Cucho Hernández double sinks Real Oviedo as Pellegrini sets LaLiga record

Key facts

• Cucho Hernández scored twice (22', 58') to take his season tally to 10 LaLiga goals.
• Manuel Pellegrini became the third manager in LaLiga history to beat 40 different teams.
• Real Betis won 3-0 at the Estadio de la Cartuja in front of 57,578 fans.
• Oviedo remain bottom with 28 points, seven points from safety with four matches left.
• Betis are fifth with 53 points, six clear of sixth-placed Celta Vigo.
• The unbeaten head-to-head run for Betis against Oviedo extended to 14 games (W7, D7).
• VAR disallowed a Federico Viñas header for offside in the 53rd minute.
• Santi Cazorla, aged 41, came off the bench but could not change the outcome.

Lethal counter-attack seals victory

Cucho Hernández scored twice as Real Betis defeated Real Oviedo 3-0 at the Estadio de la Cartuja, pushing the visitors closer to an immediate return to the Segunda División. The result extended Betis’s unbeaten run against Oviedo to 14 matches, a streak stretching back to January 1993. Oviedo began with urgency, knowing a win was essential. Ilyas Chaira forced a save from Álvaro Valles within 15 seconds, and Alberto Reina’s shot on the turn was also kept out. Santiago Colombatto curled a free-kick just wide, but the visitors’ early pressure yielded no goal.

Pellegrini joins exclusive club

Manuel Pellegrini became only the third manager in LaLiga history to record victories against 40 different teams in the competition. The Chilean tactician has now beaten every side he has faced in Spain’s top flight, a feat previously achieved only by two other coaches. Pellegrini’s side have not lost at home in the league since December, and they are now six points clear of sixth-placed Celta Vigo. That gap could prove crucial if Spain is awarded a fifth UEFA Champions League qualifying spot.

VAR decisions frustrate Oviedo

Oviedo felt aggrieved by two marginal calls. In first-half stoppage time, Sofyan Amrabat caught Thiago Fernández with his studs as he slid in on the byline, but no penalty was awarded. Eight minutes after the break, Federico Viñas thought he had halved the deficit with a header, only for VAR to show he was centimetres offside. Those decisions compounded Oviedo’s frustration after they had dominated the opening 20 minutes. The visitors had created several good positions but failed to capitalise, and Betis made them pay with ruthless efficiency.

Hernández and Ezzalzouli combine

The breakthrough came in the 22nd minute when Pablo Fornals’ deflected cross fell kindly for Hernández, who tucked home from 15 yards. Betis doubled their lead on the stroke of half-time as Antony crossed for Abde Ezzalzouli to poke in at the far post. Oviedo brought on 41-year-old Santi Cazorla in search of a comeback, but before he could make an impact, Betis added a third. A counter-attack ended with Hernández flicking Ezzalzouli’s cross in off the post for his 10th LaLiga goal of the season. Viñas twice headed off target, and Valles saved Reina’s shot with his legs, but Betis saw out a comfortable victory.

Relegation looms for Oviedo

Oviedo started the day eight points adrift of safety and are now seven points behind 17th-placed Mallorca with only four games left. Their remaining fixtures include matches against Getafe, Real Madrid, Alaves and Mallorca, making survival a remote prospect. The Blues have won three of their last six league matches, but their poor first half of the season has left them with too much to do. A 2-1 home defeat to Elche before this match underlined their fragility, despite a creditable 3-0 away win at Celta Vigo on April 12.

Betis eye European qualification

Betis are in pole position to finish fifth and secure Europa League qualification for the 2026-27 campaign. They have responded strongly to their Europa League quarter-final exit to Braga, beating Girona and drawing with Real Madrid in their last two matches. Despite having only the 10th-best home record in La Liga this season (27 points from 16 matches), Betis have made the Estadio de la Cartuja a fortress in recent months. Their unbeaten home league run since December gives them momentum heading into the final stretch.

Historic dominance continues

Betis have not lost to Oviedo in the league since April 1991, and the last two meetings before this match had finished level, including a 1-1 draw in the reverse fixture in January. The Seville outfit’s dominance over the Asturian club now spans 35 years. For Pellegrini, the victory was another milestone in a storied career. His ability to adapt and overcome every opponent in LaLiga underscores his tactical acumen, while Betis’s clinical finishing on the night highlighted their growing maturity as a side.

The bottom line

• Cucho Hernández’s double took his LaLiga tally to 10 goals and secured a vital win for Betis.
• Manuel Pellegrini became the third manager in LaLiga history to beat 40 different teams.
• Real Oviedo are seven points from safety with four games left, facing a likely relegation.
• VAR disallowed a potential Oviedo equaliser for offside, adding to their frustrations.
• Betis are six points clear of sixth place, strengthening their Europa League qualification bid.
• The 3-0 win extended Betis’s unbeaten run against Oviedo to 14 matches since 1993.