Good gameplay
“I think the result is a consequence of our game. What makes me happy, satisfied and proud of my players is the game play we showed today. Playing ninety minutes against Real Madrid forces you to do many things well, and I think we did that. The players always gave their all throughout the game.”
Fans
“The fans conveyed confidence that the team was capable of standing up to Real Madrid. This helped us a great deal and gave us more confidence in what we were doing. Our fans are amazing, which they’ve shown even in the bad times. I’m really happy for them, I’m proud to represent Málaga and have these supporters. The atmosphere at La Rosaleda is hard to beat.”
Sacrifice
“Rather than talk about whether the goal was legal or not, I’m sticking with the good feelings and values conveyed by the team. It makes me happy to see how the team works, the solidarity they show and how they deliver. This is how we need to approach matches, and I think this is the way forward to achieve our objectives.”
Have faith
“You always have to have faith. I conveyed this to my players, when the rival was about to take a penalty, they were waiting for the second move. It was difficult conceding a goal, and also a penalty, particularly when you had chances throughout the game to achieve a better result. The faith in Kameni’s save, and the play between Weligton and Albentosa is what moves mountains.”
Repercussion
“I am a coach who tries to prepare for matches in the best way possible, regardless of the rival. I understand that these games have more repercussions than others, which can give them more importance, but I personally don’t give them increased prominence.”
Recognition of the players
“It’s very difficult competing against teams like this, and gaining a point is tough. The hard work and effort of the players must be recognised, it’s commendable and they deserve the praise.”