“The key to the game is having been left with 10”
MADRID, 29 Nov. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Sevilla coach, Diego Alonso, made it clear that he feels “respected and supported” by the club and the players after the defeat (2-3) against PSV that cost the Andalusian team its future in the Champions League, a duel in which the expulsion of Lucas Ocampos with two consecutive yellow cards in the second half was “key”.
“What is clear is that there was a before and after the expulsion. The team was playing a great game on the day they had to do it, we deserved more. From the expulsion onwards, at this level, when one stays “With one less player, you pay. Everything else, the analysis becomes different,” he said at a press conference.
“I am not going to make a public statement regarding him, I am the person in charge of the team. We made a great effort and we lost it due to details. We were suffering a lot. I am the person most responsible but I do not think that the changes have broken the team. The footballers can enter better or worse, the rhythm was difficult,” he said.
The Sevilla coach pointed out that the team does not lose composure when setbacks occur, but insisted on the difficulty of remaining one less in the last 20 minutes in the Champions League. “The key to the game is that we stayed with 10,” he said.
“We, in all the other games that we have been losing, the team has not lost its composure, it has left better feelings. I do not agree that the defeat makes it break down,” he added, before being asked about his position in office.
“Everyone who is here has done merit to be able to get there, then they have to try for the results. We don’t have the results we want but I trust in myself, in my work, in the footballers, in the club, that we are capable of being better “I appreciate the support of the club, as I feel the support of the footballers. The game lasted 60 minutes, the team played an extraordinary game. I feel respected and supported,” he stated.
On the other hand, Alonso recognized the difficulty of being left out of the Champions League and valued the option of being third in the group and playing in the Europa League. “Today is a blow, we were very excited to be in the round of 16, it was seen that we were capable, and it escaped us. It is a blow for everyone. You cannot win everything and we have to prepare for what is coming, get back to the level of points in the League where the club deserves to be and at the level of play to be where it is today,” he commented.
“The possibility of playing in Europe is going to be there. We are going to have to go to France to get the three points. We knew this could happen. We don’t have the first reward, we will go for the second,” he concluded.