While Antony van de shoulders of teammate Adrian Klem who had beaten the Real Betis fans in a frenzy, there was someone he wanted to come for.
Real Betis had just reported city rivals Sevilla in Laliga for the first time in nine years and for that of a green and white conviction it was a day of unrestrained celebration.
For Antony it was – again – from his decision to leave Manchester United for Betis in January in January and he wanted to celebrate the derby victory with one of the men responsible for him who was here.
So, about Antony, jogging with a childish, cheese -like grin that had long since disappeared in Manchester to Álvaro Ladrón de Guevara García, the head Explorer at Betis, who waited in his black suit near the tunnel. The pair embraced warm and stayed there for a while or two. The gamble had paid off for all parties.
'Players such as Antony or Isco, there were never doubts about their quality. They are top players who were at a bad time, “García told Mail Sport.
'In this winter transfer window we of course knew that we needed a winger because we have a lack of dribbling. We looked at the market and we have drawn up a list with names of players who are normally forbidden for us because of the price and the salary.
'Antony, for example, he was not exactly happy at that time. It is difficult for a Brazilian to go to Manchester; Here in Seville it is easier.
'We thought Antony was important in this team, so he could become a star and play many games, to feel how he felt in the past, he would bring us good luck.
'There is no science behind this, it is not as if we are sure that if Antony comes, we will be fantastic. But it was intuition. '
The news about Antony's arrival in January was confronted with so much optimism as skepticism. Some spent the day following his flight on keeping track of websites as if a rock star entered the city.
Others shuddered that they were about to pay the bill for the £ 86 million error of United. Here was a player who seemed to have had his confidence in Manchester.
“There were doubts about his salary, his form and how a player of the character of Antony could influence the team,” Daniel Sandaña, a reporter for Andalusian newspaper El Mira, told Mail Sport. “The management gambled him.”
There were also alternative offers. More lucrative for both Manchester United and to Antony. Olympiacos belonged to the lovers.
Betis boss Manuel Pellegrini, who knows something about Manchester, intervened. A meeting in the stadium put Antony and his advisers exactly how they felt that he could transform their team and his own game to become one of the best attackers in Spanish football.
Winning man of the game on his debut in a 2-2 against Athletic Club, with one assist, soon suppressed the fear of a repeat of Manchester United. Antony Fever hit the fan base at night.
Immediately the Megastore of the club was overwhelmed. Antony-shirts have sold more than any other player since his arrival in the middle season and as soon as you walk through the door of the Megastore, you will now be met by a life-sized mannequin who wears 'Antony 7'.
Go to the cash register and Antony 7 shirts are hung with a certain degree of reckless abandonment. During the visit of Mail Sport, his sweater sells through the box load. After scoring a wonderful goal in their League Semi-Final first stage against Fiorentina, past his former teammate of Manchester United David de Gea, expect a few more lodges to fly out the door.
'Character' came up a lot when Mail Sport around Antony asked.
Many anticipated an arrogance, an ego that he was too good for the club and the level that he would also drop. The reality, several sources emphasized, was so far from that.
“From the first day, Antony has shown that he is just another man,” said Saldaña. 'He is kept high in the dressing room because he has arrived with a low profile, modest and happy to contribute to the team.
'Every day he stops at the end of the training sessions to meet the fans, a sign of his desire to repay the affection that he received in Seville in these first few months. Here he is already an idol. '
Garcia agreed. “We speak with Antony and he is just so modest,” he added. “He is so sweet with everyone. Maybe when people see Antony on TV, they think one thing, but as soon as he met the players, they really met the person and it was completely different. He is incredible.
“There are players that we are ready to sign that 100 percent fit on the sports side, but we meet them and say:” This player is not for Betis “. With Antony it was completely the opposite. '
Club sources spoke about the charity side of Antony and how he, recently, got out of his car as he drove home to take a picture with the older folk of the home of Los Bermales.
In the dressing room, sitting next to Natan, he sits opposite what Betis calls their 'star sign' of the season, a bond with their foundation.
This year it is the young Paola Calzado, a four-year fight against Rett syndrome, a rare neurological disease that affects around 3000 girls in Spain.
Although Calzado is not in the dressing room every match day, it is also a memory of Antony as to the other players of the need to leave ego and privilege at the door. Manchester United would be wise to serve something that looks like their highly paid stars.
Skepticism would be the wrong word to describe the mood in the dressing room when the movement for Antony was announced.
Real betis have shown the habit of being able to revive a career in others such as Isco and Giovani Lo Celso and so it was more a curiosity of what kind of player – how broken? – would walk through the door.
“We had seen Antony videos and knew what he was capable of,” said ex-West Ham midfielder Pablo Fornals recently.
“The question is whether he could replicate it here. He has driven all those doubts because the child came up with ambition, a desire to work and a hunger that the team also helped and stimulated the trust of everyone. '
Positive reinforcement has also been the key to Antony. It was noticeable that mistakes from him not moan from the stands or negative body language of the touchline or teammates.
In fact against Seville when he coughed up the possession, it was a fast Pellegrini pep talk or one of his coaches and a pat on the back who was in order, not a screaming game.
That is why nobody in the dressing room is surprised that he has been in second place in Laliga on 2 February on 2 February for the opportunities created (32).
Only one player outside Real Madrid and Barcelona has completed more dribbles than Antony (18) since touching in Spain. And they are statistics such as those that atletico Madrid sniff around him this summer.
“Every day that passes, I think I am the best decision I could have made,” said Antony in the days prior to the derby.
'I learned many good things at Manchester United, but I also had a lot of bad things there. Sevilla reminds me of many things of Brazil. The sun, the food, the people … It is very important for people who come from my country. '
Daily main articles about Antony – and assessments such as those in the Catalan press after the 1-1 draw with Barcelona who chose him as the most impressive player – Wax Lyrical about the player reminiscent of the explosive talent that came to the fore at Ajax.
After two and a half seasons of spot in England, Antony is celebrated as one of the greats. Even for the most sober players it is impossible not to be swept into admiration.
The elephant in the room is that everything at Betis knows that it remains very unlikely that they can buy Antony downright in the summer, even when they return to the Champions League for the first time in 20 years.
Including a 1-0 victory in Real Mallorca on the day that the Antony's loan agreement was confirmed, Betis has since his arrival has won nine of the 13 LaLala matches, which rises from 11 to the fifth in the table and on the edge of the upper table. A very first European trophy can also follow this season.
“Antony is part of this, a major role,” were Maria and Filo, Betis seasonal card holders behind Postsport. 'It's funny for us to hear about Manchester. He has been incredible to us. '
Teammates are sharply aware of how difficult it will be – and some are even willing to refrain from salary to keep him. “He must stay,” said Betis captain Isco, while the two did a TV interview with bottles of Cruzcampo in hand. 'We have to do a crowdfunding campaign so that he can stay for at least one year! We have noticed a change since he arrived; He brings us a lot. '
'If necessary, I will also impose money. Whatever it is needed! 'Teammate Cucho Hernández told reporters when he left the training last week. 'Naturally. I hope he stays. '
Club legend Joaquin came up with his own drastic plan in the past week when he said: “I will provide the car if Antony has to be abducted … but he must stay, no matter what happens.”
Many behind the scenes at Betis, however, become optimistic for finding a solution. “Why would he want to go back to Manchester?” An employee noticed. They have a point.
But Antony is sufficiently experienced to know that it is a chess game between now and the end of the season and one that he is not really interested in playing publicly, which perhaps summarizes his reserved answers to the questions around him.
“I am very happy here, but it is still too early to decide,” Antony said. Betis employees do not agree and are working hard to work on a renewal. Another loan would be preferred, while it back in Manchester to an outright sale.
Six months ago Antony introduced his partner Rosilene Xavier and the few are now planning their marriage with their children, who regularly attend games with shirts that attract 'Dad 7' at the back. Now it is everyone's turn at Real Betis to do everything possible to ensure that there is no divorce from the team in the summer.
After they have fired within 90 minutes after a European final, they helped their derby, a fan base that adores him and is not always raining in a city, why would he want to go back to Manchester?