With Real Betis already guaranteed to survive the League Phase, all pressure of Thursday's game at Estadio de la Cartuja was on Robin van Persie's Feyenoord, who needed to beat Betis and have several results elsewhere go their way to claim a spot among the top 24 teams.
Van Persie had to do so with several key players out through injury, meaning youngster Thijs Kraaijeveld and midfielder Oussama Targhalline formed the centre-back duo. Winger Aymen Sliti started in midfield, while striker Cyle Larin occupied the '10' position.
Canadian striker Cyle Larin, who started as a midfielder, was given the ultimate chance to open the scoring early when Goncalo Borges whipped in a perfect cross, and Larin was left all alone in the box. However, the former Besiktas striker couldn't control the ball and squandered the opportunity.
Real Betis thought they'd taken the lead not long after Larin's chance, but had their goal ruled out after referee Nikola Dabanovic ruled it out after spotting a foul in the build-up.
The Spaniards struck first nonetheless - former Manchester United winger Antony picked up a loose ball and pinged it beautifully into the top corner to open the scoring before the 20th minute.
Feyenoord were left to rue another missed chance from the feet of Cyle Larin, who miraculously missed an open one-on-one with Pau Lopez.
Antony proved crucial for Betis yet again when the Brazilian whipped in a cross that was nodded in by Abde Ezzalzouli, who doubled Betis' lead after 32 minutes.
After the first half came to a close, Larin's woes continued into the second half, when the Canadian missed three further chances to get Feyenoord back in the game. His header, cross-goal shot and one-on-one all missed accuracy, keeping Feyenoord's deficit at two goals as the two sides headed into the final twenty minutes in Sevilla.
Feyenoord got back into the game after Shaqueel van Persie launched Casper Tengstedt, who couldn't get the ball past Pau Lopez in one instance and lobbed it over the goalkeeper on a second attempt to give Feyenoord a lifeline for the final 15 minutes.
With Feyenoord out of substitutes, Robin van Persie's side was reduced to ten men not long after Tengstedt's goal, when Shaqueel van Persie landed awkwardly and had to be stretchered off with a seemingly severe knee injury.
After an unsuccessful last push, Feyenoord's European campaign came to an end, courtesy of a first-half double from Real Betis, who secured a fourth-place finish as they ended on 17 points.
Check out the match and player statistics on Flashscore
