Atletico win at Betis to bounce back from Arsenal drubbing

Atletico Madrid earned a solid 2-0 win at Real Betis on Monday to move fourth in La Liga and bounce back from their Champions League thrashing by Arsenal.

Diego Simeone’s side lost 4-0 last week in north London but put that defeat behind them with a strong display at La Cartuja Stadium, where Betis are playing on a temporary basis.

They were able to record only their second clean sheet in their last nine games across all competitions and their first away win of the season.

The coach’s son Giuliano Simeone opened the scoring with Alex Baena netting the second before half-time.

“This is an important win, hard-fought, and I’m happy,” Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak told Movistar.

“I hope we continue like this, away from home, not just at home... it was a great game from the whole team and a big effort.”

Giuliano Simeone fired the visitors ahead in the opening stages with a neat volley from the edge of the box.

Star summer signing Baena curled home his first goal for the club before half-time to double the Rojiblancos’ lead.

Real Betis were the better team in the second half and hit the crossbar from Abde Ezzalzouli’s free-kick, but Atletico’s defence held firm.

Atletico trail La Liga leaders Real Madrid by eight points, although they are the only team to inflict defeat on their city rivals.

“Our first win on the road and we’re very happy for the great work the team did,” said Giuliano Simone, who dedicated the goal to his recently-born nephew Faustino in his celebration, making the letter F with his fingers.

Faustino’s birth made Atletico coach Diego Simeone a grandfather.

“Nothing changes for me,” said the Rojiblancos boss, smiling, while also congratulating his son on his good performance.

Manuel Pellegrini’s Real Betis, sixth, are now three points behind Atletico.

“Today we were lacking in the final third, we had to be a little sharper in front of goal,” Betis playmaker Giovani Lo Celso told Movistar.

“The team worked hard and tried until the end, for the fans who filled the stadium on a rainy Monday and didn’t stop backing us. We have to turn the page and continue.”

Real’s Carvajal Carvajal faces knee surgery setback

Real Madrid captain Dani Carvajal will undergo surgery on his right knee, dealing another blow to the defender who has battled persistent injury problems over the past year.

“Following tests carried out on our captain Dani Carvajal by Real Madrid’s medical services, he has been diagnosed with a loose body in his right knee. Carvajal will undergo arthroscopic surgery,” the LaLiga leaders said in a short statement on Monday.

According to club sources, the veteran defender could be sidelined for up to 10 weeks as he recovers from yet another operation on his troublesome right knee. The latest setback means Carvajal is likely to miss the remainder of 2025.

The news came a day after Carvajal played 19 minutes as a substitute in Real’s dramatic 2-1 El Clasico victory over bitter rivals Barcelona.

That fiery encounter extended Real’s lead atop the LaLiga standings to five points, with the club sitting on 27 points to Barcelona’s 22.

Carvajal’s injury woes stretch back over a year, when he ruptured two ligaments and a tendon in a LaLiga match against Villarreal in early October 2024, forcing the 33-year-old defender to miss a large part of the previous season.

While he returned to action during July’s Club World Cup semi-finals, he has since struggled to string together consistent appearances due to minor muscle problems.

The latest surgery represents another frustrating set-back for a player whose experience and leadership have been crucial to Real Madrid’s success.

Agencies