In Seville’s Heliópolis district, Nelson Deossa has turned a difficult opening chapter at Real Betis into a fight for a proper place in European football. The Colombian midfielder says the club considered selling him after an injury-hit and unsettled first campaign following his move from Monterrey, but he refused to let one season define his ability.
A European ambition tested in Seville
Deossa arrived at Betis carrying an injury and found the adjustment from Mexican football to the demands of the Spanish game difficult. His early problems, both physical and tactical, led the Verdiblancos to explore a possible departure during the transfer window.
Yet the midfielder had no desire to leave Spain after only a year. He spoke to his mother about his determination to remain in Seville and show that his first season was not an accurate measure of what he could offer Betis.
- Deossa joined Real Betis from Monterrey.
- He arrived with an injury and struggled during his first year.
- Betis examined the possibility of moving him on in the transfer market.
- The Colombian insisted on staying to compete for his role.
“I wanted to stay,” Deossa said. “Leaving was not in my plans. Coming to Europe was a dream, and I could not allow people to judge my career, my qualities and what I could bring after just one season.”
Refusing the exit route
Deossa accepted that Betis were entitled to consider a sale, describing it as part of the club’s work, but made clear that his own position did not change. As long as there was a chance to remain, he intended to keep battling for a place.
He said he was prepared to work against the current if necessary, telling his mother that he would not walk away from the challenge.
“They wanted to sell me, and that is respectable because it is their job,” he explained. “But I said I was not going to leave. I wanted to stay and fight until the end. I told my mother that, if I had to go against everything, I would do it; I was not leaving.”
Pre-season brought a reset
The 25-year-old has also looked closely at his own contribution to that difficult first year. He acknowledged mistakes and decisions that could not be repeated, identifying pre-season as the point at which he needed to alter his mindset.
For Deossa, the new preparation period offered a chance to begin again: to adapt more fully to what Betis require from him on the pitch and to leave behind the version of himself seen in the previous half-season.
“Something had to change in pre-season,” he said. “I could not remain the same Nelson from the previous spell, making the same errors. It was a new period and I came determined to improve. That pre-season was important in starting that transformation.”
Pellegrini’s confidence changes the picture
The outlook has since improved for Deossa, who has found a role in Manuel Pellegrini’s plans. The Betis coach gave him support, minutes during pre-season and the confidence to continue building his contribution in Seville.
“The manager backed me and trusted me with the chance to keep contributing,” Deossa said. “He also gave me playing time in pre-season, and I think that was important in helping them make that decision.”
Having resisted a potential departure, Deossa now sees his continued stay at Betis as the opportunity to prove that his troubled arrival from Monterrey was a beginning rather than a verdict.
