Manchester United loanee Antony has found his stride at Real Betis, scoring in three consecutive matches since his winter transfer window move to the Spanish club. The Brazilian forward's latest goal came in Sunday's impressive 3-0 victory over nine-man Real Sociedad.
"I found myself again," Antony told RTV Betis, reflecting on his resurgence in Spain. "When we are happy, when we work happy, things come naturally. Every day I wake up smiling and I go to sleep smiling, and that for me is the most important thing."
The 24-year-old's journey to Real Betis follows a challenging spell at Manchester United, where he arrived as the club's second most expensive signing at £80 million ($97.3m) from Ajax in 2022. Despite winning the FA Cup and EFL Cup with United, Antony's impact was limited, managing just 12 goals in 96 appearances at Old Trafford.
Speaking about his time in Manchester, Antony expressed gratitude while acknowledging the difficulties he faced. "I was playing little, but I was working hard every day," he said. "I am very grateful for my time in Manchester, where I had difficult moments, but also very good ones. But here, when I say that I found myself, it's about the happiness."
The forward credits his smooth adaptation in Spain to both the environment and the support he's received. "The sun also helps a lot, the city, which here is better, and well, I'm very happy here," he explained. He particularly praised Real Betis manager Manuel Pellegrini, stating, "The confidence he has given me is incredible and I am very grateful. Before arriving here, I spoke with the coach, and that gave me a lot of confidence."
Antony's impact has been immediate, earning MVP honors in all three of his LaLiga appearances for Betis. However, the Brazilian remains ambitious: "It's very good, but I'm going for more. Yes, I'm very happy to have been the MVP in those three LaLiga games, but the most important thing for me is the team, that it wins, that everyone is happy."
Currently, Real Betis sits eighth in LaLiga and holds a commanding 3-0 lead over Gent heading into Thursday's Conference League playoff second leg.
