite a stir when he appeared to be a strong contender for the 2024 Ballon d’Or back in October before being passed over for Rodri at the last minute. This is perhaps even more astounding. This year, one is vying for the same award, and the other is merely attempting to restart his career. Take a look at the comparison below:
Antony mogged Vinicius LMAOOOO pic.twitter.com/eWFXhLfQmx
— hashim 🇸🇾🇵🇸 (@hashuAG7) March 1, 2025
What Does This Mean For Man United?
The club could get a respectable refund from his sale in the summer
Antony’s success on loan at Betis will please United, and the winger’s play has even earned him a spot back in the Brazil team for the forthcoming international break. The business side of things will excite the higher-ups, even though it’s about the fans enjoying seeing him rediscover his love for football after failing at his parent club.
Prior to this loan move, Antony’s value was at an all-time low. The Red Devils could be able to fetch a good price for him if he keeps up this good play through the conclusion of the season. At Old Trafford, Ruben Amorim has to buy players, and sales will be crucial to achieving that goal. That will be aided by the winger’s prior international success.
In the event that he rediscovers his form or converts his present performances into Old Trafford displays, the club may attempt to offer him greater playing time the next season. However, since this strategy didn’t work with Jadon Sancho, they’ll probably try to recover some money instead.
