The team is fine
“Those who played are feeling good, they have recovered well. We had doubts with Zubimendi but it seems that his ankle is fine. Those who fall off the list are Build them because he has discomfort in his ankle and Alvaro Odriozola because he just came back after being stopped for a few days. In general it is good news apart from Zakha.”
2 days of rest to prepare for the game
“We are used to playing every three days and, as I said, we had the whole week to prepare for the previous game. Tiredness will comebut for now the players are recovering well. They are excited, we know the importance of the game and the rival we face. We must try hard.”
Match to “life or death”
“Luckily we are playing at home, in front of our fans who will give us a lot of strength. I hope we play the best possible match so that the fans can enjoy it and win the match to advance to the next round. In these games we want to play well and be the protagonist, but the most important thing is to win. That will be both our goal and theirs.”
The physical and emotional state of Sheraldo Becker
“Both the club and I knew that we had to give him all the time he needed and that is what we have done.. Since he arrived he is totally focused on the team, he knows the importance of tomorrow’s game and It was he who said that he wants to be. That’s good news. He has not trained with the team for many days, but there he has been doing work that we have sent him. “He’s not bad physically and he’s a guy who gets in tune very quickly.”
The possible 11 after the little rest
“I will not give clues about 11. As the games go by, it will be more difficult for us to recover. The last game was important on a physical level. If we have shown anything in recent years it is that we are trained to play every three days and the players are recovered and eager to contribute. “
The difference in preparation of a league match with a direct knockout
“As the minutes go by I would tell you that there are differences, but at the beginning I think the only way to face a game is to go out and win itwhether it be a cup, league or friendly match. I don’t think about reaching 120 minutes. What I want as a coach and what the team wants is to win. Obviously, as the minutes go by and depending on the result you have to know how to play with it, but at first the objective is to do what you always do to try to win. If we go out thinking about reaching extra time or penalties we are going wrong.”
The goalkeeper of the Copa del Rey
“Tomorrow you will see if Marrero is the goalkeeper or not. What is clear is that Álex, Unai and Aitor are in the call. From there each one will make their lineup and I will make mine to face the game in the best possible way.”
The possibility of going to penalties
“I don’t like training them. There are many days that we practice penalties, but not especially today with the whole team. The context is totally different. There have been times when we have done it and there are times when we haven’t. Not today because it will be very different if we have to take penalties.”
Playing against Rayo after the league defeat
“There is no desire for revenge. Rayo has touched us like any other team could have touched us. What we want to get through the playoffs. It just so happens that it is against Rayo that won us the first day of the league. What there are are desire to play a good game for our fans and move on to the next round.”
The importance of the hobby
“The role of the fans will be vital. The other day the first thing I did was thank the 20,000 fans who came, also for the schedule. We need the fans. I hope everyone cheers up tomorrow, no matter how cold it is. The schedule is somewhat better compared to Monday. I hope they are aware of what is at stake, which I believe they are. “Everyone is looking forward to us being in the next tie and it will be much easier for everyone to face the match.”
Last year’s cup elimination
“It is more than forgotten. If not, the team would not have risen from the blow it was and achieve entry into Europenor would we now be with 28 points at the end of the first round fighting for European places and returning to play in the round of 16 of the cup. That doesn’t mean that tomorrow can happen too. Rayo is in a great moment, with 25 points in the league and overcoming the playoffs well. It is a team that is going more, very intense, with good players and I’m sure they will want to play their game to get through the playoffs.”
Lightning arrives at a good time
“That is the result of them doing things well. It is a team that I love, that tries to put pressure on you from above and, furthermore, with very good players from the midfield up.. I think Isi is a player who is not highly considered in the media, but for me he is one of the best players in the league. They have players with a lot of verticality, it is a team that enters very well from the wing, they add a lot of speed and vertigo to their game and at a defensive level they are also very aggressive. That’s why they have 25 points in the league and will compete against us to get through the playoffs.”
The Lightning proposal
“I think they are not going to change, at most some nuances. It will depend on the players you take out, each one is different and has their own profile. You can bet on Camello or Nteka, which are great but different. De Frutos, Embarba… more of the same. Inside they have Oscar, Unai, Ciss… I think they are all very good, but very different. “Surely that’s why they are where they are.”
