Borja Iglesias lived a night of emotions at Villamarín after being the hero of Betis in the pass to the quarterfinals of the Copa del Rey. He appeared as a stone guest in an extension of nerves against Real Sociedad and signed two decisive goals full of brilliance. He smiled after dialing. He cried when Mateu Lahoz whistled the end of the crash. His tears invite the rebirth of a footballer who landed in Heliópolis a year and a half ago and scored only six goals in his first campaign after scoring 20 for Espanyol and after a millionaire transfer.
Two goals in extra time after scoring only two more in all of 2020. Borja Iglesias' feat in the match against Real Sociedad reflected the state of a changing room around the figure of his forward. The Betis players cheered the striker, whose emotion showed his impetus to emerge from a tunnel in which he has been immersed since almost his arrival in Seville. The union of the group was maximized around the figure of Borja Iglesias, so loved by all his colleagues and demanded so that his best version returns to the elite scene. “There is a lot of work behind,” said Borja Iglesias after his half-hour exhibition and under an obvious state of emotion. “He never lowered his arms,” Manuel Pellegrini warned shortly after.
LaLiga Santander
* Data updated as of January 27, 2021
The Betis coach trusted Borja Iglesias since the preseason, but his lack of aim and his mistake at the beginning of the course caused him to lose prominence. On Tuesday, he broke that mental wall to first take advantage of an excellent serve from Rodri and define perfectly before sentencing the tie with an impossible header for Remiro. His smile returns to the scene. Far from expectations. Also far from a crisis that must be forgotten. A day after the stellar appearance of Borja Iglesias, Betis tied the goodbye to Sanabria, precisely the title piece in the Cup against Real. The Paraguayan forward will sign for Torino and give air to the economic coffers.