Real Betis provided that opportunity, initially taking him on loan before completing a permanent transfer worth €25 million plus add-ons in the summer window. While he had shown flashes of his old self during his loan spell, returning full-time to La Liga has been transformative. The Spanish style of play, slower tempo, more technical interplay and freedom to take risks, has proven far better suited to his strengths.
Fans at the Benito Villamarin have embraced Antony as a talismanic winger who can decide matches with pace, trickery and sharp finishing. Inside the dressing room, he has become admired for his work ethic and mental reset, with his attacking contributions helping Manuel Pellegrini’s side push for European qualification.
Bartra has been among the most vocal cheerleaders for Antony’s revival, praising both his mentality and his natural Brazilian flair. The former Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund defender says La Liga is the perfect environment to showcase the winger’s talent.
Speaking to Mundobetis, Bartra explained why the club is finally showing the Premier League what they expected to see: “It’s a style of football that suits him very well, that’s why we’re seeing the real Antony again, even improved. The first day I spoke with him, I already saw his mentality, with that quality and that Brazilian talent. I always say he’s a mix between Neymar and Cristiano. He has the same mentality as Cristiano, always striving for more and being very focused on the game.”
Bartra’s comments reflect the belief within the squad that Antony has rediscovered both his joy and edge in attack. His teammates view him as someone who is setting the tone for the rest of the front line.
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At Betis, Pellegrini’s system encourages him to drive at defenders, rotate positions more fluidly and combine quickly with overlapping full-backs. The winger has shown a renewed ability to go both ways on the dribble, making him far harder to defend against. He is also creating openings with clever passes that seemed absent from his game at Old Trafford.
He is also benefiting from being a central focus rather than merely one of many rotating forwards. Betis supporters adore his showmanship, but also value how determined he is to deliver the end product, not just tricks.
Antony’s challenge now is consistency — maintaining this level across a full season as Betis push to remain in the European qualification race. The club views him not merely as a short-term star but as a long-term leader of the project, justified by the significant transfer fee and continued support from the board. Betis fans believe he can cement himself as a club icon if he keeps delivering decisive performances in big games.
Meanwhile, his turnaround has not gone unnoticed beyond Spain. Some Premier League watchers wonder if Manchester United will eventually regret allowing him to depart rather than giving him more time to adapt to English football.
If the Brazilian continues on this trajectory, a return to the Brazil national team picture could also become a realistic ambition again as the Selecao prepare for the 2026 World Cup.
