(2) After ending his playing days, the Chilean achieved a degree in Civil Engineering at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile in 1979. Pellegrini’s academic success led to him being nicknamed ‘the Engineer’. In 1985 Pellegrini turned to his degree to try to help his country with a reconstruction project after an earthquake.
(4) Pellegrini married Carola Pucci also from Chile in 1988, together they have three adult sons Nicolas, Juan Ignacio and Manuel. In 2013 in a candid interview with the Chilean broadcaster, La Fábrica, he admitted to a pact with his wife that has meant him spending years apart from his family to focus on football while they remain rooted in Chile. Pellegrini returns to Chile when the fixture list allows, he admits to throwing himself into work and banishing home comforts to avoid homesickness and the sense of separation from his family.
(5) Mourinho succeeded Pellegrini at Madrid after the latter had been sacked and joined Malaga and provoked a feud which has continued since 2011. It started when Mourinho said: “The same thing won’t happen with me as happened with Pellegrini because if Real Madrid sack me, I will not go to Malaga, I will go to a big club in England or Italy.” Pellegrini beat Chelsea’s Mourinho to the Premier League title in the 2013/14 season. “When he wins, Mourinho wants to take all the credit. I don’t do that. When I won the Premier League, I didn’t open my mouth,” said Pellegrini.