* The UD Las Palmas coach asks his players for “the best version” as happened against Barça, but it will be key to “be effective in the areas and concentration”
Diego Martinez He spoke this Friday about Sunday’s match against Real Madrid. “We are going to try to knock out Mike Tyson,” he explained when making a comparison with the American boxer.
“The team is growing, improving. We start the second round at the Bernabéu”, so he asks for “the best version” to compete at the best level against the “best team in Europe”.
The coach confirmed that José Campaña remains a doubt, because “he is trying to return” after his last injury. He admitted, among other things, that Daley Sinkgraven “can get out.”
“I’m not talking about the referees,” he explained, because also “we have the most controversial play this year.” That was an allusion to Mallorca’s 2-3 goal at the Gran Canaria Stadium.
His words:
“Evidently we are facing one of the best teams in the world, due to sporting and economic potential and titles. Let’s not forget that he is the current European champion. The challenge is difficult, but it is easy to explain: We have to play our best game, be totally right and they don’t have their day.”
“It is a game to have the ability to take any action, even if it is in the opponent’s corner, in two seconds the ball will be in your area. Mentality for 90 minutes is key and extra time to be as competitive there as possible”
“The week has been very good, as always, with intensity and level. It is true that it has been with greater continuity than other times due to player illness. The day to day has been good. All evaluations are made based on the results. One thing is the performance during the week and another is the score of the match.. I hope we have the ability to add three points and be the best team we can be.”
-“We knew that when we arrived we had a challenge and challenge of limits. The motivation has always been at the best level. Although when you win you always have confidence” (…) “The game has a different motivation, although it has always been very high. The staff is very clear about what we need and want. “We know it will be difficult”
“In today’s football there is a tendency with transitions, high speeds and one against one. Real Madrid is a specialist in this type of actions. Yesterday we saw it in the first goal (from Mbappá against Celta)” (…) “Also the outside shot. We have to be together, not leave spaces and cover the outside shot because it is being effective. We are clear about what we need, to be aware that we have to defend very well, attack with the ball when we have space because they also leave it and be effective. This is the key: Be effective in the areas”
“A team like us, with very clear ideas of what we are, from the president, managers, coaches and players. We also have clear ideas with the enthusiasm we have to try to face each match to win. We have good references this season, being competitive against very important rivals. We have the humility to know that beyond the budget, even if it is stratospheric in this case, we have to give our maximum and best version”
“We know that at the end of the year there are three games that They are parentheses in the competition, which are Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atlético de Madrid. These encounters are extra bonuses. Everything we add there is an extra, because they are matches of maximum difficulty. And the normal thing, as the data from history says, are very difficult encounters. But we have to believe in the lower percentages, in the games where people believe in us less and in which we have achieved good results and performance.”
“I want to highlight that the other day there were players who had (physical) difficulties during the week getting to the game against Getafe and were in it making a tremendous effort: Essugo, Javi Muñoz, … or Campaña too. This reflects the commitment of the team, which is wanting. They are very important players, but this is a long journey. There will be adversities, but these circumstances happen to all teams. And that is where we have to be strong” (…) “Our success will be in managing the difficulty back in the month of May”
“It doesn’t matter; Going to the Real Madrid field is a privilege. That means that Las Palmas is in the First Division. It is never a good time to play against Real Madrid. It’s like facing Mike Tyson (famous US heavyweight boxer). But we are going to do it with maximum conviction to add the three points. And, keeping up the example, we’re going to try to knock out Mike Tyson”
“Evidently there are players who have participated little and he (Sinkgraven) has options to leave”
