Manuel Pellegrini laments Real Betis' late collapse as Chelsea triumph in UEFA final

The seasoned manager was left to rue a second-half collapse that saw his team's early promise undone by a ruthless Chelsea display.

Pellegrini hailed his team's first-half performance. "We had a very good first half, we were the better side, scored a goal, and had a couple more chances," he said.

However, the tide turned after the break. "The game was heavily influenced by the changes. They hurt us more down that left flank. They turned the match around in a matter of minutes," the Chilean lamented.

Injuries disrupted his plans, with Pellegrini highlighting their impact. "Ricardo Esgaio had the left side under control. They didn't trouble us there initially, but the injuries happened, and we couldn't maintain the rhythm we expected.

"They are a tough opponent. The final scoreline, 4-1, didn't reflect the true gap between the two teams," he added.

Despite the heavy defeat, Pellegrini praised the supporters. "We wanted to push for the equaliser, but it didn't happen. We are very proud of the fans and how they backed us consistently. We wanted to give them the joy of winning the final, but we couldn't replicate the first half in the second," he said.

Looking to the future, Pellegrini remained focused. "We have to start from scratch next season, build a squad as competitive as possible. We'll see how far we can take it. This year was creditable for reaching this final and getting back into Europe," he explained.

Reflecting on the match, Pellegrini stayed measured. "We mustn't forget we were up against Chelsea. I'm disappointed because we outplayed them in the first half, and then, well, we've already discussed the second," he concluded.

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