Manuel Pellegrini, the head coach of Real Betis Balompié, has questioned the scheduling of LaLiga fixtures ahead of Monday's trip to Villarreal CF at La Cerámica, kick off 21:00, in matchday five of LaLiga 26-27. The Chilean believes the packed calendar is putting unnecessary strain on his squad just as it returns from the summer break.
Pellegrini explained that his side will play on Monday, Thursday and Sunday within a six day span, the third time this season Betis have faced three matches in a single week. The club have now played eight matches in under a month, with several players reporting back late after their holidays. "I don't understand the need to play three matches this week," Pellegrini told reporters, referring directly to how LaLiga has arranged fixtures in this part of the season.
The coach confirmed he will make changes across the next three fixtures, basing his decisions on individual performance evaluation rather than a fixed rotation policy. Pellegrini argues that the more players feel involved, the better the team's chances of success over the course of the season. Isco, who has started three straight matches against Levante, Real Madrid and Lille, will continue to be capped at around 50 minutes per game to manage his workload.
On the forward line, Pellegrini dismissed any suggestion of rivalry between Troy Parrott and Cucho Hernández. "He is the type of centre forward we needed and he is adapting very quickly, there is no competition between him and Cucho," the coach said of the Irishman, who has scored in recent outings. Cucho Hernández has featured in various roles this season, starting, coming off the bench and being left out entirely, though he now appears among the club's absentees alongside Aitor Ruibal and Antony.
Pellegrini also addressed Fabián, a product of the Betis academy who has been nominated for the Ballon d'Or, saying he was pleased to see a homegrown player recognised.
Villarreal CF, managed by Íñigo, have made an uneven start to the season with two draws and two defeats in LaLiga 26-27, on top of a Champions League opening defeat to Borussia Dortmund. The yellow side sit 17th in the table, while Betis are fifth with 9 points from four games, having won three, drawn none and lost one. Pellegrini's side have scored 5 goals and conceded 5 this season and sit three points off leaders Barcelona.
The last meeting between the sides, on 17 January 2026, ended in a 2-0 win for Betis. In their most recent outing, on 8 September, Betis came from behind to beat Lille 2-3, with a brace from Bartra and a goal from Parrott in the 53rd minute, assisted by Riquelme, making it back to back wins. The full run of upcoming matches is available on the club's fixtures page, with Monday's game at La Cerámica next up for the Andalusian side.
