Pellicer: “I want the enthusiasm of beginners and the experience of adults”

Sergio Pellicer was very forceful in the press room, acknowledging the importance of tomorrow's match against Real Racing Club (La Rosaleda, 18:30): “There are several matches in the remainder of the competition, you know the ones, that are worth double the points plus the goal average,” he stressed.

The rival coach, José Alberto, is well-known. Pellicer commented: “Racing have been very recognisable since the arrival of José Alberto. We have the knowledge as he’s been here, with the players that he’s had, we know this is a team that is very aggressive when piling the pressure on,” he stated.

Málaga CF are aware of what’s at stake and have a very clear script for this game: “It's a high-voltage game, here in our stadium we have to double the energy that the rival brings. Because of the situation we’re in and for playing in front of our fans,” he added.

The recipe to reverse the situation is very clear: “The humility, hunger and honesty of our work. This is the key to the most important stretch of the season, everything before doesn’t matter. Many teams have defined objectives, some don’t have them so marked, but we do. We are clear that this is about surviving, insisting and persisting,” he confirmed.

The mentality is decisive: “I want the enthusiasm of beginners and the experience of adults, this has to be the mix. I’ve told the players we have to prepare the game as if it were our debut. They need to reset their memory as if it were the first time they’re playing a professional match, in a big stadium and in front of a big crowd. This game is a final and they must seek out the enthusiasm of that. If the excitement appears, the fear disappears,” Pellicer went on to say.

All tickets for this match at La Rosaleda have sold out. Pellicer knows that the atmosphere will be key: “La Rosaleda will need to be like a volcano in our favour. In order to do that we have to give something to the fans, who are incredibly eager,” he concluded.