COLUMN: The Tactical Evolution of Manuel Pellegrini’s Real Betis | OneFootball

Estadio Benito Villamarin has long been a hallmark of Spanish stadium architecture, with its imposing walls of green enclosing some of La Liga’s most elegant footballing ventures. This will be the last season it looks the same before undergoing a complete renovation in line with various other stadiums in Spain. So far, it would seem Manuel Pellegrini is preparing a most entertaining farewell for the stadium, with the Chilean’s tactical ideas with the club rising to an exciting crescendo. Sitting pretty at 6th in a tightly-packed section of the La Liga table, Betis’ flamboyant 2-1 win over Real Madrid (Pellegrini’s first ever against the Blancos) was the latest hurrah for Pellegrini’s understated style.

The Base Template – The Spanish Way

Image via RFEF. Pellegrini let Betis to the Copa del Rey in his first iteration of the side.

Four seasons have passed since Pellegrini arrived, and it was clear from the start that his principles translate cleanly into Real Betis’ needs. The stylistic template on offer from Pellegrini is often a fine balance between control and attack. Stretching the pitch to facilitate wide combinations is his signature tactical calling card, along with a playmaker between the lines with freedom to help manipulate the spaces made available. In many ways, the traditional Spanish game’s fundamentals – possession, control, creating superiorities – firmly resting upon a base of high technical awareness and application from the players involved.

The shape has stayed a 4-2-3-1 across most of his seasons here. His first few pivots of Guido Rodriguez, William Carvalho, and Sergio Canales interpreted the system with stoic, patient wisdom. Nabil Fekir slotted into the #10 most often and control was emphasized and often won. Deeper numerical superiorities were comfortably created and possession was circulated with aplomb. Orienting closer to control than chaos in various game-states, the matches floated by in a lulled, steady balance.

The Evolution – Pivots

Photo by Joaquín Corchero / AFP7 / Europa Pres

In 24/25, Pellegrini’s Betis are a reminder that tactics are eventually a function of the players interpreting them, if the manager allows space for such growth to occur. Within the same base template, the current player profiles lend naturally towards more speed, expression, energy, and enterprise.

Starting with the pivots, young stars Johnny Cardoso and Sergi Altimira flourish in each other’s company, combining excellent sense for progression and creativity from deep with relentless effort without the ball. In a 1-0 win against Atletico Madrid in October, which Pellegrini called the best Betis performance since his arrival, Altimira controlled the game’s tempo from deeper areas, finishing with a passing accuracy of 94%. The duo mostly kept things circulating fast and vertical as the Villamarin turned into a cauldron of repeated intensity.

Cardoso specifically excelled in recovering the ball, winning 8 ground duels and completing tackles and interceptions galore, aiming to immediately ping the ball back into the final third upon recovery. The duo were able to maintain the tempo of the game at a level that Atletico Madrid could not keep up with. A year of firsts, Pellegrini’s first over Simeone, also achieved.

The double pivot starred once again in the classy 2-1 win over Los Blancos last weekend, where Betis showcased their resilience. After the initial 20-minute period of domination following the 1-0 lead from Real Madrid, Betis slowly wrestled control back and barely let it slip. The goals arrived, but the pre-conditions for the goals were set far before the goal events. The match had to be regained with personality and confidence, and Pellegrini’s team exuded both. With Cardoso stamping total influence on the game with his sense for tempo control, Isco slipped between the lines to keep providing support wherever possible in a Man of the Match performance.

A Young, Hungry Frontline

Photo by EFE

Faced with a fresh, versatile, and highly dynamic set of wide and forward players, Pellegrini has the freedom to deploy several combinations for different results. Fielding fast wingers with as much ambition and drive as Ez Abde, Chimy Avila (and of late Antony on loan) results in a logically faster Betis—and so Pellegrini proceeds logically. Often, in fact, Betis will even line up without a designated playmaker in the hole and form something of a direct but interactive front 4 that moves at pace and stretches the opposition beyond what they can afford.

This was on full display against Atletico Madrid as Abde, Chimy, Pablo Fornals, and Vitor Roque attacked the game with the pace that the midfielders demanded of them. The whole unit worked together to facilitate a relentless atmosphere, resulting in 26 shots in the end with an accumulation of nearly 2 expected goals against what is still the best defence in Europe,

By the time they faced Real Madrid in March, they had lost the services of Assane Diao and Roque. But 19-year-old academy starlet Jesus Rodriguez had been gathering enough match experience to start and handle the game. With Isco and Cardoso wresting control of the match from Aurelien Tchouameni and Luka Modric, the wide combinations started ticking as designed and Betis kept control and maintained considerable threat till the end.

The younger forwards show their inexperience in certain moments, resulting in an overall loss of efficiency at times, but Pellegrini encourages them to keep being a threat to their markers while maintaining high levels of associativeness.

The Joy of Expression

It would almost be rude to discuss statistics while talking about Isco’s contribution to the frontline. Reunited with the manager who launched his story with Malaga, the Spaniard is enjoying football again, and football as a whole is more enjoyable for it. Shouldering his tactical freedom with a captain’s sense of responsibility – always available, inventive, unpredictable, and forward-thinking – Isco’s performances are all sprinkled with signature feints, combinations, and nutmegs for the gallery. And the Villamarin is a willing gallery for that sort of showmanship; every step in the dance is appreciated.

After commandeering Betis to their 2-1 victory over Real Madrid, Isco not only celebrated after scoring his winning penalty, but could barely hide his joy after the win. Pellegrini’s Betis naturally evokes smiles again. Inhibitions are laid to rest before they can even arise. Giovani Lo Celso, Isco, Cardoso, Altimira and now Antony; one assumes the Benito Villamarin is in safe hands for its final few months in original form. Always watch Betis as they say!