Aside from the fantastic match stats and statements backing his love for life in Spain with Betis, Antony has also drawn praise from his manager, former Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini. Speaking earlier in the season, Pellegrini said: "He's matured significantly, he's working really hard in games, with and without the ball, with 40-metre runs, changes up front, getting into the box, working on recovering. And that's what has helped him to make up for some of that lack of precision.
He added: "I spoke with him before he came to Betis. He told me that he was not playing because he was not happy, but he had a lot of complaints about what he has done also. He wanted revenge, and here in Betis, I think he had it, and he did it in the way we know he can do, because it's not easy for you to play as a 100 million player. And Antony is a very good player. I am absolutely sure that this is a huge time for him here in Betis to help improve his career."