BARCELONA, 1 Apr. (SportsFinding) –
The coach of Alavés, José Luís Mendilibar, recognized that the team has regained “the spirit of competing” to face Atlético de Madrid this Saturday on LaLiga matchday 30, after two weeks off “complicated” by the frenetic defeat against Granada (2-3) before the international team break.
“The day after the game smoke comes out of your ears. Little by little it goes off. Now I’m fine, with the spirit of competing tomorrow against Atlético de Madrid, but ten days ago I wouldn’t say the same”, admitted Mendilibar in the press conference prior to the match at the Wanda Metropolitano.
The coach of the ‘babazorros’ lamented the defeat in the 87th minute of the last matchday against the Nasrid team and the difficulties to which the team has been subjected during international matches. “The first week was complicated because it means losing and spending a week without a game, without close goals. We have to be more mature and stronger in difficult moments,” he added.
In addition, the coach of the Vitoria team praised Atlético de Madrid’s state of form, although he would like them “to be thinking” about the ‘Champions’ match against Manchester City and not to be “one hundred percent”.
“Mallorca and Levante have won at the Wanda Metropolitano, but I don’t think they trust those games too much. They know that today it’s difficult against all teams. You can have a good game and win, but they’re on a good run both in Europe and in the league”, highlighted the man from Zaldibar about the state of form of the rojiblancos.
Asked about salvation, Mendilibar explained that they have to add “a minimum number of points” to continue one more season in LaLiga Santander. “The first game is this and the only one we should think about,” he settled.
Regarding the possible scheme that Alavés will use to stop the ‘Cholo’ Simeone, the Basque coach stated that “the best version of the team” has been with three midfielders, although they have only won one of the games.
“We are more than twenty and not all of them are from the same mother. With some I have had to focus more on concentration and training, I hope that influencing them so much has been good for us. We have had our things in training,” he added on the emotional state of the players.
Alavés occupies the nineteenth position in the table, five points from safety, and regarding its final schedule, he said that “he does not look beyond” Atlético de Madrid. “We are the calendar, nobody is going to give us anything,” Mendilibar said.