Betis’ Europa League push stalls as Osasuna snatch a deserved draw

Real Betis’ alarming slump continued at El Sadar as a 1-1 draw with Osasuna left their Europa League hopes hanging by a thread.

Seven games without a win. That is the damning reality now facing Real Betis, whose once-commanding grip on a UEFA Europa League qualification spot is quickly slipping through their fingers.

Abde Ezzalzouli gave Betis the perfect start, latching onto a slick Héctor Bellerín through ball before unleashing a composed finish from outside the area inside the opening 10 minutes. It looked like the platform for a much-needed victory. It wasn’t.

Osasuna hit back before the break through the ever-reliable Ante Budimir, who coolly converted from the spot after Valentín Gómez clumsily brought down Jorge Herrando in the box. Only Vedat Muriqi and Kylian Mbappé had netted more LaLiga goals than Budimir’s pre-match tally of 15 – and he wasted no time adding to it.

The second half belonged to the hosts. Víctor Muñoz twice came agonisingly close to sealing all three points, only to be denied first by a brilliant Álvaro Valles tip-over and then, bizarrely, by his own teammate Budimir getting in the way of a close-range effort. Iker Muñoz also rattled the nerves with a low free-kick that shaved the post.

Betis, for their part, offered little in response.

The point does Betis few favours. Should RC Celta de Vigo beat Real Oviedo later on Sunday, Betis could slide to sixth – outside the European places entirely. For Osasuna, however, the mood is far brighter. They are now unbeaten in their last 10 home matches and remain in the hunt for Europe, sitting just five points off the top six with seven games still to play.

Betis are fading at exactly the wrong time. Osasuna are surging.