Burgos, great rival
“We’re facing a team with the division’s ‘Zamora’ winner, one that defends extremely well. Not only in a low block, and they’re very hard to break down. It’s not easy to get past their first line of pressure, they have overwhelming solidity. This is a match that must be approached with patience. They need very little to score goals, so it’s important to maintain a high level of concentration because the game will demand it.”
“We have to be patient, and not just the players. We’re coming off games against opponents like Ceuta and Córdoba, who play with a lot of attacking intent, which made those matches more open and end-to-end.”
“They push you to a very high level of demand. They defend very well in tight spaces and are extremely difficult to beat. The challenge this week is to be able to score goals.”
“I don’t know whether it’s curious or just a coincidence that we’ve never beaten Burgos. It’s surprising. We’re going to put all our effort into doing things right and changing that.”
Same mentality
“We don’t think in terms of a positive or negative result. We approach things focusing on what we’re going to do, and on taking care of what’s within our control. What’s being achieved is down to their effort and the talent they have. Regardless of the result, that will remain intact.”
Tomorrow’s challenge
“We may find ourselves in a more closed, tighter match, and that difficulty will be present. The challenge is to score goals, it will be hard to achieve, but that’s where our efforts have to be focused. We need the fans to understand the difficulty of the game and carry us forward. They are a fundamental factor for us.”
Set piece
“Today we talked about how set pieces have to give us that extra edge. Our approach is to play, to attack with the ball, and to dominate matches. That approach inherently relies on having players with very clear strengths. If you field more physical presence, with six big players, it’s easier to score from corners or free kicks. Our feeling is that we should make the most of the talent they have to finish the season with more points, and that comes at the expense of other aspects, such as set pieces.”
Transfer market
“I keep giving the same answer. I hope we’re able to keep everyone who’s currently in the squad. I wouldn’t like anyone to leave the team. When I arrived here, we were in a very difficult situation, and thanks to all the players pulling together, they’ve put the team where it is now. They all deserve that trust, even if they’re not on the pitch. We have to be consistent with their work and effort, and show respect. Things don’t happen by chance. It’s impossible for a team to perform well based only on those who step on stage when the curtain goes up. Those who already know the script are the ones capable of delivering that level of performance.”
