Real Betis showed why they are not Champions League contenders

Ask any true fan of La Liga, and they will tell you that the club with the most impassioned fan base in the entire league is Real Betis. They have constantly bounced between Champions League and Europa League contention, and while they would like to consider themselves a side destined for the top four, they have continually found it difficult to maintain a foothold in that position.

Real Betis have a lot of talented individual players with strong European pedigrees, particularly in playmaking roles. Antony, Isco, Giovani Lo Celso, and Pablo Fornals are all technically exquisite players.

Los Verdiblancos have other solid role players, too, like young center back Natan, veteran central defender Marc Bartra, and goalkeeper Pau Lopez. Injuries to some of these key players have not helped, but there is a problem deeper than this for Betis.

The real reason why Real Betis find themselves seven points outside the top four and well behind even the likes of Atletico Madrid and Villarreal in the top four race for Champions League slots in La Liga is how badly they perform against these other top teams.

At this highest level of football, you are measured by how you stack up to greatness. And so far, Real Betis do not stack up. Their latest loss, a 5-0 blowout defeat to Atletico Madrid in a must win Copa del Rey quarterfinals clash, was a harsh reminder of that.

Betis have been horrendous against the current top four teams in La Liga, and this loss to Atleti only entrenches that they are a cut below. They also got blown out badly by Real Madrid and Barcelona this season, losing 5-1 to Los Blancos on January 4th while giving up 5 goals in a 5-3 loss to Barcelona.

Even earlier this season, Los Verdiblancos lost 2-0 to Los Rojiblancos in La Liga. Until Real Betis fix their record against the best of the best in La Liga, they are not going to get back to the Champions League – or even come close.