Pellegrini: “What I would like most is to beat Serra Ferrer in the next 17 games”

The Chilean coach did not want to give recovery periods for Isco, Lo Celso, William Carvalho, Marc Roca and Aitor Ruibalfootballers who confirmed that they will be absent from this duel due to their physical problems. Pellegrini classified the match against Athletic as “very difficult” being played “in a special stadium that produces an important atmosphere for local players.” «They have been our rival these years to qualify for Europe. They have a technician with a lot of quality and experience. We have to play a very complete game if we want to score. Last season we were winning 0-2 and two penalties reversed the result. We are going to look for the three points in one of those games that I say are six because it is a direct rival,” he explained.

Pellegrini was willing to adapt the way he approaches the game and, in this way, not exert as much pressure as in previous games, although he assures that they will try to be offensive. «Each rival is different and each one has certain characteristics. We don’t play based on what the opponent does because otherwise we would be constantly changing. Playing away is not the same as playing at home. We are going to try to be the same team and look for the three points“, he indicated before adding shortly after that it is “very rare that we are a team that waits for the rival, normally we are going to look for him higher up or further back.” «We tried to look for a high offensive volume and, except in Poland, we achieved it. “We were able to score more goals,” he added.

Although the team arrives with good dynamics, Pellegrini does not want there to be overconfidence: «The team arrives in good spirits, but in football you never know. Statistics show a lot, but not what is coming. It is important to arrive with confidence, but that confidence is not going to help you win if you do not play a complete game.

Pellegrini, who reached 100 victories as Betis coach against Gévora, showed his ambition in the press room and when reminded of the fact, he noted that “What I would like most is to beat Serra Ferrer in the next 17 games” although he would later emphasize that statistics of this type “are anecdotal.”

If Betis won in Bilbao they could assault the positions of Champions Leaguean objective about which Pellegrini postponed his debate: «I think the most important thing with the mentality is to win the next game. It is impossible to win every game. There is an average of points that is good to keep. That average is not always met, but most of the time it is. We are in itbut we have to continue improving. The ambition of this group has always been to reach as high as possible.

Finally, Pellegrini was also asked about the convenience of playing the LaLiga matchday due to the effects of DANA that has hit the Valencian Community hard: “Unfortunately one watches the news and the number of deaths and victims increases. I am not in charge of saying whether to suspend or not. More than suspending or not, you have to be supportive, because there are people who are having a very bad time.