Real Betis boss Manuel Pellegrini – “We were better than Real Madrid” | OneFootball

Real Madrid’s La Liga hopes have taken a decisive hit after a frustrating 1-1 draw against Real Betis, and the reaction from the opposition dugout only adds more weight to the result.

Betis manager Manuel Pellegrini did not hold back in his post-match assessment, making it clear that his side not only competed with Madrid, but outperformed them for large stretches of the game.

The result leaves Madrid trailing significantly behind Barcelona in the title race, with the gap now looking too wide to realistically close. 

With only a handful of matches remaining, the momentum has firmly shifted towards Hansi Flick’s side.

Pellegrini’s analysis

Speaking after the match, Pellegrini expressed his belief that Betis should have taken all three points, highlighting his team’s control and attacking intent throughout the game.

“You always need the three points. But I think we were better than Real Madrid here. 

“We controlled the match and deserved to have scored a few more goals earlier on,” said the Betis manager.

Real Betis secured a crucial draw against Real Madrid. (Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images)

Pellegrini then pointed to key adjustments in midfield that allowed his team to dictate possession and create more fluid attacking patterns against Real Madrid’s defence.

“It wasn’t easy to pick the starting XI. We were up against Madrid and wanted to keep possession. 

“We decided to change the formation with Roca, giving Fornals more freedom. Then we brought on Isco and Gio. 

“They started to link up well, and we created chances until we finally scored.”

The Betis manager also addressed a controversial moment during the match involving Hector Bellerin’s goal. 

There were suggestions of a possible foul in the build-up, but Pellegrini dismissed those claims, backing the referee’s decision to allow play to continue.

“I saw it as a push; perhaps the Madrid player went down a bit too easily. It wasn’t enough to call a foul; there are plenty of incidents like that in matches,” he concluded.