Nabil Fekir goes from keepy-ups to red card in just 10 seconds after kicking out at rival

Real Betis kept their chances of securing Champions League football for next season alive with a 1-0 victory over Athletic Club, but they could have thrown it way thanks to Nabil Fekir

Nabil Fekir almost cost Real Betis a crucial three points on Sunday by getting himself sent off for violent conduct, just seconds after showboating.

Betis secured a crucial three points in the La Liga with a 1-0 victory over Athletic Club thanks to a 20th-minute goal from Borja Iglesias.

However, a moment of madness from Fekir in the 79th minute almost gave Athletic a way back into the game, and the Frenchman has his team-mates to thank for holding on to the one-goal lead in such stout fashion

With just 11 minutes on the clock, Fekir had the ball in the Atletico half and was doing a sequence of keepy-ups to tease the opposition defenders into pressing him – and when they did, the 28-year-old flicked it over their heads.

But the Lyon playmaker then was instantly played the ball back, and then quickly chopped to the ground by right-back Oscar de Marcos, to which he somewhat ‘milked’ to tick down the clock.

Athletic captain Iker Munian then bent down to Fekir and was spotted shouting and pointing at him very briefly, and that was all it took for the opposition no.8 to see red – quite literally – as he kicked out at the Spaniard and was instantly given his marching orders.

The Estadio Benito Villamarin was stunned into silence as the Betis supporters watched their creative star walk off the pitch and down the tunnel.

But manager Manuel Pellegrini defended the actions of his player after the match, claiming it was only a matter of time before Fekir became frustrated given that he was consistently fouled by the Athletic team.

The former West Ham boss said: “Out of every 20 fouls, Fekir gets given 10 because he doesn’t jump. The action isn’t justifiable, but it is understandable after what he endures.

“In the end, the person attacked leaves and the aggressor stays on the field playing.”