[6] Pellegrini also managed to take Manchester City to their first ever semi-final in Champions League in 2015–16, which was his last season, after finishing in fourth-place with 66 points.

He was appointed as manager of West Ham United in May 2018 and lasted 18 months in charge, before he was sacked in December 2019 after a poor run of results.

That changed in 1979, when the club managed to win the championship and secure a spot for the 1980 Copa Libertadores, defeating its arch-rival Colo-Colo in both tournaments.

[citation needed] Pellegrini was capped once by the Chile national team,[11] starting in a 1–1 friendly draw away to Brazil on 7 May 1986.

[13] That boy was Iván Zamorano, on loan from Cobresal, who would eventually become Pichichi of La Liga in 1995 with Real Madrid.

"[14] Pellegrini wanted to help reconstruction projects in the Chilean central zone after the 1985 Algarrobo earthquake knowing that his experience as a qualified civil engineer would be ideal.

There he managed well-known players such as Alberto Acosta and Nestor Gorosito and took the team to victory in the prestigious Copa Interamericana in 1994 and the 1995 Copa Chile, though he could only finish as runner-up in 1994 and 1995 of the local Campeonato Nacional championship, a competition organized by the Chilean Football Federation in parallel to the Primera Division.

[citation needed] In 1998, Pellegrini had a brief spell back at Palestino before he was bought by Ecuadorian club LDU Quito.

Pellegrini also gave the club a good run in the Copa Libertadores, catching the eye of other South American managers.

[citation needed] Pellegrini joined Argentine club San Lorenzo in 2001 and led them to their first international title in the Copa Mercosur.

The recommendation paid dividends, as Pellegrini led San Lorenzo to victory in the Argentine Clausura and the Copa Mercosur, South America's UEFA Cup equivalent.

His sale to Vfl Wolfsburg, however, proved a tough hurdle for Pellegrini to overcome, and his team struggled to defend their status as Argentine champions in the 2003 Torneo Apertura.

Pellegrini led El Submarino Amarillo to the Champions League knockout stages, where they drew Arsenal once again in the quarter-finals, losing 4–1 on aggregate.

I have a contract with Villarreal, we finished the league today, and tomorrow we go on holiday", after being questioned by the press on rumours that he was in talks with Madrid.

The Valencian club executive specified that if Real Madrid wanted to sign the Chilean coach, they would have to pay Pellegrini's €4 million termination clause.

[20] On being presented at the presidential balcony of the Santiago Bernabéu, he said: "Hard to say in a few words the excitement and pride that one feels for having been chosen to direct perhaps the most important club in the world.

Florentino Pérez issued an ultimatum to Pellegrini after this defeat, warning him that he would be dismissed if he did not win the La Liga title.

"[24][25] After being released by Real Madrid, on 22 July 2010, Pellegrini received an offer from the Mexico national team; Javier Aguirre resigned following the 2010 World Cup loss in round 16 in South Africa.

[26] Pellegrini, however, eventually signed for La Liga club Málaga on a three-year contract, their coach Jesualdo Ferreira having been dismissed.

On 5 November, he was officially presented as the new coach of Málaga during a press conference with the club's owner Abdullah bin Nasser Al Thani,[27] and watched from the stands as they lost 1–0 to Espanyol the following day.

[28] On 11 November 2010, he made his Málaga debut as coach against Hércules in a 3–2 victory in the Copa del Rey at the La Rosaleda, which led them to the round of 16 after the teams had drawn 0–0 in the first leg at the Estadio José Rico Pérez two weeks previously,[29] and continued his winning start as new coach of Malaga by beating Levante 1–0 in his league debut four days later.

On 10 August 2012, Pellegrini publicly stated his desire to stay at the club, despite its ongoing financial problems and the loss of key players such as Santi Cazorla and Salomón Rondón.

A 9–0 aggregate win over West Ham United in the Football League Cup semi-final (a competition record) and a 5–1 humbling of Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane maintained City's average of more than three goals a game.

[45] Despite sharing the top spot in the Premier League on New Year's Day, Manchester City suffered a dip in form in the second half of the season and claimed just 18 points from a possible 36.

[49] On 1 February 2016, Manchester City confirmed Pellegrini would be leaving in June, at the end of his contract, and that Pep Guardiola would be taking over for the 2016–17 season.

[51] On 27 August 2016, Pellegrini was named manager of Chinese Super League club Hebei China Fortune, replacing Li Tie.

[64] On 9 July 2020, it was announced that Pellegrini would become the manager of Real Betis in La Liga ahead of the 2020–21 season, replacing Alexis Trujillo who had served as an interim coach following the dismissal of Rubi the previous month.

[9] Pellegrini has been roundly praised throughout his career for his attacking managerial style, calm demeanor and excellent man management.