Manuel Pellegrini warns Betis faces physical toll against Celta

Real Betis manager Manuel Pellegrini warned that mid-week European fixtures carry a physical toll as his squad prepares to face Celta on Sunday in the tenth matchday of LaLiga EA Sports, HolaNews reported.

Celta visits Balaídos following Glasgow victory

Celta arrives at Sunday’s fixture at Balaídos with high morale after securing a 2-1 victory against Celtic in Glasgow during mid-week European competition. Pellegrini acknowledged that playing on a Thursday typically burdens a squad for a Sunday league match, though he noted that the advantage is not necessarily decisive.

No one can expect to encounter an easier opponent.

Manuel Pellegrini

The Betis coach observed that Celta manager Claudio Giráldez routinely rotates players. Pellegrini expects a tactical setup featuring different personnel who maintain the club’s established mechanics and high functional level.

Squad updates and tactical adjustments

Betis enters the weekend fixture missing injured defenders Junior Firpo and Cucho Hernández, alongside the suspended Facundo Bernal. Despite the absences, Pellegrini highlighted the progress of midfielder Dani Ceballos, noting that he is integrating along the correct path after limited playing time in the early season.

The coach also praised Argentine midfielder Gio Lo Celso, stating that little more could be asked of him after he overcame a serious injury and delivered a strong performance against Barcelona. Regarding Brazilian forward Antony dos Santos, Pellegrini expressed no concern over his scoring drought.

Perhaps, due to excessive anxiety, he is lacking that final pass or that finishing touch, something he is trying to correct and improve.

Manuel Pellegrini

Pellegrini added that Antony is covering significant ground, recovering loose balls, and contributing to numerous attacking sequences despite his finishing struggles.

Captain Isco regains physical form

The Betis manager addressed the physical recovery of team captain Isco Alarkón, whose quality has never been questioned by the coaching staff. Pellegrini revealed that Isco previously had to play through pain and receive injections before matches due to a lingering injury.

That physical constraint has lifted, allowing the playmaker to log increased minutes on the pitch. Pellegrini expressed overall satisfaction with his current squad, drawing comparisons to previous iterations that secured important milestones like the Copa del Rey title and a Conference League final appearance.