According to a report by Barca Universal on Friday, October 16, 2026, Real Betis manager Manuel Pellegrini has outlined his approach to limiting Barcelona’s attacking threats ahead of Saturday’s La Liga encounter at La Cartuja, highlighting the need to restrict passes to dangerous players such as Lamine Yamal and Anthony Gordon.

The Chilean coach believes that reducing the number of passes reaching Barcelona’s attacking players will be crucial to improving Betis’ chances of securing a positive result.

Betis head into the fixture in impressive form, having won six of their first eight league matches. Their strong start has placed them above Real Madrid in the standings, although facing league leaders Barcelona presents a different challenge.

Speaking ahead of the game, Pellegrini praised his players’ mentality following the recent international break. He also stressed the importance of maintaining their competitive level across competitions and ensuring that his players are physically prepared for the encounter.

The experienced manager acknowledged Barcelona’s attacking quality and warned his team against losing concentration during the match.

“Barcelona has a very high finishing ability, so playing against them is tough. We need to keep our concentration and score when we get the chance," he said.

Pellegrini insisted that Betis would stick to their usual playing style regardless of the opposition. He explained that his team would aim to collect all three points while accepting the possibility of defeat if Barcelona proved too strong.

The Betis manager was also asked about Yamal’s impressive performances and his growing range of attacking skills. Pellegrini praised the young Barcelona winger, noting his ability to keep developing new ways to trouble opposing defenders.

He also discussed Barcelona manager Hansi Flick and the increasing role of data in modern football, explaining that statistics alone were not enough unless coaches could communicate the information effectively to their players.

When asked how Betis planned to contain Yamal and Gordon, Pellegrini responded directly: “Put an end to the passes, I won't promise it will always work, but I will say that we will try.”

Barcelona will now look to overcome Betis and secure another important victory in their La Liga campaign.