Manuel Pellegrini is facing a pivotal match, one of those that can decide the direction the season will take Betis. This Thursday it is measured against Petrocub from Moldova for day five of the Conference Leaguea fundamental duel in the aspirations of the Andalusians to advance to the round.
In the event of a negative result (tie or defeat), The continuity of the Engineer would be in serious danger. Instead, A victory can consolidate it and give a new look to the team.who needs to rediscover the triumphs to leave behind the bad feelings that have been dragging on in recent weeks.
Manuel Pellegrini before a crucial match against Petrocub
The draw against Barcelona at the Benito Villamarín was a balm for the teamwho once again showed the level of play that has consolidated him as one of the best in Spain. Even so, they come beaten, since Of the last six games they have only won one and against the humble Saint Andrew fourth division, King’s Cup.
When it is mentioned that this Thursday’s game could sentence the departure of the Engineer, there is no talk of immediate dismissal or resignation. What it can mean is that This will be the last season in which the Chilean coach directs the Heliopolitan team.
In the event of a draw or loss, Betis will leave the Conference League qualifying zone.. The victory on paper seems simple, since The Moldovan club’s squad costs less than the French full-back Romain PerraudFor example. But the history of the defeats against Mladá Boleslav and the Warsaw Legion They provide the amount of humility that the Sevillian team needs.
In a press conference, Pellegrini answered why his team has obtained embarrassing results this season at the international level: “We are trying to find the cause of why we have not achieved success in the Conference. Perhaps there has been an overconfidence, because in the press it has come out that we were practically champions before playing”, he noted.
-If Betis takes the three points, their presence in the round of 32 is almost assuredwhich is why it is mandatory to win and ideally by a landslide, to be able to escape from that dangerous 22nd place in which they are currently located.
Pellegrini’s international debt with Betis
At Villarreal and Málaga, Pellegrini is fondly remembered for the great campaigns he had at the local level, but also for the feats he achieved with those teams at the international level. In 2006 he led the Yellow Submarine to the semifinals of the Champions League, while in 2013 he installed the Boquerones in the phase of the best eight.
With Betis he has not been able to replicate a similar milestone. To begin with, Pellegrini has never managed to allow Betis to play in the top European competition, although he has reiterated the qualifications for the Europa League.
Despite this, he has never managed to go far with the green and white. On two occasions they reached the round of 16 of the second European competition, but in that instance they lost against Manchester United and Eintracht Frankfurt.
To try to amend this, the Engineer has the challenge of fighting to the end in the Conference League, where at the hierarchy level, Chelsea and Fiorentina are the only rivals with whom Betis can afford an elimination. To take the first step, they must beat Petrocub, in the duel that will be played this Thursday, December 12, starting at 2:45 p.m. in Chile.
