Seville holds its breath for the Quarrymen

Welcome to the Benito Villamarin, where the sun is hot, the beer is cold, and Real Betis are currently contemplating how to mess up a perfectly good 1-1 away draw. Manuel Pellegrini, the footballing world’s favorite grandfather, has his side sitting pretty after the first leg in Portugal, but if you know anything about Los Verdiblancos, you know they treat a comfortable lead like a suggestion rather than a rule.

Betis have been oscillating between CHAMPIONS LEAGUE-level brilliance and a Sunday league hangover recently. Isco is still out there spinning defenders like he’s playing in his backyard, looking increasingly like a man who has forgotten what a bad touch feels like. He is essentially the only reason this team doesn’t descend into total chaos every time they lose possession in their own half.

Meanwhile, Braga arrive from the north of Portugal with the tactical discipline of a group that actually enjoys defending. They managed a 1-1 draw at home despite looking like they were playing through a collective migraine for sixty minutes. Florian Grillitsch scored a goal in the first leg that he probably couldn't recreate in a thousand attempts, and yet, here they are, dreaming of a semi-final.

Braga's nickname is the Archbishops, which is fitting because they will need a fair bit of DIVINE INTERVENTION to stop Abde Ezzalzouli when he decides he actually wants to run in a straight line. Expect the usual Seville drama: three yellow cards for dissent, a VAR decision that takes longer than a Spanish siesta, and Betis eventually remembering they are actually quite good at football when they aren't trying to beat themselves.

Real Betis 2-1 Braga