Real Betis manager Manuel Pellegrini commented on the heated discussions surrounding refereeing in Spanish football after his team's heavy 2:5 defeat by Barcelona in a La Liga match. Despite the Andalusians' dissatisfaction with several key decisions, the Chilean specialist categorically refused to question the integrity of the referees or to suggest that they deliberately help certain teams.
Pellegrini expressed his position during the press conference before Betis' upcoming match against Feyenoord in the Champions League. The coach stressed that, in his opinion, the referees do not make decisions with the intention of influencing the final result in favor of one team or another.
The experienced specialist said that he continues to have confidence in the work of the referees, although he believes that the current system can be improved. According to him, there are certain weaknesses that deserve attention, but this does not mean that the mistakes are the result of deliberate actions.
“I do not believe that the referees have any intention of helping one team at the expense of another“, Pellegrini told journalists.
He added that he did not doubt the integrity of the referees, while at the same time acknowledging the need to improve some elements of the refereeing system. According to him, it is important to distinguish between controversial decisions and a conscious attempt to benefit a given team.
The coach's statement comes after the match with Barcelona, which left a serious disappointment in the Betis camp. The 2:5 loss was accompanied by several situations that provoked a sharp reaction from the hosts.
One of the most discussed moments was the disallowed goal by Giovani Lo Celso in the first half. The goal could have brought back the intrigue in the match and tied the score at 2:2, but the decision of the refereeing brigade did not allow Betis to reach this development.
Additional tension was also caused by the direct red card shown to Facundo Bernal in the 54th minute. The sending-off became another controversial episode of the match, which ended in a convincing victory for the Catalans.
Despite the accumulated dissatisfaction, Pellegrini preferred not to enter into a confrontation with the refereeing panel. Instead of making accusations, the Chilean defended the professionalism of the referees and drew attention to the need for improvements in the system.
Thus, the Real Betis coach took a moderate position in the heated debate, making it clear that, in his opinion, refereeing errors should not automatically be accepted as evidence of a deliberate attitude towards a given club.