A routine pre-season friendly in Seville ended with Bournemouth and Real Betis level, but the match was defined by the confrontation before half-time that led to Alex Scott and Antony both being sent off. The flashpoint started when Nelson Deossa kicked the ball at Bafode Diakite after being fouled.
The flashpoint before half-time
The game had already produced goals before tempers went with it. Marcus Tavernier scored in the 41st minute for Bournemouth, then Cucho Hernandez equalised for Real Betis in the 57th minute. BBC reported that Bournemouth's Alex Scott and Real Betis' Antony were sent off after a confrontation during the friendly in Seville.
That is the part of the evening that will be remembered, but the scoreline did keep moving. Evanilson put Bournemouth back in front before Pablo Fornals levelled again for Real Betis late on.
Bournemouth's final pre-season step
For Bournemouth, the Seville game sits inside the last stretch of pre-season. Their final friendly is against Mainz on 15 August at 14:30 BST, and their first Premier League game is away to Manchester City's opponents on 23 August. Bournemouth also arrive unbeaten in five Premier League games, with two wins and three draws, and they finished 6th in the 2025 season.
The on-field shape of the friendly mattered less than the discipline problem it exposed. Both clubs will move on quickly, but the two red cards are the part of the night that stands out.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →
