Real Betis 2-0 Villarreal Player Ratings: Goals from Ruibal and Fornals Help Los Verdiblancos Defeat 3rd-placed Villarreal

A commanding performance from Real Betis saw them clinch a comfortable 2-0 victory over a struggling Villarreal side in a heated La Liga 2025/26 encounter.

The match, which felt more one-sided than the scoreline might initially suggest, was ultimately decided by clinical finishing and a moment of madness from the visitors. From our perspective, Betis controlled the tempo from the outset, showing more hunger and creativity in the final third.

The deadlock was broken shortly after halftime. Aitor Ruibal pounced on a defensive lapse to slot it home, giving the home side a deserved lead in the 57th minute. The game's pivotal moment arrived in the 76th minute when Santi Comesaña received a straight red card, leaving Villarreal with a mountain to climb.

Real Betis capitalised on their numerical advantage, with Pablo Fornals sealing the win with a brilliant strike from distance in the 83rd minute, wrapping up the three points in this crucial match.

Here are our Real Betis vs Villarreal Player Ratings from the decisive La Liga fixture.

Key Takeaways

• Betis controlled the tempo, and clinical finishing from Aitor Ruibal and Pablo Fornals helped secure a comfortable victory over Villarreal. Pablo Fornals was especially outstanding.
• Sergi Altimira and Antony were instrumental in midfield creativity and chance creation, while Ruibal provided a serious attacking threat.
• Villarreal’s performance was marred by indiscipline, as Santi Comesaña received a straight red and was judged the worst performer, significantly hurting their hopes of a comeback.

Real Betis Player Ratings vs Villarreal

Let's take a look at Real Betis Player Ratings from the Real Betis vs Villarreal Player Ratings.

Goalkeeper

Álvaro Valles - 7.0: A really solid day at the office for the keeper. He wasn't tested constantly but made crucial saves when called upon, particularly one from Mikautadze in the first half. Commanded his area well, and his distribution was decent enough. Kept a clean sheet, which is all you can ask for.

Defenders

Natan - 7.0: What stood out to us was his calmness on the ball. An incredible 93% pass accuracy shows he was a reliable outlet from the back. He was positionally sound and made a few important interceptions and clearances without much fuss. A quiet but very effective performance.

Marc Bartra - 6.5: The captain led by example with some crucial clearances. However, he picked up a late yellow card and looked a bit rash at times. He was beaten once or twice but his experience generally saw him through. A mixed bag, but more good than bad from our perspective.

Valentín Gómez - 6.5: An aggressive display from the defender. He won most of his duels, which was impressive, but the yellow card was silly, and he looked a bit clumsy in the challenge. Lost possession a few too many times for our liking, but his tenacity was a plus.

Aitor Ruibal - 8.0: Scored the vital opening goal with a poacher's finish. He was a constant threat down the right flank, and his energy was infectious. Defensively, he was mostly solid, though he was dribbled past once. His attacking contribution was the difference-maker today.

Midfielders

Sergi Altimira - 8.0: A masterclass in midfield control. His 96% pass accuracy is just ridiculous, and he created three chances for his teammates. He dictated the pace of the game and seemed to be everywhere. Won his duels and barely put a foot wrong.

Antony - 8.0: Provided the assist for the second goal and was a livewire throughout. His dribbling caused problems for the opposition defense and he was always looking to make something happen. What a handful he was for the Villarreal backline. A very exciting performance.

Pablo Fornals - 8.5: Our man of the match. He capped a brilliant all-around display with a stunning goal from outside the box. He was tenacious, winning tackles and recovering the ball, while also being a creative force. He was simply on another level today.

Giovani Lo Celso - 7.5: So good to watch when he's in this mood. His dribbling was sublime, completing four successful take-ons and drawing the foul that led to the red card. He was a constant creative spark before being subbed off. A joy to watch on the ball.

Marc Roca - 7.0: The silent engine in the midfield. Kept possession ticking over with high accuracy and tested the keeper with a couple of shots. He did the simple things exceptionally well, providing a stable base for the more creative players to shine.

Forwards

Chimy Ávila - 6.0: A frustrating evening for the striker. He worked hard and drew fouls but didn't have a clear impact on the game. He missed an early chance and was caught offside a couple of times. Not his best outing by any means.

Substitutes

Pablo García - 6.0: Came on for the last 20 minutes but didn't have enough time to really influence the game. Had a few touches but the game was already swinging Betis' way.

Rodrigo Riquelme - 6.0: Had one decent chance on a counter-attack that he sent wide. Looked eager to impress in his short cameo.

Manager

M. Pellegrini - 8.0: His game plan was executed to perfection. The team was well-drilled, defensively solid, and creative in attack. He identified Villarreal's weaknesses and exploited them. A tactical victory for the veteran manager.

Villarreal Player Ratings vs Real Betis

Let's take a look at Villarreal Player Ratings from the Real Betis vs Villarreal Player Ratings.

Goalkeeper

Luiz Júnior - 6.5: Made four saves and couldn't have done much about either goal. Fornals' strike was a beauty, and Ruibal's was a point-blank finish. He kept the scoreline respectable, to be honest. A decent performance in a losing effort.

Defenders

Juan Foyth - 5.0: A day to forget for Foyth. From our perspective, he was responsible for a couple of errors that led to shots and looked off the pace. He seemed to struggle with the movement of the Betis attackers all game.

Renato Veiga - 6.0: He was busy, that's for sure. Won a good number of his duels and made some important clearances, but was part of a defense that was breached too easily. Fought hard, but it wasn't enough.

Alfonso Pedraza - 6.5: Looked like one of Villarreal's brightest sparks in the first half, creating two big chances. It was a real shame he had to go off at halftime due to injury after picking up a yellow. His absence was felt in the second half.

Pau Navarro - 5.0: Really struggled in the first half. He was dribbled past three times and just couldn't handle the pressure. It was no surprise to see him hooked at halftime. A tough learning experience for the young defender.

Midfielders

Dani Parejo - 4.5: A shockingly poor performance. His error led directly to the first goal, a cardinal sin for a player of his quality. He was sloppy in possession and just couldn't get a foothold in the game. One of his worst displays in recent memory.

Santi Comesaña - 3.0: The worst performer on the pitch. His straight red card for a reckless challenge was inexcusable and completely killed any chance his team had of a comeback. A moment of absolute madness that let his teammates and manager down.

Tajon Buchanan - 5.5: Full of running but very little end product. He attempted five dribbles but only completed one. Missed a big chance and just seemed to make the wrong decision time and again in the final third.

Alberto Moleiro - 5.5: He was largely anonymous. We noticed he barely got on the ball and had minimal impact before being substituted. A very quiet game for a player who can be so influential.

Forwards

Gerard Moreno - 6.0: As captain, you expect more. He missed a glorious chance in the first half and never really looked threatening. It felt like the game passed him by before he was substituted. Disappointing.

Georges Mikautadze - 6.0: Had Villarreal's best chance of the game but was denied by a good save. He worked hard to hold the ball up but was often isolated and starved of service. Fought a losing battle up front.

Substitutes

Santiago Mouriño - 5.5: Came on at half-time and promptly picked up a yellow card. Didn't add much stability to the backline.

Sergi Cardona - 6.0: Replaced the injured Pedraza and put in a decent shift without being spectacular.

Nicolas Pépé - 6.0: Tried to make an impact and set up one chance, but the game was already slipping away.

Ayoze Pérez - N/A: Brought on with 15 minutes to go when the team was down to ten men. Had little chance to influence proceedings.

Carlos Macià - N/A: A late sub with the game already lost.

Manager

M. García Toral - 5.0: His team looked second-best from the start. The halftime changes didn't work, and the team lacked discipline, as shown by the red card. A difficult day at the office for the Villarreal boss, who was out-thought by his opposite number.

Man of the Match

Pablo Fornals of Real Betis is Sportsdunia's man of the match.

Worst Performer

Santi Comesaña was the worst performer in this Real Betis vs Villarreal match.