Watch: Celtic take the lead against Real Betis through Albian Ajeti | OneFootball

Real Betis welcomed their green-and-white brothers Celtic to the Benito Villamarin this evening to get the 2021/22 Europa League campaign up and running. Both clubs, proud of their history and their cultural identity, share links going back years, although all that went out the window as soon as the first whistle sounded.

Manuel Pellegrini set his team up in a 4-2-3-1. Claudio Bravo started in goal behind a back four of Martin Montoya, Edgar Gonzalez, Victor Ruiz and Juan Miranda. Andres Guardado and Sergio Canales made up the double pivot, with Joaquin and Juanmi out wide. Nabil Fekir played behind Borja Iglesias.

Bayer Leverkusen and Ferencvaros make up the rest of the group. Betis have had a middling start to the season and currently sit ninth in La Liga, with one win, two draws and a defeat from four games. Celtic, having won three and lost two of their opening five games in the Scottish Premiership, sit fifth in the table.

It was the visitors from Glasgow that took a 15th minute lead. Celtic, wearing white, won the ball and countered quickly against Betis, wearing blue, going from back to front in a matter of seconds. The ball was then centred from the right side for Albian Ajeti, who bundled it over the line, a VAR check clearing it.