Real Madrid suffered a disappointing 2-1 defeat at the Benito Villamarín, as Manuel Pellegrini’s Real Betis secured a deserved victory.

The Betis manager was full of praise for his team’s performance and mentality, insisting that they were the better side on the night.

“I’m very happy, not just for the win but because the team stayed true to its identity. We went after the game, created more chances, and I’m pleased with the team’s personality and performance,” Pellegrini stated after the match.

The Chilean coach acknowledged that Betis had a slow start but quickly grew into the game and took control.

“In the first 15 minutes, we closed spaces but didn’t attack the ball and lost it quickly. After that, the game was ours. The two midfielders played very well. Despite missing players in that area, the team stayed solid across all lines.”

When asked about Carlo Ancelotti’s tactical decisions, Pellegrini refrained from commenting but emphasised Betis’ strong mentality.

“I can’t speculate on Carlo’s decisions. What I saw was a Betis team with the personality to go for the win, not just the result.”

He went on to claim that Betis were superior to Real Madrid for most of the game, reinforcing his belief that his team fully deserved the three points.

“The first 15 minutes were even, but after that, I think we were superior to Real Madrid and deserved the victory. The key was not changing anything. Against Celta, we lost despite creating many chances, so maintaining our approach was crucial for these three consecutive wins.”

Pellegrini also highlighted the impact of individual performances, particularly former Madrid midfielder Isco, who played a key role in Betis’ triumph.

“Individual performances matter. Isco’s quality and commitment inspired the team. I’m happy with the number of chances we created and how rarely Real Madrid threatened.”

For Real Madrid, this loss serves as a setback in their campaign, raising concerns about their ability to dominate matches away from home this season. Ancelotti’s men struggled to impose themselves, and Betis capitalised, with Pellegrini’s confidence in his team proving justified.