Real Betis manager Manuel Pellegrini attributed his team’s 5-3 defeat to Barcelona to major defensive mistakes and Barcelona’s clinical finishing, but praised his squad for “never giving up.”
Real Betis manager Manuel Pellegrini praised Barcelona’s attacking quality and clinical finishing following his side’s 5-3 defeat in their latest La Liga match.
Pellegrini, however, lamented the defensive “liberties” his team conceded, noting that Barcelona “finished easily in the box.” He also contested a “controversial penalty” awarded to the Catalan side.
Pellegrini emphasized that defensive errors were the key factor in the loss: “We made significant defensive mistakes… Against Barcelona, you can’t have a bad defensive day.”
Despite the loss, he commended his team for their fighting spirit: “If you have to lose, let it be like this, without giving up… We never gave up.”