Fiorentina Goalkeeper David de Gea Hailed Antony’s Stunning Goal in Real Betis’ Europa Conference League Win
In a thrilling Europa Conference League semi-final first-leg encounter, Real Betis secured a 2-1 victory over Fiorentina, with on-loan Manchester United winger Antony scoring a breathtaking goal. The Brazilian winger’s stunning right-footed effort, which caught Fiorentina goalkeeper David de Gea off guard, has been hailed by his former team-mate.
According to reports from the BBC, De Gea joked that Antony had never scored a goal with his right foot in any training session prior to the match. "I trained with Antony 1,000 times and he never scored a goal with his right foot in any training session," De Gea told Spanish broadcaster Movistar, as reported by the BBC. "I’m happy for him because he was coming from a difficult moment at United and now he’s showing the best of himself."
Antony’s goal was a significant moment in the match, which saw Real Betis take a crucial step towards the Europa Conference League final. The win marked Antony’s sixth goal since joining Real Betis on loan from Manchester United in January. The 22-year-old winger had struggled to find form at Old Trafford, but has revitalised his career in Spain.
The BBC reports that Real Betis are keen to keep Antony beyond the end of his loan deal, which expires at the end of the season. Former Betis winger Joaquin has even joked that he will help "kidnap" Antony to keep him at the club. "I’ll provide the car if he has to be kidnapped, but let him stay no matter what. This is the moment to enjoy. I think important moments will come, and we’ll see later," said Joaquin, as quoted by the BBC.
The match itself was a closely contested affair, with Abde Ezzalzouli opening the scoring for Real Betis in the sixth minute. Antony doubled the lead before Fiorentina captain Luca Ranieri pulled a goal back for the visitors. Despite having several chances to level the tie, Fiorentina were unable to find an equaliser, with Robin Gosens missing the best of them.
The BBC notes that the winner of the tie will likely face Chelsea in the final on 28 May, after they secured a 4-1 win away to Djurgarden in the other semi-final first leg. Fiorentina will need to mount a remarkable comeback in the second leg to overturn the deficit and progress to the final.
In conclusion, Antony’s stunning goal and De Gea’s praise for his former team-mate have dominated the headlines following Real Betis’ 2-1 win over Fiorentina. The BBC has provided extensive coverage of the match, including reaction from De Gea and Joaquin. With the second leg of the semi-final tie looming, football fans will be eagerly anticipating the outcome of this thrilling Europa Conference League encounter.
