What would it mean for Granada to reach the final?
It is history that we have achieved, which is to reach the semifinals. 61 years later we are in an enviable situation and that nobody could imagine. We will go slowly, we will play the semifinal and we will do everything possible to pass.
The city is turning with this semifinal. Flags around the city, the institutions supporting the team … is this the most important thing they have achieved?
Absolutely, the most important thing above the sporting result is the identification we are having with the city. It was one of our strategic lines. We are overcome and proud to have generated this illusion and this emotion. Grateful to everyone, public institutions, businessmen, clubs, fans … the whole city and I dare to say that the province. They are all excited and that is a responsibility for us, because all that illusion that we have generated now we have to respond. It is the germ of a seed for the future.
What benefits will the Copa del Rey bring you?
We prioritize the social aspect. In the Cup we are not thinking about euros, because we do not know what the economic distribution will be, we are only thinking about the social.
Is it the best season in club history?
I think that without a doubt, the best season and I insist, not only for the sporting result, but for the generated around the club. 37 points and semifinalists of cup with options to spend playing the last game in our house. They have not given us anything.
Salvation is practically done …
It will be done when it is mathematically.
When it is achieved, to think about Europe?
When I am a mathematician, we will continue dreaming in the next game that we have to win it and continue adding points. The club and the team have ambition, we are not going to stop it, but we are not going to set goals.
Even Miguel Ríos has adapted his mythical song ‘Welcome’, how did the idea come about?
At the beginning of the season with the light show we decided that the Welcome was the idea, because Miguel is from Granada and a song called welcome was easy. And in one of the visits with Juan Vida the idea came up. We met at Wanda and I told Miguel the day is day 5 and he resumed it with great enthusiasm. I know that he has been working and we have been in almost daily contact and with the help of Luis García and have created something that I think is a bombshell for us. We are deeply grateful to Miguel.
A lot of work is being done on the prolegomena
We are trying to warm the environment, not the party, that this is another matter. We want everyone to feel that warmth, from the club and from the hand of the rocks and bleachers of animation we are having different initiatives to live a great atmosphere.
Athletic has more experience in this type of games and also has not lifted a title for many years, does that make it more dangerous?
More makes us not win. He is a rival that I think is the second club with the most Copa del Rey titles in history. He has more experience than us, but this is a game, we started 1-0, but there is a minimum of 90 minutes ahead.
Can it be traced?
Without a doubt, we are going to try it, it is a difficult game against a complicated opponent that made things difficult for us there. Now it's different. We are in Los Cármenes with more than 20,000 faithful who are going to take us on volandas.
Will President Jiang Lizhang come to the semifinal today?
I can't confirm it, but it's not easy because of the coronavirus issue. He's trying to come, but we don't know if he can. It is in China and we do not know if you can leave with guarantees.
He will be happy with the season the team is leading.
Everyone inside and outside the club is in love with the team season and you can't ask for more. That does not mean that we are not still ambitious. We will not settle for what we have, we will not settle for semifinals or 37 points, but we will continue with the line from match to match.
It is a complicated season with up to three long-term injuries.
The team is competing exceptionally. We started with a short staff, mainly because of our economic capacity, we were forced and in the end we had to stretch for those long-term injuries, but the one that has come out has given a very high level. The competitive gene is in the team and everyone is giving an extraordinary level and there is one of the secrets.
The signing of Antoñín is an incorporation looking more to the future.
We bring you for the future. He is a very young boy who has high hopes placed in him, but you have to give him peace of mind and little by little. He has no responsibility now only to help us, to be a complement to the future. He is a boy that we had been seeing for months and we already tried in December to bring him. We have been able to bring him even out of the market due to Neyder's injury.
In addition it has also been beneficial for Malaga that needed that economic injection.
We think it is good for all three parties. And I think LaLiga also sees it with good eyes because it helps the future of Malaga.
Perhaps the 'bad' thing about the great season of Granada is that its players will have many girlfriends …
It's not bad, it's consubstantial with football. If we had no offer and they ignored us, that would be bad. We have had offers and we have rejected them all. In principle this club refers to the clauses of its players. Nor does any player want to leave this project at this time. The club does not want any of its players to abandon this project. There are many rumors, but we are all happy and at ease, it is complicated because neither of us wants to break this relationship. In January it was non-negotiable that no one left the project because sports are the first priority, in summer we will see.
The best winter signing has undoubtedly been the return of Fede Vico to the team and at a great level.
It is a great addition. It has been a very hard season for him and we were all looking forward to joining the group and we are very happy to recover him.
Current affairs rule, what would happen if the coronavirus arrives? Do you already have a protocol?
There is a working group in LaLiga already created and we are receiving information on how everything is going daily and we will follow the advice they give us at all times. Hopefully it can be controlled and does not affect our competition
What result do you see in today's game?
I dare not give a result, I say that Granada passes the tie, suffering, because we are the club of eternal struggle, but I am hopeful and confident that we will overcome the tie. I know we are going to suffer.