The Betis less brilliant and at the same time more heroic, he met the forecasts with great suffering and will be in the final of the Copa del Rey on Charterhouse against him Valencia after having a hard time Lightning that touched the extension, surrendered in the discount after turning upside down the Villamarin.
No one deserves the award more than Engineer Manuel Pellegrini, architect of this signature team, which will finally enjoy its first final in Spain. It has needed four teams (Villarreal, Real Madrid, Malaga and Betis) and more than 500 games to earn the opportunity to fight for his first title in Spain.
A carousel of disappointments has marked his relationship with the KO tournaments, always elusive for him. He stayed at the gates of the end of the Champions with the Villarreal in the cruelest way with that penalty missed by Riquelme in the semi-final second leg against Arsenal in 2006. With his ‘EuroMálaga‘ luck was not on his side either Europe nor in the Cupand he left empty after three seasons shining with his own light in the League.
But if there is a memory that has haunted the Engineer in the Copa del Rey is the most famousAlcorconazo‘. His Real Madridstill in its infancy, fell resoundingly thrashed in Santo Domingo 4-0 in the first leg of the round of 32 against Segunda B on an unfortunate October 27, 2009. More than 12 years later, it is still one of the most disgraceful defeats of the recent history of the white club.
The debacle was of such caliber that it marked the beginning of the end of his stage in the Madrid. “Go now”, headlined the Marca newspaper, which began its harassment and demolition against the Chilean. After falling into Champions the headline of the newspaper was ‘Out’ and when the League was lost against Barça in Guardiola After making a sterile record of points, Marca said goodbye with a contemptuous ‘You’re fired, Manolo’.
Pellegrini, always discreet and little friend of controversies and confrontations, aspires to his first title in Spain. Valencia awaits him. Manoloyou already have your end.
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