No Mour Pellegrini

Pellegrini: can he last the season

The machine has started and it's down to him to make the best of this season because it's going to be his only one.

Graham Hunter
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• Real Madrid

The Revista panel believe Manuel Pellegrini is on his way out at Real Madrid - but aren't convinced that Jose Mourinho is on his way in.

Last week's Champions League defeat against Lyon has heaped the pressure on the Real Madrid manager and even Sunday's 6-2 win against Villarreal - which keeps them in the hunt for the Spanish title - has not appeased the sceptics.

Revista de La Liga expert Guillem Balague reckons Pellegrini has fallen foul of the influential Spanish newspaper Marca and that has put his position in doubt - even though statistically he is performing well.

"There is a campaign to get rid of Pellegrini," Guillem explained.

"It's a campaign led by a newspaper Marca, who has decided he's not the man for the job. In fact what they've decided is because they got rid of the chairman last year, now they want to get rid of the manager so everyone knows how powerful Marca is.

"It's as simple as that. He's conceded less goals than any other Real Madrid side in the last 15 years, he's scored more goals than any other Real Madrid side in the last 15 years so basically any excuse to have a go at Pellegrini will be used.

"In this case, after this [Villarreal] game and performance, what Marca and the ones to want to out Pellegrini were saying is that the players saved the day on this occasion because the manager got it completely wrong against Lyon."

Harder

Fellow panelist Graham Hunter believes Pellegrini has also lost the confidence of the board of directors with Director General Jorge Valdano one of his few supporters.

And Hunter feels that Pellegrini's conservative style of football could cost him his job at the end of the season.

Hunter said: "It's easy to explain why the feeling is growing, but for anybody who adores football in the UK it's getting harder and harder to explain - even when you look at what happened to Vicente del Bosque who won the league and was released or what happened to Fabio Capello or Jupp Heynckes who won the European Cup and was released.

"We know it's commonplace at Real Madrid but first of all it's important to say that just because we can explain it doesn't mean we agree.

"Secondly, he wasn't the first choice. If you're not the first choice you know you're starting with your back against the wall.

"Next, I think it's important that the Lyon performance has been attributed to him. There have been doubters, there was a stage where Valdano was his only supporter in his directorate.

"It goes beyond Marca. My way of thinking is that the board has decided is that the way in which the team is set out [is a problem].

"However much you enjoy his football I don't think you can negate the fact that Manuel Pellegrini has a negative approach and Madrid want something different.

"The machine has started and it's down to him to make the best of this season because it's going to be his only one."

Appointment

With Pellegrini thought to be on his way out, the name of Inter Milan boss Jose Mourinho has been touted as a potential replacement.

However, having spoken to President Florentino Pérez, Balague does not believe such an appointment is on the cards.

"They are not going there," Guillem said.

"Having spoken to Valdano and to Florentino Pérez, they haven't got any intention of going for Mourinho.

"I'll tell you more. For as long as Florentino Pérez is the chairman he will not have Jose Mourinho as the manager."