Pellegrini praises Betis resilience after comeback win over Porto

Betis beat Porto 3-2 after coming from behind, and Manuel Pellegrini praised his team’s resilience. The comeback also marked Real Betis’ return to the competition after 21 years away. Ez Abde had put Betis ahead before Gabri Veiga and Samu Aghehowa turned the score in Porto’s favour. Cucho Hernández then equalised, and Isco converted a late penalty to secure the win.

Pellegrini was pleased with the three points, but also with the way his team approached the match. He recognised how much the occasion meant to supporters, while Antony said the atmosphere had moved him. “When we came out onto the pitch, I was emotional because of the fans and everything, after twenty-one years without playing Champions League at our home. This is very important for everyone. It was a very tough night, but we got the victory,” Antony told Movistar+.

Pellegrini said Betis had prepared for Porto’s intensity. “We spoke before the match about the importance of recovering the ball when playing out, because they usually do it through the middle,” he said. He also felt the score at half-time did not reflect the first half. “In the first half we were much superior and 0-0 did not reflect what happened. In the second half we hit the post through Antony and they turned it around with two isolated chances. They are a big Champions League team, used to these matches, but we kept calm and turned the score around.”

The coach also highlighted the commitment of the players who came on, saying they helped the team sustain its intensity in the second half. For Pellegrini, the result mattered, but so did the manner of the win: Betis stayed composed after falling behind and found a way to complete the comeback.