Pellegrini Acknowledges Defeat and Focuses on Recovery

Manuel Pellegrini, the head coach of Real Betis, did not shy away from addressing the recent 2-1 defeat against Deportivo Alavés at Mendizorroza. The match was significantly influenced by goals conceded at the start of each half. In an interview with DAZN, Pellegrini lamented his team’s mistakes and recognized that Alavés rightfully earned the three points.

Regarding the match evaluation, Pellegrini stated, “I believe it was a fair defeat. Alavés played better than us and capitalized on our errors, scoring within the first two minutes of each half. This set the tone for the game. The first half was somewhat evenly matched, and we had some chances. However, after falling to 2-0, we hardly threatened their goal until the end. This defeat is painful, as we wanted to secure three points to continue our fight in LaLiga. There are undoubtedly many factors contributing to these outcomes, and now we must focus on improving them.”

On the impact of fatigue and injuries, Pellegrini remarked, “I prefer not to make excuses when we lose, but playing on Thursdays takes a toll by Sunday. We played on Thursday night in Greece, arrived back on Friday at six in the evening, took another flight to Vitoria on Saturday, and then played today. This was not an ideal preparation for a match. Nonetheless, we aspire to compete in all three tournaments. With a significant number of injuries, we were unable to gain crucial points which would have helped us recover fifth place. Our priority now is to recover quickly, starting with Thursday’s match, and then to prepare for LaLiga at home.”

Regarding Antony’s condition, he noted, “He had some discomfort but insisted he was fit to play. Given our injury situation, it was important for him to start. The early goal against us was pivotal, and after the second goal, we felt a significant psychological blow.”

Addressing complaints from the Brazilian player, Pellegrini commented, “What happens after matches is of little importance; everyone reacts differently. Of course, the loss affects all of us deeply, and due to a combination of factors—his pain and the defeat—he may have experienced a moment of frustration, but that is not relevant or significant.”

Looking ahead to the upcoming European match, Pellegrini emphasized, “We must aim to qualify among the top eight to avoid two matches, which would greatly benefit us given the current injury crisis and the number of games scheduled in February. I hope we can achieve this at home. Following that, we must continue to compete against Valencia to avoid falling behind in LaLiga, and then face Atlético de Madrid in the Copa del Rey. These are significant and challenging tasks, especially with a somewhat depleted squad, but together we will strive to overcome these obstacles.”