Manuel Pellegrini’s consistency takes Betis to Champions League qualification | OneFootball

Real Betis have sealed fifth place in La Liga, booking a return to the Champions League for the first time in 20 years.

It’s a huge achievement for Manuel Pellegrini, who has now guided four different clubs into Europe’s top competition during his career. The 72-year-old Chilean has once again worked his magic, keeping up his impressive record in Spain.

In fact, across 14 full seasons in Spanish football, Pellegrini has never failed to qualify for European competition, a remarkable level of consistency. Betis’ only previous Champions League appearance came back in 2005/06, making this return even more special for the Seville-based club.

Before arriving at Betis in 2020, Pellegrini already had a strong reputation in Spain, having managed Villarreal, Real Madrid and Málaga between 2004 and 2013.

During his time in Andalusia, he has now secured six straight European qualifications and also delivered silverware, winning the 2021/22 Copa del Rey - the club’s first major trophy in 17 years.

At 72, Pellegrini continues to show he has a knack for getting teams into Europe, almost as if it’s second nature at this point.