My First Europa League Game: Real Betis vs Lyon at La Cartuja

Last Thursday was a special day for me — I photographed my first Europa League match. I traveled about two hours to Seville, Spain, to cover the game between Real Betis Balompié and Olympique Lyon at the beautiful La Cartuja Stadium.

Two weeks earlier, I had applied for accreditation via email, and I was thrilled when I received a positive response confirming that I’d be photographing the game for Avant Sports Agency. Once everything was set, I planned my trip carefully, leaving early on Thursday to make sure I’d arrive at least three hours before kickoff.

When I got to the stadium, I asked a few other photographers for guidance — and they couldn’t have been kinder. They helped me understand the procedures, and soon I had my photo vest and accreditation badge in hand. From there, I made my way down to the pitch to get set up.

La Cartuja truly impressed me — a modern, spacious stadium with a great atmosphere even before the fans arrived. I had plenty of time to prepare my gear and choose my angles. For this game, I used my Canon 1DX Mark III with the 400mm f/2.8 as my main setup, and my Canon R6 Mark II paired with a 70–200mm as the secondary body. I also carried a third camera with a 24–70mm, though I only used it for a few shots during warm-ups and celebrations.

The match itself was fantastic. Real Betis went up 2–0 in the first half, though unfortunately both goals happened on the opposite end from where I was positioned — that’s just football! Sometimes you’re lucky, sometimes not.

In the 29th minute Abde Ezzalzouli latched onto a flick-on from a corner and tapped in to put Betis ahead. Just six minutes later in the 35th minute Brazilian winger Antony collected a smart free-kick from Marc Roca, raced onto the ball and delicately chipped the advancing Lyon keeper to make it 2-0.

From there Lyon tried to respond after the interval, making a couple of substitutions to inject energy. But Betis defended the lead with discipline and composure, limiting Lyon’s chances and keeping the clean sheet intact.

With this win Betis extended their strong European record, while Lyon saw their unbeaten start in the competition end.

Still, it was a great experience, and the atmosphere inside the stadium was electric. The passion from the fans reminded me of the games back home in Monterrey with Tigres — loud, colorful, and full of energy.

All in all, it was an incredible night and another big step in my journey as a sports photographer. Each event teaches me something new, and this one reminded me that in life, there are no shortcuts — just hard work, patience, and faith. Do your best every day, and God takes care of the rest.