Statements from Pellegrini:
 
(Injuries / Maresca)  “Teams have to be prepared for these sorts of problems.  There will always be injuries, bookings and poor performance, but we must work to ensure this affects us as little as possible”.
 
(Losses) “It’s difficult to find an explanation as to why we don’t achieve the desired results.  I always say the difference between winning and losing is very small.  We’re not playing comfortably with or without the ball, we have to improve the distance between the players in the game, as well as individual performance.  When all this comes together, that’s when you’ll achieve good results”.
 
(Criticism)  “I understand that when we lose, we’ll be criticised.  Doubts may be large or small, and regarding different parts of the team, but luckily we have no doubt of what we’re doing”.
 
(Fans) “We have a great desire to please our fans, who have always supported us, and I don’t think they’ll ever leave us.  We’ve lost three matches, two of which we weren’t playing with a full team, and against big rivals like Real Madrid and Levante.  Tomorrow we’ll try and win to stay in Europe.
 
(Espanyol) “I think they’re a big rival who are working well with Pochettino.  They’ve won their last three games and have moved significantly up the table.  Today they’re a direct rival to us to win and return to enter Europe.  We have to play a very good game if we want to beat them.
 
(Improvements) “We have many things we need to improve on, although it seems obvious, we need to score goals, not let them in.  I think it’s a question of distances, timing, confidence and performance; many factors that determine whether you win or lose.  We need to find this balance with and without the ball, to defeat our rivals and stop this losing streak tomorrow”.