Fornals: “My life has improved since I came to Betis”
“What I experienced this weekend is something I haven't experienced in a football stadium for a long time," says the Castellón native, who is aiming to secure his seventh consecutive victory this Saturday against FC Barcelona, "one of the most in-form teams in all of Europe."
Pablo Fornals is back enjoying football at Real Betis after overcoming an injury ordeal that kept him out for practically four months. From November 10th to March 9th he only played in two games, against Rayo in December and Alavés in January, and he came out of both with muscle problems, which he has now happily overcome, so he has started in the last three, against Las Palmas, Leganés and Sevilla FC , all of which ended in victory.
"Luckily, it seems like we've put the discomfort, the pain, the headaches of what we were behind us, and I'm happy. In the end, what we like as footballers is to play, to be on the pitch, and, little by little, to get back into that rhythm and return to our best. We're at that sweet moment, after months in which it seemed there were doubts, but with work, with humility, with thinking about the football cliché of 'game by game,' which has served us very well, we're achieving what we're achieving," Fornals explained in an interview with RTV Betis.
Consolidated as a midfielder
Fornals usually played on the right wing for Betis , but since Anthony 's arrival, he's been playing in central midfield, either alongside Johnny or Altimira . The Castellón native stated that this is his preferred position. "It's a blessing, and sometimes a misfortune or a handicap, to be a player who has the opportunity to play in several positions. I haven't played in central midfield for eight years, and it's clear that's where I feel most comfortable. I don't know if I like it more or not, but in the end, when I have confidence in myself and I'm feeling good, the position really doesn't matter to me. But to generate that confidence, I do think it's a starting position for me," the midfielder added.
Visit to Barcelona after the victory in the Andalusian derby
Fornals intensely enjoyed last Sunday's derby and everything surrounding it: "Obviously, I like it because of what it creates outside, the atmosphere in the stadium, which was spectacular, both before, during, and after. But it's true that for the spectators and for the players, these are close games, games in which you don't want to make a mistake, games that are decided by the smallest details. We played a very serious game. It's true that we got slapped in the face pretty early on, and from then on, I think there was only one team on the pitch."
Great personal form in Betis' best moment
The Castellón native is experiencing his best moment as a Betis fan: "I'd say that what I experienced this weekend hasn't happened in a football stadium for a long time. I think that, since I've been here, my life has improved substantially, and that's why I decided to come here. And the truth is, I'm very happy with the decision we made back then. And my family, even more so."
Now it's time to face FC Barcelona , who have not lost in 2025 ( eighteen wins and three draws) and have nine consecutive victories in LaLiga , after winning only one of their last eight in 2024. "It's a nice match, which comes at a good time for both teams. It's true that they are coming off a Wednesday game, but right now they are one of the most in-form teams in all of Europe , you can see that from the numbers and the way they play. But I would say that we are also in great form and that we are facing this match, I think, in one of the team's best moments. It's true that they are a team that, when they play football, are terrible, because they have a lot of quality, a lot of quality. But you have to know how to compete; we played the Cup there, we were dealt the 'bogeyman', which is Barcelona. But I think that like all teams, they have weak points. Why shouldn't we think about a seventh consecutive victory? Here, my teammates played a very good match." "A serious game at home, in which we could have even achieved three points. Therefore, we must go out and compete and not give up on anything."
Betis have big goals in this final stretch, such as getting a place in the Champions League or winning the Conference , two huge challenges: "I think that, as Betis fans and me as a player who is inside, we live this final stretch with a lot of ambition and desire. How wonderful it is to get to the end of the season with things to fight for! I think that's what any player aspires to, to try to reach the highest levels. Why not continue going through phases in the Conference and get as high as we can? And in LaLiga , the same. Obviously I'm very far from the data, but if Betis got into the Champions League, I think it would be spectacular. It's the only competition that I haven't had the luck to play in yet and to be able to hear that little music and, as Isco Alarcón said , wearing the star patch on my sleeve would be wonderful," said Fornals.
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