'Hard to sleep' - Man Utd flop Antony reveals his anguish after being sent off for kicking opponent in the head during Real Betis clash

The incident occurred in stoppage time when the Brazilian attempted an overhead kick and his boot accidentally caught Girona's Joel Roca in the face. The referee initially did not stop play, but a VAR review prompted a pitchside review, after which the red card was issued for dangerous play. Antony made apologetic gestures to the home fans as he left the pitch and the club is appealing. As it stands the red card means he is suspended for Betis' upcoming derby match against Sevilla.

Speaking on social media following the game, Antony apologised to Betis fans, saying: "Very sad about the red card. All I wanted was to help my team win. A completely unintentional move ... sorry to all the fans that have always supported me."

Speaking a couple of days after the event, Antony was spoken of how he's still upset about the incident: "I had no intention. That's why we’re going to try to appeal. I won the ball. When I did the (overhead) there, I didn't see it, I was looking at the ball. It was the VAR decision, the referee knows that I had no intention. It was very hard to sleep. I stayed at home thinking all night, I slept very little."

Antony is still hopeful of winning the appeal and being able to face Sevilla, he added: "Yes, of course. We have to try. I know how important this game is and I want to play it.”

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Antony's career has been revitalised after a challenging spell at Man Utd. He initially joined on loan in January this year and the winger quickly rediscovered his form, becoming a key player and fan favourite. During his initial six-month loan, Antony bagged an impressive nine goals and five assists in 26 appearances, helping the team secure qualification for the Europa League and reach their first-ever European final. 

He attributed his success to finding happiness and confidence in Seville, a stark contrast to his "very difficult" time in Manchester. Real Betis made the transfer permanent in September 2025 for a reported fee of £20 million ($29.1m). Since the permanent switch, he has continued his strong performance, with four goals in his first nine league games  this term and has expressed immense satisfaction with his move, stating he "wakes up every day with a smile". 

Aside from the fantastic match stats and statements backing his love for life in Spain with Betis, Antony has also drawn praise from his manager, former Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini. Speaking earlier in the season, Pellegrini said: "He's matured significantly, he's working really hard in games, with and without the ball, with 40-metre runs, changes up front, getting into the box, working on recovering. And that's what has helped him to make up for some of that lack of precision. 

He added: "I spoke with him before he came to Betis. He told me that he was not playing because he was not happy, but he had a lot of complaints about what he has done also. He wanted revenge, and here in Betis, I think he had it, and he did it in the way we know he can do, because it's not easy for you to play as a 100 million player. And Antony is a very good player. I am absolutely sure that this is a huge time for him here in Betis to help improve his career."