Osasuna were thrashed 5-2 by Real Betis at La Cartuja, a heavy defeat that extends their poor run in La Liga. Luis Miguel Ramis's side, now with four losses in their last five games, remain 16th in the table with just eight points.
A difficult first half
The match started poorly for the visitors. After eight minutes, Unai Santos fouled Rodrigo Riquelme in the box and referee Carlos Muñiz Muñiz pointed to the spot. Isco converted the penalty calmly to put Betis ahead. The home side's pressure was constant and Abde Ezzalzouli doubled the lead on the half-hour mark following a pass from Cucho Hernández. Before the break, Jon Moncayola and Unai Santos were booked, complicating Ramis's plans.
An insufficient reaction
The second half began with another setback. Ante Budimir, in a desperate clearance attempt, sent the ball into his own net in the 47th minute. The Croatian striker made amends quickly, however. In the 50th minute, he headed home a cross from Rubén García to pull one back for Osasuna. Five minutes later, Raúl García de Haro completed the brief comeback with a powerful strike from the edge of the area that briefly raised hopes of a draw.
Those hopes were short-lived. Isco, Betis's standout performer, reappeared to seal the game in the 66th minute with a low, placed shot. The final blow was delivered by debutant José Antonio Morante, son of bullfighter Morante de la Puebla, who scored the fifth in the 95th minute after an assist from Héctor Bellerín. Betis manager Manuel Pellegrini expressed his happiness for Isco's return. "I'm very happy for Isco because he's had a very tough time and has had serious injuries," the Chilean coach said.
From the Osasuna bench, the view was very different. Luis Miguel Ramis focused his criticism on a specific incident. "I understand you might have doubts on the pitch, but the VAR has seen the image and it's very clear, it's a red card. It was a key moment at 3-2," the manager stated, referring to a challenge by Natan on Rubén García that the official only deemed worthy of a yellow card. The defeat leaves Osasuna with a record of two wins, two draws, and four losses, and a concerning goal difference of minus ten. Ante Budimir, with six goals, is the only bright spot in attack. The team must react immediately in their next fixture, a key home match against fellow strugglers Racing Santander.
First reported at El País Deportes
Osasuna manager Luis Miguel Ramis analyzed the defeat against Betis. "In the second half we improved, we had more possession and created chances," Ramis said. The coach confirmed his team raised its possession percentage to 54% after the break, according to match data. Osasuna, which sits 16th with 8 points, suffers its fourth defeat in the last five matches.
Osasuna dismissed its coach Luis Miguel Ramis on Monday following the 5-2 defeat to Betis, the club's board confirmed. The manager, who took charge of his final match with the team in 16th place in La Liga, said goodbye via a statement on social media. "It is not the desired departure and, in my humble opinion, a hasty one," Ramis wrote. The club immediately announced the return of Jagoba Arrasate as its new head coach.
