Antonio Cordón lives moments of light in Betis. The sports director looks to the future with the hope that this remarkable moment for the club will last over the years and do not stay in a simple coincidence. There are pillars for this, as well as challenges such as the Copa del Rey final and the consecration of a squad that is beginning to perform above many expectations. The Extremaduran sees a comparison between this Betis project and the one he led at Monaco in the 2016-2017 campaign. That course, the French team reached the semifinals of the Champions League and lifted the Ligue 1 title. This is how he recounts this thought for Diario AS.
How do you analyze the current Betis project?
La Liga Santander
*Data updated as of March 27, 2022
-Something similar to what happened to me in Monaco happens. We reached the Cup final, the Champions League semi-finals and we were League champions. You start more or less well, without high pretensions, then the team grows, you are still alive in several competitions… The rivals respect you more, you gain confidence and the players fly. It seems that they are capable of any challenge. It is the same thing that is happening here at Betis. The club since last year comes from a very good path.
And the fans cling to it.
-More than the streak, it is the style, the model. The way of playing has hooked our fans and we are protagonists in Spanish football.
But are there limits?
-We hope that this lasts longer, that it lasts for many years. That does not last until today or until the end of the season. We do not want to be like a saw that goes up and down, but rather that growth be exponential in the coming years.
And there is the final of the Copa del Rey. What does it mean?
-This connects with the fans, who are the great promoter of Betis. I am blown away. For this hobby all the workers of the club have to die. All this illusion must be returned to them, but not only with a beautiful moment. It is something that must remain. Reaching the final is very important, it’s the first for many players too. It is something to brag about.
There are already several names on the table for the next market.
-The transfer line is the least of it. If you have money, you bring good players. If you don’t have, you go to a different market. There is a department that works very well. It will depend on the economy of the club.
What is the goal in that regard?
-If you don’t have money, you will have to go to a loan market or zero cost. The important thing is to ensure that the value of these players on a human and professional level is adequate to come to Betis, as has been shown in these two years. We have made a team, it will be what we will continue to do. Our method, our philosophy. You have to place the exact piece in the puzzle that touches.
How will it condition whether or not you get a place in the Champions League or the Europa League?
-We must put a base in all levels of the club, we must have an emotional and economic balance under excellence. It is the path of Betis. If there are more sporting successes, of course it conditions. But what most attracts agents and players is the Betis fans.
The one here is Nabil Fekir. How can you take care of him?
-We must begin to see how we protect spectacle football. People pay to see these players. This should be protected. It’s not just Fekir. There are provocations to players of this style. Here it should be improved.