Manuel Pellegrini has set the target for Real Betis Balompié following their strong start to the season. The Chilean manager wants his team to achieve the best finish in the club's history, despite matching the best start of his seven-year tenure at the helm.

With 15 points from six games, Betis sit third in LaLiga, just three points off the top. This form, coupled with an away win in the Champions League, has created a positive atmosphere. "The best start in the seven years we've been here?" Pellegrini stated ahead of the match against Deportivo de La Coruña.

The group's mindset

Pellegrini has explained to his players the need to maintain focus. "I say the same thing to the players: don't give advantages, defend what we've achieved and look upwards," he said. The manager acknowledges that dips in form are inevitable over a long campaign but insists on treating every match as a final. This mentality has propelled the team on a run of four consecutive wins, including victories against heavyweights like Real Madrid.

The Deportivo challenge

The next test is this Friday at Riazor against a Deportivo side sitting seventh. Pellegrini has warned about the offensive quality of the Galician team and, in particular, their star striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. "I don't know him. He's 37 and there are already many players who are extending their careers through effort and work," the Chilean commented on the scorer. "He returned perhaps at an advanced age for some, but he's proving that age is not an impediment when you have quality."

To counter this threat, Pellegrini has asked his team for high-intensity ball recovery. The plan is to use possession to hurt the opponent and go for the three points, as has been the trend at the start of this campaign. Betis arrive with confidence after beating Getafe (1-0) last Tuesday with a goal from Abde Ezzalzouli. Fans can check the team's progress and the league table in our standings section. The match against Deportivo concludes a busy week before the upcoming international break.

Read the full report at ABC Deportes