Antony sending Robert Lewandowski for a hot dog has left our jaw dislocated
Manchester United‘s reputation as a footballer’s graveyard has just reached its zenith as Antony (yes, Antony) has just nutmegged one of the greatest footballers of all-time.
Marcus Rashford, Anthony Elanga and Aaron Wan-Bissaka are just some of the players who have blossomed since leaving United in recent seasons.
But none have undergone quite the transformation we’ve seen from Antony since he joined Real Betis in January.
Away from the tyranny of Manchester and its 3pm winter sunsets, Antony has rediscovered himself in vibrant Andalucia.
Away at Barcelona on Saturday, against opponents looking to exploit Real Madrid’s shock defeat to Valencia, Antony sent Robert Lewandowski for a bocadillo with a delightful piece of skill.
With the scores level at 1-1, Antony received a slightly short pass from a team-mate out on the right flank. Lewandowski sensed this and lunged in to intercept the ball.
Like a spider carefully watching its prey seal their own fate, the former United man waited for the ball to reach his feet before whipping it between his opponent’s legs.
With all the grace of a Temptation Island contestant reacting to the slightest hiccup, Lewandowski simply body-checked Antony and conceded a free-kick in an attempt to mask his bruised ego.
— TF (@TFTBLMEDIA) April 5, 2025
Antony had arrived at Old Trafford in 2022 for a staggering £81 million, but failed to replicate the form he had shown at Ajax.
By the time he left for Betis, his confidence had evaporated completely.
But the La Liga club had a clear vision for how to revive Antony’s career. Since joining, the winger has notched four goals and four assists in 13 games across all competitions.
Speaking to DAZN, he said: “I am very happy. I found myself, I needed to find myself, I needed to be happy, I needed my family to be happy too.
“Every day that goes by, I see that it’s the best decision I’ve made.
“I am enjoying the city, the club, every day. [Seville] reminds me a lot of things from Brazil – the sun, the food, everything.
“The people are also very warm. I’m very happy and that’s important for us as Brazilians.”
When Antony joined, Betis sat 10th in La Liga, but a seven-game winning streak – including a 2-1 derby triumph over Sevilla – has propelled them to fifth place, just five points off a Champions League berth.
Betis haven’t played in Europe’s premier competition since the 2005-06 season, and keeping Antony beyond this season is now a strong possibility.
Betis do not have a purchase option in the loan deal, but Antony himself appears open to extending his stay in Spain.
“I am very grateful to United for everything. I lived difficult moments at United, but also very good moments,” he added.
“I’m also preparing myself to be here today, enjoying myself. And well, today my head is here, I am very happy.”
There is approximately 0.01% chance that either Antony or United want the Brazil international to play at Old Trafford next season. A deal can and must be done.
While Antony was completely unsuited to the rigour of the Premier League, his performances in La Liga are the clearest indication yet of United’s spectacularly wonky talent ID.
Not many people make mugs of Lewandowski; Antony managed to do so with a flick of the football.
By Michael Lee
READ NEXT: The crazy La Liga table since Real Betis signed Antony on loan from Man Utd
TRY A QUIZ: Can you name every club in La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga & Ligue 1 in 2024-25?