Manuel Pellegrini has praised his Malaga team for so far ‘responding on all fronts’ to what has been a difficult season.
The club faced financial insecurity last summer when owner Sheikh Abdullah Al-Thani scaled back in financing operations, but they have since played out the season in contention for Champions League qualification, as well as having reached the quarter-finals of this year’s edition of the European tournament.
“It has been a very difficult season, the team has responded on all fronts,” Pellegrini told reporters this week as he returned to Chile during the international break.
“This is both in the League, where we are consistently in the European places, and in the Champions League, where we have managed to be among the final eight and where we hope to do even better, with the semi-finals.
“I’m very happy with the team because it was not an easy task to be among the eight best in Europe. I am grateful to the fans, who have been very supportive since I arrived at the club.
“The whole city is happy, so let’s see how far we can get.”
Pellegrini was asked why compatriot Alexis Sanchez is struggling at Barcelona.
“I think Alexis is living a dream, first by being in the best team in the world, such as Barcelona is, and second, he is part of a generation of players who have won everything.
“He’s a major player. When you are at that level, obviously you are criticised, but I believe that Alexis is able to absorb it.”
