Gallery: Pellegrino's playing career

By SFC Media Mon 26 Jun Mauricio Pellegrino

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TOKYO, JAPAN: Argentina's Velez Sarsfield defender Mauricio Pellegrino (R) and Argentina's Independiente defender Nestor Oscar Craviotto (L) chase the ball during the Recopa final championship match 09 April in Tokyo. Independiente defeated Velez Sarsfield 1-0. AFP PHOTO (Photo credit should read TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA/AFP/Getty Images)

$11 Jun 1997: Wellington Sanchez of Ecuador gets away from Mauricio Pellegrino of Argentina during a Copa America match at the Felix Capriles Stadium in Cochabamba, Bolivia. \ Mandatory Credit: Mark Thompson/Allsport$ $4 Apr 2001: Nwankwo Kanu of Arsenal shrugs off the challenge from Mauricio Pellegrino of Valencia during the UEFA Champions League Quarter Finals first leg match played at Highbury, in London. Arsenal won the match 2-1. \ Mandatory Credit: Craig Prentis/Allsport$

Football - UEFA Champions League - Valencia v Arsenal - Quarter Final - 2nd Leg - 17/4/01
Valencia's Mauricio Pellegrino celebrates at the end with Miroslav Djukic as Arsenal's Fredrik Ljungberg and Thierry Henry walk off dejected
Mandatory Credit : Action Images/Alex Morton
Digital

$2 May 2001: Mark Viduka of Leeds United holds the ball up against Mauricio Pellegrino of Valencia during the UEFA Champions League Semi-Finals first leg match played at Elland Road, in Leeds, England. The match ended in a 0-0 draw. \ Mandatory Credit: Shaun Botterill /Allsport$

SAINT-DENIS, FRANCE - MAY 24: CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINALE 99/00, Paris/St. Denis; REAL MADRID - VALENCIA CF 3:0; Mauricio PELLEGRINO/VALENCIA, Nicolas ANELKA/MADRID (Photo by Henri Szwarc/Bongarts/Getty Images)

$8 Dec 1999: Ryan Giggs of Manchester United is challenged by Mauricio Pellegrino of Valencia during the Champions League game at Old Trafford, Manchester, England. Manchester United won 3 - 0. \ Mandatory Credit: Clive Brunskill /Allsport$

VALENCIA - SEPTEMBER 17: Michael Owen of Liverpool is tackles by Mauricio Pellegrino of Valencia CF during the UEFA Champions League First Stage, Group B match between Valencia CF and Liverpool at the Estadio de Mestalla in Valencia, Spain on September 17, 2002. (Photo by Phil Cole/Getty Images)

VALENCIA, SPAIN - OCTOBER 20: CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 99/00, FC VALENCIA - FC BAYERN MUENCHEN 1:1; Giovane ELBER/BAYERN, Mauricio PELLEGRINO/VALENCIA (Photo by Martin Rose/Bongarts/Getty Images)

Football - UEFA Champions League , 2nd Phase , Group B , Valencia v Arsenal , 19/3/03
Valencia's Mauricio Pellegrino celebrates victory over Arsenal
Mandatory Credit:Action Images / Alex Morton
LivePic

GOTHENBURG, Sweden: Valencia's Spanish midfielder Rogriguez Vicente (L) and Argentinian defender Mauricio Pellegrino hold the trophy after beating Marseille 2-0 in the final of the UEFA cup football match at the Ullevi Stadium in Gothenburg, 19 May 2004. AFP PHOTO JAVIER SORIANO (Photo credit should read JAVIER SORIANO/AFP/Getty Images)

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - JANUARY 15: Mauricio Pellegrino of Liverpool tackles Louis Saha of Manchester United the Barclays Premiership match between Liverpool and Manchester United at Anfield on January 15, 2004 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

NEWCASTLE, ENGLAND - MARCH 5: Alan Shearer of Newcastle and Mauricio Pellegrino of Liverpool challenge for the ball during the Barclays Premiership match between Newcastle United and Liverpool at St James Park on March 5, 2005 in Newcastle, England. (Photo by Matthew Lewis/Getty Images)

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - APRIL 9: Mauricio Pellegrino of Liverpool holds off Antoine Sibierski of Man City during the FA Barclays Premiership match between Manchester City and Liverpool at the City of Manchester Stadium on April 9, 2005 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 23: Mauricio Pellegrino of Liverpool in action during the Barclays Premiership match between Crystal Palace v Liverpool at Selhurst Park on April 23, 2005 in London, England. (Photo by Ian Walton/Getty Images)

Look at a selection of images from new Southampton manager Mauricio Pellegrino's playing days.

Pellegrino made his professional debut for Vélez Sarsfield in his homeland of Argentina, playing eight seasons for them before the centre-back spent a year on loan with Barcelona, helping them to the La Liga title in 1998/99.

A switch to Valencia followed, where he spent nearly six years, helping them to two La Liga titles and a UEFA Cup success, as well as reaching two Champions League finals.

Pellegrino's playing career then concluded in 2006, following short spells at Liverpool and Alavés, before he moved into coaching.