Inside The Panthers

Pitt Hosts Real Betis Ahead of Liverpool Friendly

The Pitt Panthers hosted Spanish soccer team Real Betis, ahead of their friendly vs. Liverpool.

Dominic Campbell

May 22, 2019; Washington, D.C., USA; Real Betis forward Robert (9) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal against D.C. United in the second half at Audi Field. Real Betis won 5-2. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
May 22, 2019; Washington, D.C., USA; Real Betis forward Robert (9) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal against D.C. United in the second half at Audi Field. Real Betis won 5-2. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports / Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers hosted Real Betis on campus, ahead of their friendly with Liverpool at Acrisure Stadium Friday night, with kickoff set for 7:30 p.m.

Real Betis, officially known as Real Betis Balompé, is a Spanish soccer club from Seville in the southern part of the country. They have won La Liga (Spanish League) once in 1935 and the Copa Del Rey (Spanish Cup) three times in 1977, 2005 and 2022.

They came to upper campus and to Vartabedian Field, the Pitt softball field, which is a part of the Petersen Sports Complex. Ambrose Urbanic Field, home of Pitt men's and women's soccer, and Charles L. Cost Field, home of Pitt baseball, are also parts of the Petersen Sports Complex.

The team chose to dress up for a baseball themed photo shoot, with the players wearing Real Betis baseball clothing. They put out a tweet reading, "Tu equipo de béisbol favorito," translated in English to, "Your favorite baseball team."

They also had players like midfielder Pablo Fornals and goalkeeper Adrián in Real Betis baseball jerseys

They also put up a picture with a Pitt baseball helmet next to a Real Betis helmet, with the caption, "Las panteras de Heliópolis," or the Panthers of Heliopolis in English. Heliopolis was an ancient Egyptian city, in what is now the capital of the country, Cairo.

Real Betis practice at Acrisure Stadium, the home of Pitt football, after arriving this week, with manager Manuel Pellegrini putting players through conditioning and drills.

The club has a number of great players, including United States Men's National Team midfielder Johnny Cardoso, midfielders Nabil Fekir and WIlliam Carvalho, plus defender Héctor Bellerin.

Real Betis will travel to San Diego to take on Manchester United at SnapDragon Stadium on Wednesday, July 31 to finish their U.S. tour.

They also have friendlies against Saudi Arabia soccer club Al Ittihad on Saturday, Aug. 3, Raja CA from Morocco on Wednesday Aug. 7 and then German champions Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday, Aug. 10, to wrap up their preseaspn.

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Dominic Campbell

DOMINIC CAMPBELL

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