- Pablo Fornals left West Ham United in 2024
- Fornals has thrived upon returning to Spain under Manuel Pellegrini
- The former West Ham pair sealed Champions League qualification for Real Betis
Since leaving West Ham United in 2024, Pablo Fornals has reached a new peak in Spain. The former Hammers playmaker was lauded for his moments of magic during his four-and-a-half years in a claret and blue shirt, but the Spaniard’s lack of consistency factored in his departure under then-West Ham boss David Moyes.
Fornals signed for Real Betis in an €8million (£6.8 million) deal. In Balompié, Fornals has reunited with former West Ham coach Manuel Pellegrini and has rediscovered his enterprising spark as the centrepiece of Betis’ midfield.
Pablo Fornals seals Champions League qualification for Real Betis
As West Ham faces a critical part of their season this month, Betis and Fornals also have objectives of their own that they have been striving to satisfy. On Tuesday night, Pellegrini’s side locked horns with relegation-battling Elche in La Liga, with a chance to qualify for their first Champions League campaign in 21 years.
After an end-to-end first half, which saw Fornals’ assist help open the scoring for the Seville side through Juan Hernández, before being pegged back minutes later, it was the West Ham cult hero that broke the deadlock in the second.
As a corner was swung in and cleared away at the near post, it was Fornals who controlled the resulting ball from 30 yards out before teeing himself up and lashing an effort into the top corner past Elche goalkeeper Matías Dituro.
Fornals’ stunning effort, the eighth of his season to go with six assists, was enough to secure Champions League football for Betis via La Liga’s fifth place. It’s another decisive moment that could earn him a spot in Spain’s World Cup squad for this summer’s tournament after featuring in Luis de la Fuente’s last two camps in November and March.
Fornals praised Pellegrini for his productive season: “He rescued me at a moment when I wasn’t even there for myself. I think he has been able to bring out my best version, and this year I’ve enjoyed myself a lot personally.”
Of course, European triumph is no new thing for Fornals, who was part of West Ham’s 2023 Conference League-winning side – scoring an inventive solo run against AZ to cement West Ham’s place in the final before beating Fiorentina.
Fornals scored 23 goals in 203 matches during his time in East London after arriving from Villarreal.
