Pellegrini: Reaching the Champions League Is Not the End, Betis Have the Ability to Advance

Real Betis head coach Manuel Pellegrini was very satisfied with his team's performance in their away win over Lille, a match that also marked the beginning of Los Verdiblancos' Champions League journey. Bartra scored twice and Parrott added a goal to help the team earn their first three points in the Champions League league phase. Pellegrini is not satisfied with that alone and hopes the team can compete all the way and strive to reach the next round.

Speaking about the Champions League dream, Pellegrini said: "Rather than calling it a dream, I would say it is a team earning, through its own results, the qualification to participate in a Champions League that once seemed out of reach. We achieved that, but the team is not satisfied with just that. We played a very complete match, especially in the first half, when the scoreline did not reflect the chances we created; in the second half the opponent was down a man, but we still played with the character we had discussed, regardless of which competition we are in."

Speaking about Betis' long absence from the Champions League, Pellegrini said: "Real Betis had not played in the Champions League for many years. Some players have played in it, and I have also experienced it during my coaching career. The first thing we discussed was that entering the Champions League is not the end point. What really matters is the character we have always instilled: no matter who the opponent is, we must fight for victory. The team played a very complete game, turned the score around and took the lead, and that came from this character. We have played European football for five consecutive years, and that has also brought experience."

Speaking about controlling the match, Pellegrini said: "We had very good control of the match away from home. When we led 2-1 at halftime, we had ten to twelve shots, while the opponent had only three. Set pieces can narrow the gap in overall quality. If you look at possession, attacking numbers and shooting statistics, the team was better than Lille, and we also showed a lot of character in our style of play."

Speaking about the goalscorers, Pellegrini said: "I am happy for both of them. Parrott has just joined a new club, and scoring a goal is important. Bartra's header was not easy. He is an experienced player, and that helps young players who are just starting out. He knows very clearly what he needs to do on the pitch."

Speaking about the team's goals, Pellegrini said: "We are now playing in three competitions. We lost one match at the start of the league season, and it looked very bad, but the team quickly recovered and then earned three points against Real Madrid. Now we have entered another competition. We are not satisfied with simply taking part, but we must prove this with our performances on the pitch. The team has the ability to compete. My birthday gift? Winning the next match."

Speaking about his communication with Bartra during the match, Pellegrini said: "Experience must be shown on the pitch. If we are only leading by one goal and win a corner in the 90th minute or later, we should not take a short corner. We should play a long corner to use up the final minutes and keep possession. That conversation had no other meaning; it was only about protecting the score."

Speaking about the squad's completeness, Pellegrini said: "Compared with the names of the players, I care more about the whole team continuing to maintain commitment to what we are doing. There are also some important players who need to regain their form, such as Lo Celso, Ceballos and Abde. They will help us in the future, but right now, as I have told them, the most important thing is the players who are here."

Speaking about the team's response, Pellegrini said: "We have to value last season's achievements. Real Betis are participating in the Champions League for the second time, and that must be recognized; some Betis fans had not even been born before that happened. Entering the Champions League is not the end point. We firmly believe we can prove in every match that we have the ability to advance. We have made a good start, but there are many matches ahead. The whole team knows what it needs to do, and I have always demanded that they show the same character at every stadium."