Statements from Pellegrini
 
MCF-Betis
“It’s a very important home game, against Betis who are playing great football.  Valencia and Levante are also playing, and it’s important that we don’t let the three points get away.  I’m sure Pepe Mel will present a good team, who always defend the ball well.  We’ll be sure to maintain our concentration on the pitch, so we don’t get any surprises.  Regardless of the opponent, I believe Málaga is in great form to come away with three points”.


Big moment
“We’re looking to gain as many points as we can.  We’re in a good position, at a good time, with a team able to move forward, who has responded well to everything, regardless of the players on the pitch.  We’re facing two home games, but that doesn’t mean we’ll earn six points, we need to be conscious of how we’re playing, not where we’re playing, for the entire 90 minutes, and give a great performance”.
 
 
Mature team
“The team really believes in what they’re doing, although it’s sometimes difficult to maintain a great performance because the difference in the rivals is minimal.  We’re playing the same football as we were two months ago, and hope we can keep it up till the end of the season.  Demichelis?  With Toulalan injured, Martín is an alternative, and for now he’ll stay where he is – midfield.  It’s a very mature team, who are only thinking about defeating Betis, nothing else”.


Home games
“We can’t get complacent.  We’ve got a home game against Betis, and then Racing.  With 53 points we won’t achieve our goal, the important thing is to take it match by match and make the difference greater still.  It’s an important date, but not a crucial date.  A successful final phase of the season?  We’ll wait until we finish the season and then we can evaluate the second round”.


Players
"Ruud -Van Nistelrooy- has been a very important player for us throughout the season.  He’s made a great contribution to the team in all aspects, and we’ll see what happens in the future.  Today we’re concentrating on Betis.  Joaquín and Baptista?  Every absent player is significant, we’ve got four important players out through injury, but we can’t wait around for them to return.  I hope they recover as soon as possible, but we’re without them for another week”.
 
 
Doubts with the starting 11
“Tomorrow we’ll see the starting 11, I have some doubt, but as long as we get the results, that’s the most important thing.  It’s impossible for me to know what Betis are going to do, but I’m certain that Málaga will be going for the match from the start.  Gámez or Sánchez?  We’ve been alternating them, with good results, it’s important that the starting 11, and the three later players, perform as well as they have been in every match”.