Pellegrini Reflects on Heavy Defeat Against Real Madrid

omidbasir- Manuel Pellegrini, the manager of Real Betis, expressed his disappointment during the post-match press conference at the Santiago Bernabéu following his team’s 5-1 defeat against Real Madrid. He particularly lamented the goals conceded from set pieces, which severely hindered any chances of a comeback.

On the match evaluation, Pellegrini stated, “This is a very negative assessment, of course. Losing 5-1 cannot yield a positive perspective. There were moments in the game where the score didn’t reflect what was happening on the pitch. They led 3-1 with two goals from set pieces, and we were very careless, allowing them to head the ball completely unmarked. We had hit the woodwork twice and had a good save from Courtois. Unfortunately, with teams like this, distractions lead to goals, and they finished the match effectively with those two late goals. At one point, the match was more balanced, but the final score is what it is, and we need to review the mistakes we made.”

Regarding the opportunities to get back into the match, he commented, “What frustrates me the most is conceding two goals from set pieces, which can happen, but not when the opponents are heading the ball completely unmarked in the area. This completely skews the scoreline and disrupts our collective performance; a corner or a free-kick can change everything. In that regard, the first half saw them start better in the first 20 minutes, but they didn’t create many chances aside from the corner they converted. We finished the last 20 minutes stronger. In the second half, we outplayed them, yet they scored two goals and went up 3-1, which effectively ended the match. We had chances to reduce the deficit, but fortune also plays a role. This is the second time this season we’ve conceded five goals; our defense either performs exceptionally well or poorly, as seen against Barcelona and today. We need to improve both our defensive performance and our overall functioning.”

On the performance of Gio Lo Celso, he remarked, “I saw Gio playing very well; he entered the game strongly and added a lot of dynamism to our offense. He hit the post and delivered several quality passes for goals. He has been training well, and the team was in good form, so I am pleased with the 45 minutes he played.”

When asked if there was anything positive to take from the match, Pellegrini replied, “No, nothing positive. The only thing we try to instill in the team is the personality to seek out matches. We do not intend to sit back with all ten players and see if we can catch them on the counterattack, as that would not foster our growth. If we play evenly against Real Madrid and they surpass us, that is within reason; they are a more powerful team playing at home. Therefore, it pains me to have given away two goals from set pieces while we had three or four corners that all ended up in Courtois’s hands. These are crucial moments. It happens in matches; we must conduct a thorough self-assessment and continue looking forward.”

On whether this defeat impacts their Champions League aspirations, he stated, “That must be demonstrated on the field. Losing to Real Madrid away with such an emphatic score may reflect the difference between the two teams, but not today. We had clear goal opportunities that hit the posts or were saved by Courtois, and they scored two from set pieces. They are a strong team. This defeat hurts significantly, and we need to try to forget it as soon as possible, and as we always do, we have never aimed for the Champions League but rather to demonstrate what we are capable of, match by match. We remain close to fifth place and competitive in the other two competitions. This defeat stings, and we must process and overcome it quickly.”

On facing a Madrid team without Mbappé, Pellegrini noted, “Facing Real Madrid with their various squad options is equally challenging. Mbappé is a player they miss significantly for his goal-scoring ability, but I reiterate that today’s result was marked by two goals from set pieces. As I mentioned earlier in the week, Real Madrid has a squad capable of replacing any missing player, even someone like Mbappé, and they proved that today with Gonzalo scoring three excellent goals. They are a complete team, and I do not believe their potential decreases due to one or two absentees. They came into the match wounded and played with great determination, but I think we helped them with our errors on the goals.”

Lastly, when asked what surprised him about Madrid, Pellegrini responded, “No, I don’t think there was anything that took us by surprise. It’s normal for the home team to control the ball more in the initial minutes and play closer to our area, but they had no real goal-scoring chances aside from the corner. We had some opportunities later, leveling the play. In the second half, until the 3-1 or even the 4-1, we could have narrowed the gap. We should not be surprised by a team with such a strong squad and an excellent coach playing at home with their supporters.”