Antony is available for this weekend’s crucial clash between Real Betis and Real Madrid.
The Manchester United winger joined Real Betis on loan in January and has gone from strength to strength.
After being overlooked by Ruben Amorim at Old Trafford, it was only a matter of time before the Brazil international found a new club. He had fallen down the pecking order under Erik ten Hag with players like Amad Diallo, Mason Mount, Noussair Mazraoui and Diogo Dalot all seen as preferred options.
Antony was trialled in the wing-back role but Amorim quickly decided that United needed to dip in the transfer market. Then came the arrival of Patrick Dorgu for Leece.
However, Antony’s move to Spain has been a success so far.
The 25-year-old won a MOTM award on his debut and scored three times with two assists in just six games.
Betis manager Manuel Pellegrini has been impressed with his new signing and it remains to be seen if they will be able to make the deal permanent this summer.
Antony red card overturned
The first dent in Antony’s spell at Betis came last weekend when he received a red card in a 2-1 win over Getafe, after providing an assist for Isco’s opening goal.
Antony committed a reckless tackle on Getafe defender Juan Iglesias before being sent off in the 94th minute.
The former Ajax star tried to plead his innocence by waving a finger in the referee’s decision but Javier Alberola Rojas acted quickly to issue a red card from his back pocket.
Betis decided they would appeal the decision and Fabrizio Romano has since revealed that Spain’s football authorities accepted the claim and have overturned Antony’s red card.
This means Antony will be available to face Real Madrid on Saturday night.
Real Madrid outraged by Antony decision
La Liga giants Real Madrid are understood be furious that Antony will be available when they take on Betis.
Carlo Ancelotti’s side are in contention to win the title as they sit level on points with Barcelona at the top of the table.
Their next league assignment is a tricky trip to Seville to face Betis, where Antony has become a dangerous force in attack. He could make his seventh start in a row against Los Blancos.
According to AS, Madrid are not happy with referee decisions that have gone against them this season, and the latest Antony decision has led to outrage.
A source told the Spanish newspaper: “It can’t be, in their eagerness to go hunting against Madrid they are even skipping the legal arguments. Removing a red card that has been clearly assessed by the refereeing body and well explained in the report is as if the referees from now on are going to re-referee the matches.
“They don’t hold back, they have done it with the desire to hurt us. They have declared war on us and used all imaginable means, even if they expose the very referees that they claim to defend so much.
“In 24 hours we have witnessed what we can call a hunt for everything that smells of Real Madrid. First, they set us an awful time for the game against Villarreal so that we have less rest than Barça and Atleti and thus favour a bad result there; then (Javier) Tebas loses respect for our coach who is a blessing, respected by everyone except the president of the Liga and vice president of the Federation; and now, the thing with Antony.
“They attack us by land, sea and air. They don’t hold back. Even so, we will fight to the end with pride. We will not bow our heads in the face of such foolishness.”
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