FC Cartagena
“I expect the best version of our opponent. They’re missing Luis Muñoz, one of their most important players, but I'm focused on our mentality, on our people, and in this league we have to deliver as a team. In LaLiga, anything can happen in a single match. We, or any other team, could be in Cartagena’s position. It’s a critical moment where every team has to take a stand. We have five games in 21 days (…) To me, it’s as if the leader is coming. They’re coming off a very painful home loss, and their coach will be looking for solutions. Achieving a consistent winning streak is very difficult. We’re aiming for those 20 points. We need to become strong with our 12th player and keep up the momentum from the win against Eibar.”
Eager to compete
“It’s a long week, but we already knew we wouldn’t be playing against Levante. This happened to us during the pandemic as well, when things changed every day. I’m taking it calmly, without any excuses. We’re eager and fired up for the game to come. To me, it’s not the last-place team coming, it’s the first-place team. This league gives us all lessons in both football and life.”
High level
“The Cup? We were very excited and aware of the difficulty, but we wanted to go as far as possible. I don’t see it as a turning point. Against Eibar, we played at a high level, and I want to see that version or improve on it. People want more, and you have to raise your level while understanding who we are. And bring out the best version of each player.”
Passion
“Wearing the Málaga jersey, that alone means passion. It means looking at ourselves. Our discipline is understanding that in this league, rankings don’t matter. We go to the limit, being humble yet ambitious, but always to the limit. Always with grit. I don’t know any other way than to go all out. Praise weakens us. We are highly exposed; in football, we live in a bubble, while the real world is out there, as I’ve seen in my own homeland. We need to compete.”
Strikers
“Roko’s goal in the Cup? Forwards live off goals. Now we have two very important months ahead. They’ll need to step up, especially without the Cup, and there will be opportunities for everyone. It will all be defined by training. Our key is our competitive spirit, being like a family and fighting like brothers. A single good play can change everything. And that we convey this, that’s the key.”
Message regarding DANA
“This is a very difficult time. There is so much pain. People are helping, and hopefully, little by little, everything will return to normal. This isn’t a game of chess, these are real people. My family is fine, but there is a lot of pain. Football, as it did during the pandemic, brings some joy to people. But first comes the pain. I hope this can offer people a bit of relief. As a Valencian, I know we are stubborn, we are fighters, and we will get back on track.”