Cucho Hernández double sinks Oviedo as Pellegrini joins 40-victory club

Key facts

• Cucho Hernández scored twice (22', 58') to lead Real Betis to a 3-0 victory over Real Oviedo.
• Manuel Pellegrini became the third manager in LaLiga history to record victories against 40 different teams.
• Oviedo remain bottom of LaLiga with 28 points, seven points from safety with four games left.
• Real Betis moved to 53 points, six clear of sixth-place Celta Vigo, strengthening their Europa League qualification bid.
• The attendance at Estadio de La Cartuja was 57,578.
• Betis extended their unbeaten head-to-head run against Oviedo to 14 games (W7, D7).

Lede: Betis tighten grip on fifth as Oviedo stare at relegation

Cucho Hernández scored twice to lead Real Betis to a 3-0 victory over Real Oviedo at Estadio de La Cartuja on Sunday, pushing the visitors closer to an immediate return to the Segunda División. The win lifted Betis to 53 points, six clear of sixth-place Celta Vigo, while Oviedo remained rooted to the bottom with 28 points, seven adrift of safety with only four matches remaining. Manuel Pellegrini, the Betis manager, etched his name into LaLiga history by becoming only the third manager ever to record league victories against 40 different teams in the competition. His side have not lost at home in the league since December.

Oviedo’s early promise undone by Hernández’s opener

Oviedo began the match with urgency, knowing a win was essential to keep their survival hopes alive. Within 15 seconds of kick-off, Ilyas Chaira forced Betis goalkeeper Álvaro Valles into a sprawling save. Valles was called into action again shortly after, denying Alberto Reina’s shot on the turn, before Santiago Colombatto curled a free-kick just wide of the near post. But Oviedo’s good work was undone in the 22nd minute. Pablo Fornals’ deflected cross fell kindly for Hernández, and Betis’s top scorer in LaLiga tucked the ball home from 15 yards. Oviedo failed to capitalise on promising positions as they hunted an equaliser, and Betis nearly doubled their lead when Chaira made a goal-saving sliding interception to deny Abde Ezzalzouli a tap-in at the far post.

Controversial calls and a second goal before half-time

Oviedo felt they should have been awarded a penalty when Sofyan Amrabat caught Thiago Fernández with his studs as he slid in on the byline. Their frustrations grew when, on the stroke of half-time, Antony crossed for Ezzalzouli to poke home, doubling Betis’s advantage. Eight minutes after the break, Oviedo thought they had halved the deficit when Federico Viñas headed in, but VAR showed he was centimetres offside. The decision compounded Oviedo’s sense of injustice.

Cazorla introduced but Betis strike again

Oviedo brought on 41-year-old Santi Cazorla from the bench in an attempt to spark a comeback. But before he could make an impact, Betis added a third goal. A counter-attack ended with Hernández flicking Ezzalzouli’s cross in off the post for his 10th LaLiga goal of the season, sealing the victory. Viñas twice headed off target, and Valles saved Reina’s shot with his legs, but Betis comfortably saw out the match. The result extended Betis’s unbeaten head-to-head run against Oviedo to 14 games (W7, D7).

Relegation looms for Oviedo despite recent revival

Oviedo have won three of their last six league matches, giving themselves a chance of escaping the relegation zone. However, the gap to 17th-placed Mallorca remains seven points with only four games left. Their remaining fixtures include matches against Getafe, Real Madrid, Alavés, and Mallorca. Oviedo’s issues in the first half of the season and earlier this year are expected to lead to relegation back to the Segunda División after just one season in the top flight. A win here could have acted as a late springboard, but the defeat leaves them with a mountain to climb.

Betis’s European ambitions and Pellegrini’s milestone

Real Betis are in pole position to finish fifth in LaLiga and secure Europa League qualification for the 2026-27 campaign. They are six points clear of sixth-place Celta Vigo, which could prove crucial if Spain is awarded a fifth UEFA Champions League qualifying spot. Pellegrini’s side disappointingly fell short in the Europa League this season, losing to Braga in the quarter-finals, but their response has been strong, beating Girona and drawing with Real Madrid before this victory. Pellegrini’s milestone of beating 40 different LaLiga teams places him alongside only two other managers in the competition’s history, underscoring his longevity and tactical adaptability.

The bottom line

• Cucho Hernández’s double (22', 58') secured a 3-0 win for Real Betis, pushing Oviedo closer to relegation.
• Manuel Pellegrini became the third manager in LaLiga history to beat 40 different teams.
• Oviedo remain bottom with 28 points, seven points from safety with four games left.
• Real Betis moved to 53 points, six clear of sixth-place Celta Vigo, strengthening their Europa League bid.
• Oviedo’s recent revival (three wins in six) proved insufficient against Betis’s dominant form.
• Betis extended their unbeaten head-to-head run against Oviedo to 14 games (W7, D7).