Real Betis came from behind to beat Lille 3-2 in their Champions League opener, Marc Bartra scoring twice and Troy Parrott netting the winner before Ethan Mbappé was sent off for elbowing Natan late on. Manuel Pellegrini hailed the character of a squad playing in only its second Champions League campaign, while Mbappé apologised for an incident that left Lille with ten men.
Pellegrini singled out his two goalscorers for special praise.
"I'm happy for both of them. Troy is settling in at a new club, and scoring is important. And Marc, heading like that isn't easy. He's an experienced player, and that helps a lot for those just starting out. He knows exactly what he needs to do on the pitch," the head coach said.
He was equally pleased with the wider performance despite Lille's spell in front.
"We had control of the game playing away from home. At 2-1 at half-time, we had ten or twelve shots to their three. If you look at the possession, chances created and shots, the team outplayed Lille, and did so with personality."
Pellegrini stressed that reaching the competition was never the limit of his side's ambition.
"The dream wasn't just qualifying for a Champions League that seemed out of reach — it was a group's ability to get there through merit. We did that, and the group didn't settle for it. We played a very complete match, both in the first half, which didn't reflect the chances we had, and the second half, when we were down to ten men but still showed the personality we talk about, whatever competition we're playing."
He also revealed his instructions to Bartra late on.
"Experience needs to be felt on the pitch. If we're winning by one and get a corner in the nineties, it shouldn't be short, it should be long, to keep the ball in the closing minutes."
Mbappé, 19, was shown a direct red card following a VAR review after clashing with Natan, who had provoked him verbally following Betis's third goal. The Lille midfielder had earlier assisted Ayase Ueda's opener before his dismissal turned the contest.
"I want to apologise to my team-mates, the coaching staff and the fans for this unacceptable action. The defeat is entirely my fault and I take full responsibility," he wrote on Instagram, younger brother of Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé.
Lille, managed by Davide Ancelotti, were unable to respond with a man disadvantage as Betis held on for a first Champions League win in 21 years.