Manuel Pellegrini has Real Betis on the brink of European glory with only Chelsea standing in the way. It hasn’t been plain sailing this season for either him or Betis but they have transformed themselves with the help of tactical tinkering and a smart January transfer window.
If you zoom out on Manuel Pellegrini’s tenure at Real Betis, the picture is deceptively smooth. A Copa del Rey title, their first in 17 years, consistent top-six finishes in La Liga, and only a slight dip last season when they finished seventh but still qualified for the Europa Conference League.
Zoom in, though, and the picture changes.
Earlier this season, his system looked to be faltering. Betis were drifting down into mid-table mediocrity. They had only scored 22 goals in their first 20 games, and sat 12th after a 3-1 humbling at the hands of Alavés.
The vibes were bad heading into 2025, with an attack sputtering and a project that felt like it had hit its peak, and was potentially unravelling.
Then came the intervention. A smart January transfer window that revitalised a stagnant frontline.
Since the middle of February, when their fortunes turned and their new signings really started to make a difference, only Barcelona (2.5) have scored at a higher rate per game than Betis (2.0) in La Liga.
There were mitigating circumstances for their sluggish start that dragged into the new year. We’ll get to those. But the contrast between Betis then and Betis now is stark.
In their last 15 La Liga games, they won nine matches and lost just twice. That’s twice the number of victories they took in the opening 23 rounds of the league. Only Barcelona (13) and Real Madrid (11) have won more games in that stretch.
With a sixth-place finish in La Liga and a UEFA Europa Conference League final on Wednesday, the mood at Real Betis has been transformed. There’s genuine optimism about pushing for Champions League qualification next season. But before that there’s the small matter of trying to land a first European trophy in the club’s 117-year history.
The consistency Pellegrini has brought to Real Betis is so complete that it’s easy to forget where it started. When the Chilean arrived, they had just finished 15th in the league.
Before their Copa del Rey triumph in 2022, Betis hadn’t reached a final in 17 years. They’ve won just four major trophies in their history – that could become five in Wrocław, and it would be Pellegrini’s second in five years.
He’s achieved all of that while navigating the realities of an ever-changing squad and a challenging transfer market, where Spanish clubs are increasingly struggling to compete.
Juan Miranda and Guido Rodríguez left for free. Nabil Fekir and Ayoze Pérez departed. Sergio Canales, Luiz Felipe and Luiz Henrique were sold too. The core of the team was dismantled.
Yet somehow, Pellegrini continues to find solutions. When he eventually steps away from a managerial career that has included league titles with Manchester City and Real Madrid, and Champions League runs with Villarreal and Málaga, it may be his time at Real Betis that resonates most.
Smart January Business
Being Real Betis means living at the mercy of the transfer market. When Serie A side Como came in with a bid for Assane Diao, Betis sold him. When Palmeiras made an offer Barcelona couldn’t refuse for Vitor Roque, his loan was abruptly cut short just as Pellegrini was trying to figure out how to best utilise him.
Betis reinvested the proceeds wisely though, and while only spending €12 million, they hit the jackpot twice. Cucho Hernández arrived from Columbus Crew and immediately brought new shape to the attack as a mobile, instinctive false nine. Then came Antony, thrown a lifejacket and hauled ashore from the wreckage of his time at Manchester United.
They’ve been joined by Jesús Rodríguez, the latest jewel from a youth academy that produced names like Fabián Ruiz, Dani Ceballos, and Gavi. From three wildly different starting points – the Premier League, MLS, and Spain’s third tier – Pellegrini has assembled a new-look front line, and somehow, it all works.
Antonio de Triana
Antony deserves his own section. Not because he has been Real Betis’ best player, which he probably hasn’t, but because his time at Manchester United was so bad, and his turn around at Betis has been so impressive that it is worth digging into the data to see just what is different about this version of the Brazilian winger.
He is so happy at Betis. In fact, he can’t stop telling people how happy he is:
“I am so happy here and I’m enjoying it a lot,” he said after scoring against Valencia at the weekend. “I go to sleep and wake up with a smile on my face.”
His celebration after the goal consisted of him breaking out a Betis jersey with Antonio de Triana (Triana is the neighbourhood in Seville where Real Betis were founded) on the back. He even said he wanted to play with that name on his shirt but they wouldn’t let him.
Despite the costume after the goal, Antony isn’t acting. He really is happy and that’s evident in his performances.
He averaged 12.1 progressive carries per 90 minutes in La Liga in 2024-25, behind only Lamine Yamal and Vinícius Júnior among forwards with 1,000 minutes of action this season in the competition.
He’s behind only Vinícius and Raphinha among the same group of players for chances created from open play per 90 with 2.1. He can work his magic out wide or drift inside and occupy a more traditional number 10 position when Isco drops deeper.
His connection with Isco has been nothing short of sensational. Among all forward and midfielder pass combinations for Betis, Isco to Antony (139) is the most common. Antony back to Isco (135) is the second-most common. And this is despite them only playing half a season together.
The Return Of Isco
Of course, aside from the smart business Real Betis did in January, the return of Isco has boosted their attacking output and given them a fulcrum around which to gravitate.
The Spaniard makes everything tick. He has created 2.6 chances from open play per 90 this season, the highest figure among players with at least 1,000 minutes played, ahead of the likes of Vinicius (2.27) and Raphinha (2.22).
At 33, his career looked to be coming to an end after leaving Sevilla following the 2021-22 season. Instead, he has reignited things and can stake a genuine claim to be La Liga’s most creative player.
Completing The Puzzle
So, that’s all the new pieces of the puzzle. But how does it fit together? That’s where Pellegrini comes in.
He has always been an advocate of giving players the freedom to interpret the game. Isco, as we’ve said, is the centre of it all. He often drops into a double pivot, which allows Jonny Cardoso and Sergi Altimira to step forward, occupy opposition defenders and drive into the box.
Meanwhile, Cucho Hernandez is playing hide-and-seek with the central defenders as he dips in and out of his position. He’s only scored five times from 15 appearances, but his ability to drag defenders out of position might be the most important feature of this new attack.
His winning goal against Real Madrid was created by similar movement.
As Cucho drops out left, Jesus Rodriguez can drive forward into the space he’s vacated. Madrid are caught out with an ocean of space for Rodriguez to run into, and he is eventually hauled down in the penalty area.
We have covered most of the big name signings and the ones who have revitalised their attack but Betis have been rebuilding smartly through the transfer market in recent years and that’s also a large reason for their turn in form since February.
Real Betis have a mixed history in the transfer market. From big money buys like Denilson and Finidi George back in the day to Giovani Lo Celso and Borja Iglesias more recently.
That’s partly down to the stable environment Pellegrini has created – one that allows players to express themselves – but it’s also a result of savvy scouting. Betis are acquiring talented players who, for various reasons, needed a fresh start.
Marc Roca, Lo Celso and Pablo Fornals have all arrived for cut-price deals and played significant minutes during the team’s strong recent spells. Romain Perraud and Ricardo Rodríguez joined this season for modest fees and have made notable contributions as well. Remarkably, most of Betis’ key performers have been at the club for less than a year.
Betis have quietly built one of the best double pivots in Spain for less than €10m. Sergi Altimira arrived from Getafe in the summer of 2023 and sits alongside Cardoso at the base of midfield. Between Altimira, Fornals, Lo Celso and Cardoso, they give Pellegrini both depth and tactical flexibility.
Cardoso, signed from Internacional for a reported €6 million, could prove to be one of the smartest acquisitions in recent La Liga history. The 23-year-old is already attracting attention from some of Europe’s biggest clubs – and it’s not hard to see why.
Neither he nor Altimira are flashy – they leave that to Isco, Antony and the forwards – but they’re athletic, composed in possession, and tireless in defence, providing the foundation for Betis’ more expressive players to thrive.
On Wednesday night, Betis face Chelsea in the Europa Conference League final. Considering how they started the season, that seems unthinkable. Chelsea come into that game as heavy favourites. But whatever happens on Wednesday night, expect Betis’ attack to cause Chelsea problems.
And maybe, just maybe, Manuel Pellegrini will finally get his hands on a European trophy.
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