Ex-Man United star Antony dubbed a ‘magician’ by Spanish press after stunning brace for Real Betis

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Antony just had his best game yet for Real Betis since permanently leaving Manchester United in the summer, scoring twice as Manuel Pellegrini’s side beat Mallorca.

The Brazilian left Manchester United this summer after Ruben Amorim made it clear there was no future for him at Old Trafford.

The 25-year-old thrived on loan at Betis last season and pushed for a permanent move this summer.

While Antony has struggled to find the same form at the start of this campaign, Sunday’s game was much closer to the level he showed last season.

Ex-Man United star Antony shines in MOTM display for Real Betis

Antony scored twice, provided an assist, and was awarded man of the match as Betis defeated Mallorca in La Liga. This led to an abundance of praise from the Spanish press.

Estadio Deportivo wrote: “The three-goal lead fueled the Betis celebrations, which were highlighted by the brilliance of their Brazilian star.

“It was his night, and he seemed to be finally shaking off the recent run of form where nothing had gone right. “And when a magician starts working his magic, the performance can’t stop.”

AS declared: “Antony is Champions League material.” They added: “The Brazilian stunned Mallorca with two goals and an assist to keep Betis in the hunt for the top spots in La Liga.

“Antony is the player Betis paid €25 million to make a difference – the same player Manchester United spent €95 million on years ago.”

Elmira wrote: “Real Betis thrashed RCD Mallorca 3-0 in a match highlighted by a dazzling performance from Antony Matheus dos Santos. The ‘enlightened one’ scored a spectacular brace and provided the assist for Ez Abde’s third goal.

“Stopping Antony proved impossible for Mallorca, who were completely outplayed throughout the match.”

This was the player Manchester United thought they were signing from Ajax. Instead, Antony became a little bit of a joke at Old Trafford.

His qualities are evident, and it is good to see him thriving elsewhere. From a United perspective, it just wasn’t meant to be.

Antony stats for Real Betis vs Mallorca

His outstanding performance was reflected in the stats on the night.

As Betis progress through their league campaign, Antony is shaping up to be their most important player if he continues producing performances of this calibre.

Pellegrini’s side now face a tough test against Lyon in the Europa League on Thursday, where Antony will almost certainly start and look to make an impact once more.