Abelardo Fernández, coach of Espanyol, He said this Friday in the preview of the match that tomorrow he will face his team against Alavés who He does not want to talk about the ‘final’ but if it is “a transcendental game, very important” He does not care that some consider them dead because he considers that the team does better mentally than when the championship stopped in March. Admits that Tomás arrives with some physical discomfort And it does not guarantee that he will start tomorrow against Alavés. But he is glad that the eight players infected by the coronavirus are well and have been able to be summoned
– How is the team?
“It is all the good that we expected and eager to start already after a break of almost 3 months. There is a lot of desire that the party arrives and to live LaLiga now ”.
– How is Raúl de Tomás?
“He has had some knee problems, some tendinitis and he has not trained at the same level as the rest, except in the last week. Physically he is not 100% but he enters the call and I will decide tomorrow if he plays at the start or if he enters later ”.
– Has the self-criticism you did in Pamplona served you?
“That is already there, in the past, but it serves to learn both the players and me. As a technician I have to correct things. I have tried to see many videos in this break and we will try to correct things to find the key. And hopefully all of that will help us win games. ”
– After 3 months and after the KO in Pamplona, some gave them up for dead, do you mind?
“We all stayed with the Sadar game, but there were also good games before. We keep the last one. I don't care if they give us up for dead. We now have a very important game and we started to be able to achieve our goal, just like three months ago. The team tomorrow is going to go for it all and see how much percent we are in, right or wrong. We all start from scratch and it is a different League. In illusion no one is going to beat us. ”
– How does starting in the hottest part of the day and having less rest in later games affect?
“It is what it is; It is very difficult to balance calendars and everyone is happy. Alavés also plays at 2:00 p.m. Less rest than rivals? I have a squad with many players. “
– What worries you the most about the game?
“Everything is unknown and let's see how we will react. You have to go out to win on an empty field. But we have to leave our skin because thousands of parakeets in their homes will be encouraging us. You have to leave everything on the field to make them feel proud. ”
– Do you get better mentally than physically?
“Physically worse, no doubt, but mentally, certainly better than before the break. This time has served to free us from the last match against Osasuna; the break has been good for us. We arrived with clean minds and wanting to compete. We have enormous hope. ”
– What are the keys to tomorrow?
“We prepared a normal match like 3 months ago. In the three training matches that we have played these days, we have influenced them to get used to listening to each other and listening to me; that is new. We got worse physically and Alavés too, but on a tactical level nothing has changed for me ”.
– Are you going for your third miracle?
“That's what I came for. I think we can achieve a feat that would be very important. I like challenges, I am positive and ambitious and I hope we can do it. For work and dedication it will not stay. We are going to try 200% “
– Analysis of Alavés
“I was in the Alavés delighted, not the following. My relationship with its maximum shareholder, president and sports director goes beyond the professional, it is one of friendship. And I had a spectacular squad on their human level. And a wonderful technical staff. Alavés maintains the block structure from when I coached it, but it has players with more quality and verticality: Joselu, although he cannot come, Lucas Pérez, Camarasa, Burke, Pere Pons, Aleix Vidal … They maintain an idea of defensive forcefulness , strong, vertical, dangerous set pieces. They will require us to be at their highest level to beat them. I wish you the best but the romance is over and it will be from tomorrow.
– Will it be important to get ahead on the scoreboard?
“I think there will be less tactical games. When there are a few minutes left, the games will split more, the same not so much in the first days but surely as the competition progresses. There will be more attacks with disorder; different but more beautiful game for the spectator ”.
– Change pieces in your eleven
“Tomorrow there will be some change with respect to the Pamplona team and during the days we will also vary and I need the entire squad. The way of playing will depend on the rival, but Espanyol plays with technical players and I cannot change that. Espanyol have based most of their successes “
– Is Oier time?
“I have Oier and Andrés. I will decide. The time may come for either of them tomorrow. ”
– How are the 8 players infected with coronavirus?
“They are prepared, without a doubt. They have made an enormous effort to be able to be and will be. I think that all those who have been sick are in the call and that speaks highly of all of them; it makes me proud”.
– What was your feeling when you saw the Andalusian derby without an audience?
“I like it better with the public, that is clear. Soccer without an audience is another story but there are the circumstances. A tremendous effort has been made and you have to play. It is a different league. The players on the bench above and separated, five changes … Without people in the stands it becomes very strange “
– What can be done in 11 days that has not been done before?
“Tomorrow we have a momentous match. I don't like to talk about the final, but tomorrow is a very important game. Of the 11 finals that are discussed, winning tomorrow gives us the right to continue. It is a good opportunity against an opponent like us and we must take advantage of it to change the results. Normally, we play two LaLiga teams and we will try to win the game. ”
– Víctor Gómez has not been summoned
“I have three right backs and I have decided on Javi López and Pipa.”
Listen to Abelardo's full press conference here:
