Real Betis boss acknowledges Barcelona as the best team in the world – ‘That’s what they’re showing’ | OneFootball

Real Betis manager Manuel Pellegrini has hailed Barcelona as the best team in the world at the moment ahead of their La Liga encounter on Saturday.

The Blaugrana have been in terrific form this season and have not lost a single game since the defeat to Atletico Madrid back in December 2024.

Barcelona are currently on a 21-game unbeaten run across all competitions, with wins over teams like Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, and Benfica, among others.

Pellegrini agrees Barcelona are the best, but insists Betis can beat them

As such, Pellegrini acknowledged that Hansi Flick’s side are currently the best team in the world.

But he also insisted that Real Betis is capable of pulling off a surprise against the Catalans – just as Leganes, Las Palmas, and even Betis themselves did earlier this season.

Asked whether Barça is currently the strongest team in the world, Pellegrini responded:

“That’s what they are showing with their performances and results – in La Liga, the Champions League, and the Copa del Rey.

“However, teams like Leganes and Las Palmas have managed to take points from them, and Atletico has scored seven or eight goals against them in three matches. We know we’re up against a great team, but we won’t step onto the pitch feeling inferior.”

Barcelona are unbeaten in 2025. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

Continuing, he added: “We played them earlier this season, drew 2-2, and had countless chances to win. Every match is different, and we’ll see what happens this time.”

Praise for Barcelona stars

Pellegrini highlighted Lamine Yamal’s exceptional talent, acknowledging his maturity despite his young age, while also insisting that Barcelona have other top players capable of making a difference.

“Lamine Yamal is a player who makes a difference – extraordinarily young yet incredibly mature for his age. He’s proving his quality in every game, so we’ll have to find a way to limit his influence,” he said.

“But it’s not just him. Barça have many dangerous players, from Lewandowski’s goalscoring ability to Raphinha and other attacking threats. We need to play our game while respecting their quality.”

When asked about the registration issues surrounding Dani Olmo and Pau Victor, especially considering Betis had to sell players like Nabil Fekir to balance their wage bill, Pellegrini avoided controversy, saying:

“That’s not my concern. That’s a matter for the club executives, and they know why certain things are allowed or not. I always say that coaches should focus on football, and directors should handle financial matters.”

Source: Mundo Deportivo