Pellegrini’s record against Real Madrid explored in depth
Pellegrini’s history against Real Madrid shows a tough road. The Chilean coach has collected just three wins when facing Los Blancos, across 24 clashes spanning his time with Villarreal, Malaga, Manchester City, and Real Betis. This is a storyline built on stubborn moments, narrow margins, and strategic battles rather than easy targets. The long arc of this rivalry reveals a pattern: Real Madrid often held the upper hand, with Pellegrini’s teams fighting hard but rarely turning the tide in the decisive moments that define top-flight campaigns in Spain’s LaLiga and beyond.
The most notable chapter in this narrative arrived during the 2012-2013 season, when Pellegrini, then managing Malaga, stunned Madrid with a 3-2 victory at home. That win stands out as a rare triumph over a team managed by Mourinho and a reminder that the Chilean does not fold when facing elite opposition. Before that, his Villarreal sides managed to beat Madrid twice in Castellón, delivering memorable results with decisive goals. In the 2006-2007 season, a single strike from Marcos García secured a win, and in the 2008-2009 campaign, a 3-2 victory featured goals from Cani, Pires, and Capdevila. These results illustrate that under Pellegrini, Real Madrid could be vulnerable on occasion, particularly in away fixtures and in games where counter-pressing and patient buildup created scoring chances for his teams.
Beyond those standout wins, the broader record against Real Madrid includes eight draws and thirteen losses in official competitions—the most recent of which came in LaLiga play with a 2-1 defeat at the Santiago Bernabéu. The overall pattern underscores how difficult it has been for Pellegrini to consistently unlock Madrid’s defense, even when tactical plans are aligned to exploit weaknesses or to force a game into open, breathless passages in search of goals. The numbers matter, but so do the moments when his teams pushed Madrid to the limit and forced them to defend under pressure for extended periods.
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Note: All insights reflect competitive contexts where managers faced each other across different leagues and competitions, with tactical foresight playing a central role in how matchups unfolded. The historical series between Pellegrini and Real Madrid remains a telling example of how even seasoned coaches can struggle to tip the scales against a consistent title-contending side.