Troy Parrott is set to play for Betis against Feyenoord tonight at La Cartuja in the Champions League, with Manuel Pellegrini confirming the forward will be available for the 21:00 hours kick-off.
The match matters for Betis as it pushes to stay in the race for a place in the Top 8. The need is even greater after Cucho's injury left Parrott as the club's only pure center forward, which makes his role central to how Betis approaches the game.
Pellegrini made his stance clear when he said: "Troy jugará contra el Feyenoord. Estoy muy conforme con su rendimiento y el del Cucho". That backing reflects the recent impact Parrott has made, after scoring against Real Madrid and Lille and giving Betis a forward option at a key moment in the campaign.
How Parrott got here
Parrott's rise has been steady. He made his Premier League debut for Tottenham against Burnley on 7 December 2019 at the age of 17, playing five minutes. In 2023, he moved to the Netherlands and scored 17 goals for Excelsior before joining AZ. Last season, he scored 31 goals in 48 matches for AZ, a run that helped push his profile forward before his move to Betis.
That background helps explain why Betis has turned to him now. He has already shown he can produce goals, and the club needs that same edge as it looks for a result that could move it into the Top 8.
Confidence, expression and football
Parrott has also spoken about how he handles pressure. "Intento no ponerme encima. La gente a menudo me pregunta cuántos goles voy a marcar, pero no me centro en eso. Cuando las cosas van bien, lo disfruto. Cuando se ponen difíciles, sigo adelante," he said. He also added: "El mundo no se detiene después de un mal partido, y las personas que me quieren seguirán queriéndome pase lo que pase".
Off the pitch, Parrott has linked personal style with confidence. "Desde el momento en que llegué, sentí que podía ser yo mismo. En algunos países la gente juzga más rápido lo que vistes o lo que dices, pero aquí te animan a expresarte. Eso me ha aportado muchísimo. En el campo puedo jugar con libertad y fuera de él puedo mostrar mi estilo," he said.
He expanded on that idea by explaining: "Se trata de expresión y confianza. Si te atreves a ponerte lo que te gusta, eso te da seguridad. Y esa seguridad te la llevas al terreno de juego. Tu personalidad se refleja en tu ropa, pero también en tu manera de jugar".
And while fashion is clearly part of his world, Parrott said he is not there yet as a designer: "No, pero ahora podría empezar. Es algo que me encanta, que disfruto mucho, así que quizás sea algo para el futuro".
For Betis, though, the immediate focus is simpler. Parrott is available, Feyenoord are the opponent, and the club's top-eight hopes are on the line.
