Real Betis booked their return to the UEFA Champions League for the first time since the 2005-06 season by securing a top-five finish in LaLiga with a 2-1 home win over Elche on May 10. Pablo Fornals scored the decisive goal in the 68th minute to clinch the victory that sealed their Champions League spot two matches before the season’s end [1, 2].
The club met a season-long objective set at the campaign’s start. Manager Manuel Pellegrini recalled, "We started the first match of the season against Elche, and at the end of the team talk we wrote in green letters, 'Today we begin our journey to the Champions League.'" [1]
Betis’s qualification caps a period of steady growth. They have competed in European tournaments every season since 2021, notably reaching last season’s Conference League final against Chelsea [1, 2]. Pellegrini, 72, praised the squad’s resilience in maintaining their place among Europe’s elite. He said, "It’s not easy to be in European competitions for six years, much less to have qualified for the Champions League two matches before the end of the season." [1]
He highlighted the team’s character, adding, "The team’s greatest merit was always getting back up after losing. I think all those stumbles were more than compensated for today with the great celebration we had in our stadium, with our fans, to whom we owed this joy." [1]
After their qualification, Betis look ahead to their next LaLiga match against newly crowned champions Barcelona on May 14, 2026 [1, 2].