On Monday, it’s a home game against a great rival. “Tenerife are a balanced team, very orderly. They are solid on a defensive level and an offensive level they do brilliantly with experienced midfielders who give a lot of rhythm to the game, and they also have strikers of a very high level,” said José Alberto.

“The important thing, always, is the next game. And that the team at the end of the season has the maximum possible points and is in the best possible position. At home we’re pretty comfortable, and we feel very strong with our fans. Since the return of the public to the stadiums, the trend that the local teams have better results at home has come back,” said the Blue and White coach.

The Asturian-born coach was relaxed with regards to the team's sporting efforts. “Veterans amongst us stay on the sidelines of everything and focus on working, improving and seeing what we can correct. I always say that flattery is weak and criticism can affect you more when you are young. We're a very young team with a lot of room for growth,” he emphasized, using Juande as an example: “The other day he told me that this season was his first experience with the public.”

José Alberto wanted to talk about the palpable pressure. “The demand is maximum. And the equality in the division is terrible. You have to be in balance, calm, working and improving. The team has a lot of room for improvement and there is a long way to go. We have to look ahead. We have to learn how to live with the pressure of being in a club like Malaga, but it’s a blessed pressure,” he said.