The derby left much worse consequences for Betis Sevilla than the defeat. Among the players who had earned the respect of fans and enthusiasts at the beginning of the season there is certainly the former Napoli player Nathan. The Brazilian central defender suffered the worst after a tough clash with Chimy Ávila late in the match.
Pellegrini had already run out of substitutions and the Brazilian remained on the pitch despite the pain. Natan injured his left knee and ended the match practically as a forward, unable to help in any other way. The tears on his face both reflected his state of mind about the injury. After the match, he left the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán Stadium limping, with a bandage on his left leg.
“The doctor has examined him, he has a sprained knee, we will see the degree and if there are other injuries. For now it seems like a sprain, but we will do other checks during the week”, declared Manuel Pellegrini in the post-match press conference. The injury immediately raised alarm bells ahead of the calendar. The international break will provide an opportunity to check his physical status, but it is likely that Natan could be out for a few weeks if the doctor’s initial diagnosis is confirmed.