important step: “No, there are still three games left. Everyone will compete to reach the goal and it will not be easy. Yes, it is a strong and decisive step, especially because of the forms. The team played the game they wanted to play, they had many chances, but we couldn’t be forceful and that pushed us to the limit against a rival that we know is improving as the minutes go by”.
Lack of forcefulness: “We already know what this game is like. It is a forceful game and one that does not have many chances of losing and the one that does has one more step”.
Carrasco: “This is the player that we want, that we need to maintain regularity. When he’s like this, he’s unbalanced and tremendously important to the team. He had the responsibility to kick a difficult penalty with a lot of personality. When he is well he does them this way.”
Griezmann: “It’s closer. Today he had several scoring situations and that brings him closer to what he always had, the goal. We are not used to seeing Griezmann miss this many goals. I trust in him. He will return to goal, I have no doubt”.
Cherry Support: “Already after so many years, already as a footballer or coach. The person-to-person relationship is always very affectionate but I know that in this you have to win, and win, and win, and win again”.
What do you keep from the game?
The way we deal with it. We are looking for high pressure, intensity to recover balls in the rival field, not to generate tranquility for a team with a very good rhythm and possession. They always manage to turn games around in the end, we came in tight, but fortunately we were able to hold on to a rival that normally ends up winning these games.
Does the increased advantage against Betis and Real Sociedad reassure you?
It doesn’t reassure us. What I was saying, football is very complex, we need to finish this season in the best way. We have incredible fans, they have always been with us, always close, in the previous one it was exciting to see our people and we have a responsibility and obligation to the club, the team and our people to maintain the level until the end.
He did greet Ancelotti at the end of the match.
I have greeted Bordalás, Marcelino too, it depends on the match. Sometimes we cross paths and in that situation we greet each other. I have admiration for Ancelotti, he is an extraordinary coach, he has won in five different leagues with a personality like the one he has, who handles himself the same when he has to win than when he has to lose.
The team feels safer with Giménez and Savic.
This season they are two important pillars in the team. Last season was a very strong season with a stable line of three, with Hermoso joining that defense and this season injuries did not allow us to have Savic and José in a lot of games and it is clear that we suffered them. They are important players and hopefully we can have regularity, which is important in this game.