At times the football Betis have played belies their league position. That though is unlikely to save them in their next destination, where playing attractive football will be no real guarantee of success. 

Just after breakfast on Palm Sunday, Betis will be asking for the first of six slices of divine inspiration and a few favours from the teams above them, as they desperately cling on to the dream of top-flight football next season. Nine minutes of madness against Malaga cost them three very dear points, today against their arch rivals they need to make no mistakes, or they could be down before the last of the Easter eggs have been finished. 

Once the Sevilla fans were inside the Stadium the taunts of "Going down! Going down!" rang out, but do their bitter rivals want to see them banished? In a historic season that saw the teams meet in two thrilling Europa league ties Sevilla squeezed through on penalties. Even the most staunch Sevillista would have to agree that La Liga will be a duller place next season without them. Whatever happens, the full house guaranteed today will be matched for the remainder of the home games this season, will be repeated in the coming campaign, irrespective of their second division opponents. The same cannot be said of the teams above them who will survive the drop, that will be football's loss. 

For thirty minutes Betis looked like a side with bigger aspirations as they kept Sevilla at bay, though once again, their domination was to count for nothing as a seemingly innocuous challenge on Bacca led to a penalty and the dismissal of the unfortunately named Juancar. An uphill challenge before kick-off, now made even harder.

Fortune deserted Betis a long time ago, amid talk of conspiracy theories and plots against them, the fact of the matter is 22 points from 33 games is quite simply not good enough. If they are followed down by the likes of Getafe, Valladolid or Osasuna, these will adapt to life in the second division with greater ease, Betis' reliance on playing football, has unfortunately been their downfall. 

The home side slowly disintegrated in the second half to the jubilation of the supporters who made the two mile journey. The inevitable second goal meant whilst the Verdiblancos' fate was not sealed today, it will not be long now.