Real Betis boss Pellegrini talks Xabi Alonso, Isco, Mbappe ahead of Real Madrid tie | OneFootball

Real Madrid will kickstart 2026 tomorrow as they take on Real Betis at Santiago Bernabeu, a game that serves as one of Xabi Alonso’s three finals as he looks to preserve his job.

Real Betis will be a tricky opponent for Los Blancos, particularly under the leadership of Manuel Pellegrini, who has shepherded the team quite well.

Speaking to the press ahead of this crucial league game, Alonso sounded stoic as ever. As for Pellegrini, he heaped praise on his counterpart as well as Real Madrid as a whole.

What Pellegrini said ahead of Real Madrid tie

Talking about the opposition, Pellegrini sounded confident of taking on Real Madrid, knowing a win could propel his team into the top spots.

“The team is very focused on playing a good match in a challenging stadium against a great team. We’re confident we can play our game,” he stated.

A big blow for Real Madrid heading into this game will be the absence of Kylian Mbappe, whose fresh injury has ruled him out for the Betis game and potentially even the Spanish Super Cup.

“I always say that what’s important are the players who are there, not the absences. Real Madrid has a squad that allows them to compensate for any loss.

“Mbappe is important, without a doubt, but I could also point out that Isco, Abde, and Amrabat are missing,” he said on the Frenchman’s absence.

Speaking of which, Pellegrini offered an update on the fitness of his own players, including Giovani Lo Celso and former Real Madrid star, Isco.

“Giovani’s situation is independent of whether Isco is there or not. Undoubtedly, without Isco, we have an even greater need for Gio in that position.

“He had a couple of muscle injuries, but I see him training much better and he’ll have the opportunity to demonstrate his ability, which is considerable,” he said about Lo Celso.

Former Real Madrid star Isco is currently injured. (Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images)

“As for Isco, we’ll see; it’s all speculation. He’s important, but we must know how to win without him, even though we miss him a lot,” he added.

Pellegrini went on to offer greater detail with regards to Isco’s fitness.

“He comes here every day to do rehabilitation with the physios. He’s very mature and has already recovered from situations like this. He’s sparing no effort to get back to playing,” he said.

Meanwhile, Pellegrini was also asked about Xabi Alonso’s situation at Real Madrid. As someone who has managed Real Madrid himself in the past, the Chilean offered his perspective on the matter.

 “I was fortunate enough to be the coach. Xabi Alonso has a great track record, he knows his job, he demands winning, scoring a lot of goals, and playing attractive football.

“He’s capable of handling that level of demand. I experienced it firsthand; we achieved 96 points, which was the highest points total the team had ever earned,” he said.

Finally, Pellegrini admitted his job this weekend is to beat Real Madrid, something the entire team is focused on.

“My goal is to beat Real Madrid; we analyze every match. Then we try to go as far as possible in each tournament. We have to maintain high standards to improve ourselves,” he concluded.

Source: Diario AS