Pellegrini says Betis remain convinced by their approach

“The team is very convinced about what it is doing,” Manuel Pellegrini said. After Betis beat Porto, the coach highlighted his players’ response and their continued faith in their style after falling behind. He also felt the score did not reflect the balance of the game: “The result was quite unfair in relation to what had happened, especially in the first half, when we had a great many chances.”

Pellegrini opened his press conference by welcoming Isco’s return. He had given him his Primera División debut at 18, when he was at Málaga. On the player, the coach added: “He is a player who makes the difference,” praising his quality and resilience after two serious injuries.

The European campaign also shaped Pellegrini’s comments. He stressed the importance of returning to the Champions League after 21 years and of beating Lille and Porto, described as leaders of their leagues. “We don’t want to be satisfied with having made it here; we want to compete in it as far as footballing reality allows us,” he said.

After the victory, he also urged the team to focus on the next fixture: “We shouldn’t look ahead, but see the next match.”