Dani Ceballos: "Pellegrini reminds me a lot of Ancelotti"

Dani Ceballos is using the extended international break as a second preseason to recover the rhythm he missed during the summer. His move to Real Betis was only resolved at the end of the transfer window, preventing him from training with his teammates. Off the pitch, life has changed completely: he has become the father of two baby girls and returned to his boyhood club, though he is still waiting to deliver his best football.

• Ceballos sees the international break as a chance to catch up physically after missing preseason.
• He has become a father of two girls this summer and describes it as the happiest time of his life.
• The midfielder returns to Betis after nine years away and praises the club's remarkable growth.
• He compares Manuel Pellegrini to Carlo Ancelotti because of their personal touch and attention to detail.

An unusual summer between newborn twins and his Betis transfer

Speaking at length with RTV Betis, Ceballos admitted this summer was far from ordinary. Normally a player joins a club and completes a full preseason, but his arrival was not confirmed until the final day of the market. On top of that uncertainty came the birth of his daughters, which he describes as possibly the happiest months of his life.

I was lucky enough to have two girls at that time, which was possibly the happiest months of my life, with the cherry on top of returning to the club.

Ceballos returns to a Betis side transformed since his departure

After nine years away, the Utrera-born midfielder has found a club that barely resembles the one he left for Real Madrid. In his eyes, Betis has taken giant strides, competes with any opponent, and holds ambitions that seemed unthinkable a decade ago. Ceballos now joins the list of club legends such as Luis del Sol, Rafael Gordillo and Joaquín Sánchez who came back to the Villamarín to contribute their experience in the final stretch of their careers.

Why Ceballos believes he is in the prime of his career

Ceballos is convinced that players perform at their best between the ages of 29 and 33, when experience and maturity come together. He feels he is arriving at Betis in his strongest moment as a footballer and as a person, anchored by his family and the emotional stability they provide. However, he acknowledges that missing preseason has taken a toll in recent weeks, and he is determined to regain full fitness during this break.

Unfinished business with the Villamarín crowd

The midfielder has already featured in three official matches this season, but only one at home against Getafe. The other two took place away from Seville, in Villarreal and A Coruña. His first home appearance did not leave him satisfied: he felt isolated and unable to connect with the energy coming from the stands. He has now set his sights on the next fixture at the Villamarín, eager to reconnect with the atmosphere he once lived for.

Pellegrini, an Ancelotti figure with green-and-white DNA

The most striking comment of the interview came when discussing his new coach. Ceballos has told his teammates that Manuel Pellegrini reminds him a great deal of Carlo Ancelotti, under whom he worked at Real Madrid. Both belong to an old-school generation of managers: excellent personal relationships with players, deep knowledge of the dressing room, and freedom on the pitch within a clear tactical structure.

The midfielder highlights the Chilean's experience at elite clubs and with world-class players, as well as the records he has set at Betis as the manager with the most matches and victories in the club's history. But what has impressed Ceballos most is Pellegrini's daily passion: his obsession with details, his thorough match preparation, and his habit of being the last one to leave training. A competitive drive that refuses to fade with time.