Pellegrini: Isco deserves a contract extension, Anthony didn’t intentionally kick the opponent in the face

November 24th: In the 13th round of La Liga last night, Betis drew 1-1 at home with Girona. Betis coach Pellegrini was interviewed after the game.

What is your evaluation of this game?

We performed very well in the first half. Although our opponent scored first and took the lead, at least we equalized the score afterwards. We were a little lacking in terms of creativity, but overall the players performed well.

Isco returned from injury and came on as a substitute.

Isco's presence is crucial to the team. It's hard for any player to be at his best right away when he comes back, but I believe he will be able to do it soon. Those minutes will help him tremendously.

Isco has officially renewed his contract with Betis until 2028.

His contract extension is very important. We all know his strength and are happy for the club. He deserves this contract extension and he deserves the applause.

Please talk about the deficiencies in the game

We had difficulty regaining the ball, but I was satisfied with the performance in the last few minutes of the first half. We need to step up our offense and make some adjustments as necessary. Although we dominated the field, we lacked a bit of creativity.

Anthony received a red card at the last minute of the game and will miss the next round of Betis's derby against Sevilla.

Anthony was disappointed because he missed the derby, but the final decision must be made by VAR.

You made three substitutions during the halftime break.

Lo Celso was not at 100%, so we made substitutions. He was in some discomfort but not injured and it was just out of an abundance of caution.

Next you will lose Anthony

We know his ability, but the team's lineup is good enough to compete for points. We must regain the 2 points we lost at home today on the road.

There is controversy over Anthony's red card decision

I haven't watched the replay again, but I don't think Anthony kicked the opponent in the face intentionally.

Will there be a rotation in the Europa League this week?

We will choose the best lineup for Thursday's game and then consider the derby.

Valentin Gomez's performance

I think he can play as a central defender and full-back. Ricardo Rodriguez has just played two games for the national team and Junior Firpo has just returned from injury, so we can't rush it. Valentin Gomez performed as expected and even scored a goal.

We will prepare for the Derby in the next week

I think Betis is in good condition. The opponent does not have many shooting opportunities. We will strive to score 3 points. Next we will try to get points away from home, especially considering the importance of the derby. But until then, we cannot afford to drop points in the Europa League in midweek.