Rangers 'saviour' and the star compared to Isco as Spanish press react to 'black night' for Real Betis

How the media in Spain reacted to Rangers’ stunning 3-2 win which eliminated Betis from the Europa League

Real Betis defender Juan Miranda reacts at full-time following Rangers' 3-2 win at the Benito Villamarin Stadium. (Photo by CRISTINA QUICLER/AFP via Getty Images)

Rangers' 3-2 win over Real Betis has led to an inquest among the Spanish media over how the Europa League Group C favourites ended up eliminated from the competition and relegated to the Conference League.

Goals from Abdallah Sima, Cyriel Dessers and Kemar Roofe earned the Ibrox side a famous victory over the La Liga outfit as they became the first team from Scotland to win in Seville at the ninth attempt.

The result earned Rangers direct entry to the Europa League last 16 as they leapfrogged their Spanish opponents to top the group with Betis finishing third behind Sparta Prague, who claimed a 3-1 win over Aris Limassol to claim the runners-up spot.

El Pais described the defeat as a 'major disappointment' for Betis, who were branded 'very soft in defence' with the loss of World Cup winning Argentina centre-back Guido Rodriguez to injury highighted as a key factor.

"Marc Roca had to play center back and was quite unfortunate," they wrote. "It was a crazy match, with many alternatives, that ended with the Andalusian elimination from the Europa League.

"Betis was a disaster in defense against a Rangers team that was very effective. The Scots took the lead on the scoreboard, taking advantage of the weaknesses at the back of an Andalusian team that did not make a single foul in the first half. Betis did react in attack, since at half-time it was 2-2 and they threw two balls into the woodwork. A goal from Roofe in the 78th minute made it 2-3 for Rangers. Betis could not react."

El Mundo described the result as a ‘black night’ for Betis in a report which read: "The first defeat of the season, after eight days of the League and two of the Europa League, meant elimination for Betis, relegated to the Conference League when they had everything in their favor.

"Villamarín experienced a black night against Glasgow Rangers, who limited themselves to taking advantage of the green and white errors to advance to the second round as leader of Group C.

"On a night where a draw was enough, Manuel Pellegrini's team collapsed against the Scots, encouraged from one of the backgrounds for its loyal fans. The goodbye, due to its unexpectedness, perhaps stings even more than the one suffered two years ago against Eintracht in the last minute of extra time."

Rangers striker Cyriel Dessers was also singled out and compared to Betis and Spain star Isco for the skill level shown in his goal which saw him turn his defender inside out before slipping the ball between the legs of goalkeeper Rui Silva to put Rangers 2-1 up.

"Isco's skill competed with that of Cyriel Dessers, author of a fabulous individual action that had earned the score," they wrote. "Very little was enough for Rangers to spread panic in Rui Silva's domain and the final action, after a corner kick, made it clear. A couple of shots in the area due to the ineffectiveness of the defenders cleared the way for Kemar Roofe, who scored 2-3 with a foreshortened shot from the small area."

Spanish newspaper Marca pointed to mistakes from Betis in their Europa League squad list as a factor in their elimination with the inclusion of Luiz Felipe branded a blunder with the Brazilian defender subsequently sold to Al-Ittihad of the Saudi Pro League, leaving Manuel Pellegrini’s side short of defensive cover for their European campaign.

They wrote: "A disappointment that offers several analyses, among which the risk that the club took in September in the registration list for the tournament stands out.

"At the time, the Heliopolitan team decided to include Luiz Felipe in the list of players chosen to compete in the group stage of the competition, whose transfer to Al-Ittihad of the Saudi league was intensely negotiated. Two days after presenting the list and with no option to rectify it, the Italian-Brazilian packed his bags, leaving in the hands of Pezzella and Bartra all the responsibility to cover the center back as the only centre-backs registered. With such bad fortune that the Catalan, shortly after, suffered a serious injury that still keeps him away from the playing fields."

They also referred to goalkeeper Jack Butland, who made several crucial saves, as being the ‘saviour’ of the Rangers side.

"The haste, fatigue and tactical mess of the last minutes barely allowed the green and white team to generate chances that would allow them to achieve a draw that would put them in the playoffs at the buzzer. And the only time he managed to get the ball into the area with some danger, Pezzella's shot, converted into an improvised center forward, took him out Butland, savior for his team that goes directly to the round of 16 of the Europa League and sends Betis to the playoffs of the Conference."