Betis Club Ambassador Joaquin: Florence is very strong, and it is unforgettable for two years of Purple Lily

May 8th, in the early morning of May 9, 2025, Real Betis is about to challenge Fiorentina away in the second leg of the Europa League semi-finals. This showdown is of great significance to Betis legendary captain Joaquin Sanchez, the Renaissance city is the only overseas club he has played for in his career.

Tour guide Joaquin's "Revisiting the Old Place"

Join, 44, returned to Frankie Stadium with the team as a club ambassador. From 2013 to 2015, the Spanish winger wore a purple lily robe to compete in Serie A. Now standing on the familiar turf, he does not hide his nostalgia: "I wish I could play games, especially in such a stadium. "

As the guide of the "Betis Expeditionary Force", Joaquin took his teammates to the neighborhood he lived in: from the first year of Fiesole Mountain, overlooking the panoramic view of Florence, to the next year, near the Vicio Bridge, which he moved to in order to integrate local culture. He introduced Tuscan cuisine in detail: "From pasta to Fiorentina T-bone steak, I often eat these. "Although I finally chose to return to help my parent team advance to La Liga, Joaquin admitted: "This place gave me two wonderful years."

The Golden Memory of the Purple Lily era

When receiving the official reception of Fiorentina, Joaquin recalled emotionally: "We had a fantastic lineup at that time - Giuseppe Rossi, Borja Barrero, Salah, Mario Gomez, Pizarro...I don't want to miss anyone, you can imagine how strong that team is."In the 2014/15 season, he reached the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup with the team, and this experience made him a rare veteran in Betis with the European Cup semi-finals.

Now as the link between the club and the locker room, Joaquin maintains close communication with sports director Manu Fahardo and coach Manuel Pellegrini. There are still old teammates such as Bartra and Isco in the locker room. He commented: "This is the result of years of accumulation, and the unity of the locker room is crucial. Looking at their tacit communication during training, you can know the specialness of this team."

Pellegrini's tactical considerations

Although Joaquin laughed and said that she wanted to wear the battle jersey again, Betis needed to rely on his experience and analysis. The 2-1 lead in the first leg did not relax him: "Fiorentina is very strong, we have seen it at home. We must stick to our philosophy and not just think about defending the score." This insight coincides with Pellegrini's tactical thinking. The old Chilean coach also emphasized the importance of maintaining an offensive posture at the pre-match press conference.