The Spanish team Real Betis seeks to achieve positive results in the Champions League, where it faces the German team Borussia Dortmund next Wednesday, as part of the current stage of the competition. Chilean manager Manuel Pellegrini, aged 73, enters this match after his team secured three consecutive victories in the group stage, placing fourth in the Spanish league "La Liga" standings.
This match carries painful memories for Pellegrini, who lost to Dortmund in 2013 while managing Malaga, conceding two goals in stoppage time, which deprived him of the chance to reach the semi-finals. The Chilean manager described that loss as harsh, especially as he had attended his father's funeral in Chile before traveling to Germany on the day of the match, noting at the time that the refereeing did not want to see them in the semi-finals.
Pellegrini is considered a manager with an impressive record, having led Villarreal to the Champions League semi-finals in 2006, and returning Real Betis to the competition after a two-decade absence. He also led the team to the 2022 Copa del Rey final and reached the 2025 Conference League final, where they lost to Chelsea. Pellegrini, who graduated in civil engineering in 1979, continues his successful journey with Betis since 2020, marking the longest tenure with a single club in his managerial career.
In the same context, Pellegrini's team has qualified for European competitions in six consecutive seasons, reflecting his sporting stability. Betis defeated Malaga last Saturday in the Spanish league, a match that carried happier memories for the manager compared to his previous journey to Dortmund. Betis possesses the necessary qualities to play entertaining football, with forwards such as Isco and Arab Abdoumoune El Zalzouli.
Source: Arriyadiyah newspaper
Comments (0)