COLUMN: Jesus Rodriguez, Javi Guerra, and a conveyor belt that never stops | OneFootball

The 2024/25 season has felt like two distinctly different campaigns for Real Betis Balompie. “Always watch Betis?” Well, not before January.

Most believe that the arrival of Brazilian winger Antony, on loan from Manchester United, has keyed a turnaround at Betis that could see the Verdiblancos qualify for the Champions League for the second time in club history – indeed, Isco (enjoying his own renaissance on the eve of his 33rd birthday) recently declared that a crowdfunding initiative would be needed to keep the former Ajax ace in Betis’ famed green and white shirt.

Although Betis’ Champions League chances did take a hit in Sunday’s 2-1 loss to Villarreal, the emergence of teenage winger Jesus Rodriguez is further testament to Manuel Pellegrini’s strength in talent development amid Betis’ continued financial issues.

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A Seville native regarded as having huge potential as he moved through the club’s youth ranks, Rodriguez scored seven goals for Betis’ B team in the fourth tier a season ago, and he debuted in La Liga on the first of December, starting and playing 80 minutes in a 2-0 loss at Real Sociedad. Six weeks later, he scored his first (to date only) goal for the first team against Alaves, cutting to his right top open space for a twice-deflected long-range shot that (somehow) found its way through. He’s rarely been out of the lineup since, and he scored his first European goal to cap a neat move from a throw-in as Betis defeated Jagellonia Bialystok in the Europa Conference League quarterfinal first leg last week. Sunday’s defeat to Villarreal marked the first time in more than two months that Betis lost a game Rodriguez started.

Rodriguez turned 19 in November, and you can see why Pellegrini instantly took a liking to him: he has a really unique profile extrapolated to wingers in Europe’s top seven leagues. Capable of playing on the left and the right, this is a player who already grades out as absolutely elite in progressive carries per 90 minutes (98th percentile), successful take-ons (96th percentile), and ‘attacking actions’ that comprise shots and crosses in addition to completed dribbles (90th percentile). With his speed, he has the confidence to take on anyone – watch him dribble through the Sevilla defence in El Gran Derbi earlier this month – and he works hard off the ball to make tackles and interceptions.

Rodriguez, just like midfielder Sergi Altimira, recently agreed a renewal to 2029 as Betis try to ward off Premier League interest in the for a little while longer. If the club finds a way to keep Antony on a permanent deal, this will be one of Spain’s more dynamic wide tandems in 2025/26, surely key to the Verdiblancos’ continued hunt to return to the Champions League after two decades.

At Mestalla on Friday night, resurgent Valencia squared off against struggling Sevilla in another “tale of two seasons” matchup, just at the other end of the table. Where Sevilla had lingered on the fringes of the European places a matter of months ago, Valencia continued to flirt with a historic relegation – that is, until embattled owner Peter Lim pried Carlos Corberan free from his West Bromwich Albion contract.

Corberan’s return to Valencia – where he once turned out for the club’s B team as a goalkeeper – has coincided with Los Che rocketing into form. Incredibly, their 1-0 win over Sevilla took them nine points clear of the drop, and only Barcelona (unbeaten anywhere in 2025) have picked up more points in LaLiga since Corberan took over at Mestalla in January; in fact, Valencia now sit closer to the European places than the drop zone.

Their goal Friday night came from 22-year-old Javi Guerra, long touted as a potential star emerging from the Valencia academy. Deep into first half stoppage time, the tall, lanky midfielder kept his balance – and his cool – to fire a right-footed shot that nestled beyond Orjan Nyland’s far post.

“At the end I was sure I was going to cut back, but my supporting foot slipped,” Guerra said Friday night. “Luckily I was able to score the goal. I’m very happy because I hadn’t scored for a long time.”

It was just Guerra’s second goal of 2024/25, and he should have added another in the second half, that effort crashing off the woodwork instead. Still, Guerra and the more defensive-minded Enzo Barrenechea have formed an excellent partnership in Corberan’s double pivot, one balancing out the other – Guerra is the line-breaker, the strong ball-carrier galloping from box to box, while Barrenechea wins the duels, steps in to break up play, and recycles the ball effectively and progressively.

Image via VCF

Guerra was close to moving to Atletico Madrid last year, but Atletico’s simultaneous pursuit of Conor Gallagher complicated the transfer. Now with two years remaining on his contract, Guerra should have more suitors this summer, and it is time to stick or twist for Valencia – will new president Kiat Lim get him signed to a new contract as a pillar for Los Che’s future? Or will Peter Lim’s son take after his father and sell at any price?

Whatever happens with Javi Guerra and Jesus Rodriguez this summer, the growth of these two players shows that the conveyor belt of young Spanish talent is operating just fine. There’s proof enough of that concept at Barcelona – Lamine Yamal might be the best player on the planet by the time of the World Cup next year – and in the growth of Pablo Barrios at Atletico, or Mikel Jauregizar at Athletic Club, or Bournemouth’s wonderkid Dean Huijsen standing out in his debut for the national team last month. Such an abundance of young players, much of it staying home in the country’s domestic league, hints at exciting times ahead around La Liga.