We’re sure that West Ham fans don’t need us to tell them that Pablo Fornals absolutely loves Manuel Pellegrini. Barely a week goes by in which he’s not making that abundantly clear.
This week is no different. Betis are back in the Champions League as they look to continue a fine start to the season.
Pellegrini’s side are currently fourth in La Liga, just two points behind Real Madrid in third and three behind Atletico in second.
They’ve also won both of their Champions League games to date – 3-2 against Lille and Porto – to cap off a fine start to the season. As a result, Pellegrini’s stock has perhaps never been higher.
What Fornals has said this time
Fornals didn’t need convincing about the Chilean boss, though. The 30-year-old knows Pellegrini well having played for him 134 times during his career to date. Only David Moyes has played the Spaniard more.
Those games encompass his time at West Ham and now Betis. And Fornals admits he owes his manager more than just the experiences they’ve shared on the pitch.
“For me, he is a very important figure,” he said.
“He helped me realize my dream of playing in the Premier League, and when that chapter began to fade, he raised no objections to my move to Betis—a move that has allowed us to experience this wonderful period for the club.
“Everyone—and I believe I speak for both Betis and the fans—wants the club to maintain its stability and continue achieving things that haven’t been accomplished in a long time; I’m sure you’ll agree with me that we are all delighted to have him here.”
What happens next?
The question now is how far Pellegrini can continue to lead Betis after a very successful six years at the club so far.
His current contract expires next summer, and it remains to be seen how much longer Pellegrini wants to continue. For now, the focus is on continuing what has been a fine start to this season.
If that happens and another strong finish is on the cards, perhaps he won’t be quite ready to call it quits.
Career honours & achievements
| Year / season | Team | Achievement |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Spain U21 | European Under-21 Championship winner Started the final as Spain defeated Germany 2–1. |
| 2020/21 | West Ham United | Sixth-place Premier League finish Scored twice in the final-day 3–0 win over Southampton that secured Europa League qualification. |
| 2021/22 | West Ham United | UEFA Europa League semi-finalist Helped West Ham reach their first major European semi-final in 46 years. |
| May 2023 | West Ham United | European semi-final winning goal Scored the stoppage-time winner away to AZ Alkmaar, sealing a 3–1 aggregate victory and a place in the Conference League final. |
| 2022/23 | West Ham United | UEFA Europa Conference League winner Came off the bench in the 2–1 final victory over Fiorentina, ending the club’s 43-year wait for a major trophy. |
| 2024/25 | Real Betis | UEFA Conference League runner-up Started Betis’s first European final, a 4–1 defeat to Chelsea. |
The May 2023 semi-final goal forms part of the 2022/23 trophy-winning campaign.
Sources: UEFA.com and West Ham United.
