Villarreal-Betis | Pellegrini, the ‘groguet’ legend, threatens first win of the Iñigo Pérez era | OneFootball

Manuel Pellegrini returns to the Estadio de la Cerámica on Monday, now Real Betis coach, to face Iñigo Pérez’s Villarreal on matchday five at 21:00.

El Periódico Mediterráneo notes that the stadium no longer bears the El Madrigal name and the club has since grown, but much of that leap carries Pellegrini’s imprint.

He arrived in the summer of 2004 from River Plate for his first European job. In 2004/05 he won the Intertoto Cup, took Villarreal into the UEFA Cup quarter-finals, where they lost to AZ Alkmaar, and delivered a historic third place in LaLiga with 65 points, opening the club’s Champions League door for the first time.

In their Champions League debut in 2025/06, Villarreal topped their group unbeaten with Manchester United, Benfica and Lille, then eliminated Glasgow Rangers and Inter Milan to reach the last four. Only Arsenal in the semi-finals denied them a final, a tie remembered for Riquelme’s missed penalty.

The 2007/08 campaign proved they could compete across 38 rounds, finishing second in LaLiga with 77 points, 24 wins and a 10-point cushion over Barcelona. That runners-up finish remains the club’s best league placing.

Another chapter follows now, with Iñigo Pérez at the start of his tenure and needing to post his first victory. Two eras, different contexts, the same stage and three vital points on the line.

Source: El Periódico Mediterráneo

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