The 2008-09 campaign delivered ultimate heartbreak and institutional chaos for Real Betis, as Los Verdiblancos suffered a crushing relegation after finishing 18th in La Liga, ending their eight-year stay in the top flight. The drama culminated on the final day in one of the craziest relegation battles in history, with Betis agonizingly dropping out of the elite by a solitary goal. Leading the charge on the pitch, despite the constant turmoil and a mid-season managerial change, was the talismanic Cameroonian Achille Emaná, whose 11 league goals were a vital but ultimately insufficient contribution. Off the pitch, the season was defined by a crippling institutional and financial crisis, with fan protests against the controversial owner Manuel Ruiz de Lopera compounding a turbulent and painful chapter in the club's modern history.