Statements
(Second phase of the pre-season) “I hope we perform well after quite a long wait, following delays on the 26th and 27th for various reasons. We’re now facing another two matches, and we’ve used our time here in Venezuela well, to ensure the team is all match fit. I hope we play well in both matches tomorrow and Sunday.”
(Match against Zamora FC) “With regards to friendly games, I think the most important thing is that they help both teams, and are very useful during the pre-season. Both Zamora and ourselves won’t just be looking for the characteristics of either side, or focusing too much on the end result, but ensuring it’s a useful match, in terms of performance and learning, playing well and pleasing the fans.
(La Carolina stadium) “We knew the stadium had been renovated recently, so there are no problems from that aspect. It’s not the same turf here as in Europe, the grass is different. It’s great though that we can experience it now, ahead of international competition, as the Club isn’t used to this type of pitch yet.”
(Arrival of Moayad Shatat) “We were all awaiting the arrival of Abdullah Ghubn from Qatar, or a representative of his, to resolve any issues and restore order to the Club. It’s been a long time, and now there are a lot of problems that need sorting out, and much room for improvement. I’ve been saying it for a while now. Málaga need to grow in all areas if we want to be part of international competition, so I hope his arrival is the boost we need right now.”
(A pre-season with a difference) “This year has been very different to last year. There was a lot of excitement surrounding the Club last season, with the arrival of several new players, a competitive squad, and the team’s fighting spirit following a tough year, with the goal to qualify for Europe. Perhaps we reached this particular goal a lot quicker than we thought, and the Club just wasn’t ready. There are a lot of internal problems that need sorting out, to ensure that we keep the excitement alive within the team, like last year. However, the squad continues to perform well, they’re all working hard, though these problems need to be resolved sooner rather than later.”
(Team planning – Santi Cazorla) “There are always offers made for certain players, when it comes to team restructuring. At the moment, we’ve been offered 20 million euros for Santi Cazorla; selling him for this amount of money is practically giving him away. I don’t think the Club has any intention of doing so; I’ve spoken to Abdullah Ghubn and the Sheikh a lot about this, and they’re not thinking about it. I believe it would belittle our intention to play in the Champions League, obviously getting offers for players is always worth considering, but Santi leaving here for 20 million wouldn’t look good to other teams.”
(Xavi Torres and Malagueño) “We still haven’t structured the team for next season, we’ve got a lot to sort out first, so we can see what we’re dealing with. These two players belong here at Málaga, and have been included in the team, like many other players. You’ve given me two names (addressing the journalist who posed the question), but there are more players that could come and go. We’re working hard with the Málaga team we have at the moment.”
(Rondón’s progression) “The most important thing about Salomón is the fact that he always continues to progress. He’s a player that works as hard as he can to constantly try and improve. He’s had two great seasons and scored a lot of important goals, but he’s nowhere near his limit yet. He’ll continue to work hard, get over any problems he has, like any other player, and keep improving.”
(Re statements from Borghi, Chilean coach) “I don’t know what Claudio Borghi has said, though anything that has been said, I wouldn’t answer via the press. Yes I could still give my opinion regarding the Chilean team; I’ve done so a lot in the past, but it always bring about controversy. I’ve still got another three years in Europe, and I really enjoy working in Clubs, not just one week a month or a few days; I like to keep working every day in a competitive environment. If our paths cross one day in the future, then so be it. I don’t have any plans or ambition to be the national coach, as I’ve got my contract here, and I’m very happy at Málaga.”
