Before the fiery La Cartuja clash: Pellegrini reveals his magic plan to bring down Barcelona
"A complete performance without mistakes"
Manuel Pellegrini has put Real Betis on red alert ahead of tomorrow's visit of Spanish league leaders Barcelona to La Cartuja.
Calm and experienced as ever, the Chilean was unflinching as he warned his players about the threat the Catalans carry. Any slip, he stressed, would prove fatal against a side that shows no mercy.
Speaking in the pre-match press conference, Pellegrini said: "They are a team with a great ability to finish off attacks and they have extremely creative players. Matches like this usually offer plenty of chances, but we have to be extremely alert and focused defensively, because Barcelona play with intensity throughout the match and do not allow mistakes."
The winning formula: a defence without gaps and an attack without fear
Asked how to stop a Barcelona attacking machine built on high pressing and quick counters, Pellegrini made no attempt to downplay the task: "They build attacks from the back excellently, and they are also very strong on the counter-attack."
His own team's identity, though, isn't up for negotiation. "We will try to be an attacking team and we will play the match to win," he said. "To take points off the leaders, we need to play a complete match defensively, without mistakes, and take the chances that come our way."
Frightening figures and a realistic statement
Both sides arrive with numbers that crank up the heat. Betis are unbeaten at home with five wins and one draw. Barcelona have won ten in a row, eight in La Liga and two in the Champions League.
Pellegrini wasn't buying the language of statistics. "Even if we win all our matches, that does not guarantee we will win the next one, and a defeat does not necessarily mean we are going to lose. Every match has its own story."
Ceballos and Antony, and the La Cartuja pitch
Dani Ceballos also came up. The Chilean explained that the recent international break did his midfielder plenty of good in regaining physical sharpness after joining up without a sufficient pre-season, and confirmed he will get more minutes gradually, according to the team's needs, as part of a plan to manage workloads while competing on three fronts.
Antony's home was burgled while the Brazilian was with his son. Pellegrini called the incident "a great ordeal" and expressed his relief that the damage was limited to material matters only.
On the football, the Chilean praised Antony's contribution, while noting the winger can still sharpen his composure with the final touch.
Then came the row over the La Cartuja surface. "The pitch is usually in excellent condition," Pellegrini said. "The weather is still very hot and the run of matches, against Osasuna and Porto, has not given enough time for recovery, but the surface is in good condition and will not affect the result of the match."
