Pellegrini demands “right attitude” from Real Betis as they take on Rayo Vallecano | OneFootball

Manuel Pellegrini has urged his side to maintain “the right attitude” ahead of their LaLiga clash with Rayo Vallecano, despite arriving on the back of a three-game winning run.

The Andalusian side have enjoyed an upturn in form, but Pellegrini warned that complacency cannot creep in, particularly against a Vallecano team fresh from an impressive 3-0 win over fourth-placed Atlético de Madrid.

Speaking ahead of the match, Pellegrini said: “The team is doing well. It has been a second week in which we have been able to work normally, which is always very good for reviewing concepts and recovering players. We hope to maintain the high level of performance we have shown in recent matches.

“And we face an opponent who, strangely, may be lower in the table but has just beaten Atlético Madrid 3-0 with a very convincing performance.

“Like all teams in this league, it will be difficult if you do not go in with the right attitude, the right demands and the ambition required to overcome them.”

Despite Betis’ recent success and their opponents’ inconsistent league form, the 72-year-old dismissed any concerns about overconfidence within his squad.

“I think that even before the three consecutive wins we were having a good season, very similar to what we were doing before,” Pellegrini explained.

“Excess confidence in football is quickly punished, just as excessive drama also disappears quickly with the next match.

“We know we are playing at home against a team that needs points, and we must repeat not only what we have done in the last few matches, but what we have done all year if we want to maintain this campaign.”

Pellegrini also reaffirmed his game-by-game approach when asked about Betis’ ambitions of qualifying for the Champions League.

“For me, no competition is more important than another,” he said.

“In two-legged competitions, you can be eliminated at any moment, so we are not going to neglect the league or the Europa League. We will take it game by game and decide which is the best team to select in each competition.”

A victory for Betis would make it four straight LaLiga wins and keep them firmly in the race for European qualification.