Real Betis is set to return to the Champions League after a 20-year hiatus.
The team from Sevilla clinched a fifth-place finish in LaLiga by defeating Elche with a score of 2-1 at their home ground on Tuesday, securing the last Champions League spot.
Betis last participated in the Champions League during the 2005-06 season, where they finished third in their group trailing Liverpool and Chelsea.
With just two matches left in the season, Manuel Pellegrini’s squad widened the gap to sixth-placed Celta Vigo to seven points, following Celta’s 3-2 defeat to Levante earlier on Tuesday.
Cucho Hernández opened the scoring for Betis in the ninth minute, and the winning goal was netted by Pablo Fornals in the 68th minute, shortly after Héctor Fort had equalized for Elche just before halftime.
Elche played with ten men from the 49th minute following the red card issued to Léo Pétrot and now hovers near the relegation zone.
Levante’s victory allowed them to climb to 16th place in the standings.
On the same day, fourth-placed Atletico Madrid secured a 2-1 win against 11th-placed Osasuna, thanks to goals from Ademola Lookman and Alexander Sorloth, while Atletico’s Marcos Llorente received a red card in the 79th minute.