Jagellonia take on the visitors Betis in the second leg of UEFA Conference League round of quarterfinals. First leg result: 0-2. The match will be played on Thursday, April 17th at Chorten Arena (Bialystok).
Jagiellonia are making their full European debut this season. Jaga were founded over a century ago. But for much of their history, they were far from being a force in Polish football — the only trophy they’d won this century had looked like a one-off fluke that only proved the rule. Last season, however, they stunned everyone by winning the Ekstraklasa title. Now, in Białystok, fans still hope to retain that status, though it’s becoming increasingly clear that not only have they let Raków pull away, but they also risk slipping to third place. Their title-winning campaign earned them a spot in the Champions League qualifiers, where they made light work of Panevėžys. But then came Bodø/Glimt, and the Norwegians were simply too strong. They dropped down to the Europa League qualifiers but were once again overpowered, this time by Ajax. In the Conference League, however, they found their rhythm — cruising through the group stage and then eliminating both TSC Bačka Topola and Cercle Brugge, scoring three goals in three separate matches. But in Seville, they were completely outplayed by the favourites.
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Betis have been under Manuel Pellegrini’s guidance for several years now. The 2022 Copa del Rey triumph under his leadership remains a highlight, along with a 5th-place La Liga finish that same season. Last spring, they narrowly edged out Villarreal for 7th, and this year the two clubs are once again direct rivals — but now they’re battling for 5th place and even daring to chase down Athletic Club. Just like in La Liga, Betis gradually picked up steam in the Conference League. After brushing aside Kryvbas in the summer qualifiers, they had just one win and four points from their first four group-stage matches. But two wins in December secured their place in the knockout rounds. There, with the help of January signing Antony, they eased past both Gent and Vitória Guimarães. Against Jagiellonia, they played a composed match and recorded a clinical 2-0 win in Seville. Betis have now won six of their last seven matches in all competitions, showing excellent balance in attack and defense.
The Polish side had barely featured in Europe before this campaign — their visit to Spain last Thursday was their first ever. The Spaniards are simply a class above — they should get another win here.
Prediction for the match: Betis to win.
