Pellegrini: "The Alcorcón upset? It was a stumble in my 1,600 matches"

Pellegrini reflects on Alcorcón's shock 4-0 Copa del Rey victory over his Real Madrid 17 years ago ahead of Betis's cup tie against Navalcarnero.

Manuel Pellegrini addressed the media ahead of Real Betis's Copa del Rey match against Navalcarnero on Wednesday, reflecting on one of the most painful moments of his managerial career. Exactly 17 years ago on Tuesday, Alcorcón inflicted a 4-0 defeat on Pellegrini's Real Madrid in the cup competition—a result he described as one of many important lessons learned across his 1,600 matches as a manager.

Pellegrini emphasized that the Copa del Rey has a history of producing surprises, with lower-division sides regularly troubling top-flight clubs. He stressed that Betis must respect Navalcarnero, a Segunda RFEF side, and focus on their own performance rather than the opponent's division. "If you give a footballer time and space, he will make a difference," Pellegrini said.

The Betis manager reported that his squad is nearly at full strength, with only Cucho, Junior, and the suspended Facundo unavailable. He also discussed rotation options across three competitions, noting that managing eight matches in 28 days requires careful squad management. Pellegrini declined to comment on Fabián's tenth-place finish in the Ballon d'Or voting, instead praising the midfielder's career trajectory.