“The round is not finished, there still 90 minutes left to play.” That is the idea among Real Betis players since the first leg of last 16 Copa del Rey ended. Sevilla will start tonight with 2-0 in the aggregate score. It will not be an easy task, but all the forces will be focused on achieving it. “It is forbidden to think about Villarreal CF right now. There’s no other match but this derby”, said Merino in the press conference prior to the match.

The manager already said that he will go with everything, looking to turn around the aggregate score: “If you ask the fans which match they prefer to win, they would tell you the derby”, he stated. In his first match in charge, Merino has called up all the available players. N’Diaye is suspended; and Westermann, Dani Giménez, Vadillo, Tarek, and Matilla are out due to injuries. The list is made up by Adán, Ángel de la Calzada, Molinero, Piccini, Pezzella, Bruno, Jordi Figueras, Varela, Vargas, Xavi Torres, Digard, Petros, Fabián, Portillo, Van der Vaart, Dani Ceballos, Cejudo, Kadir, Joaquín, Rennella, Van Wolfswinkel, Jorge Molina, and Rubén Castro.

Because a derby is always a derby. In these 90 minutes, there are more things at stake than just a victory or points in the table. There are feelings linked to a badge and a shirt, and the hundreds of fans that will accompany the team to Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán Stadium know it. The comeback is possible. The last time the teams met in the same scenario, in Europa League in the 2013-2014 season, Real Betis won 0-2.

If it could be done then, why not today? Union, confidence and determination. As Juan Merino said yesterday, “it’s an important match for us, a final.” And finals are not played. They are won.