Pablo Garcia leaves Betis in tears after Ceballos return

Pablo Garcia has left Real Betis for Racing Santander after an emotional final day at the club, ending a 15-year association with the Seville side. The 20-year-old forward departed the training ground in tears in the passenger seat of a car driven by his mother, who was also visibly upset.

The transfer followed Real Betis’ agreement to sell half of Garcia’s economic rights to Racing for €5.5 million. Garcia had been at Betis since he was five, became the leading scorer in the club’s youth ranks and made 33 senior appearances. A proposed move to Hull City had already fallen through, while Garcia rejected an offer from Olympiacos before choosing Santander.

His exit came shortly after Betis completed the return of Dani Ceballos. The 30-year-old midfielder, developed by the club before leaving in 2017, has won the Champions League three times with Real Madrid and joins a Betis squad preparing for its own Champions League campaign. The contrasting moments underlined Garcia’s disappointment at losing his place at the club.

Garcia’s father said the uncertainty over his future had weighed heavily on him in recent weeks. The forward is now expected to focus on regular football at Racing and rebuilding his career, while retaining hope of one day returning to Betis.