Personal relationship with Unai Emery. “In life there are much more important things. Unai is a 'top' coach and we all want to always win. We congratulate them for doing so and we wish them all the luck in the world going forward and for Thursday in their career in the Europa League.” ?
Disagreement with Emery?. “I am very funny about this, because with Raúl Espínola (he is the second coach) whom I consider a brother, I also debate and argue and we can even get angry; this is soccer. There are more important things in life, like enjoying every moment and respecting your rival ”.
Match rating. “The team was not at its best level. The start was good and I saw the team well, but from 0-1 things got very complicated; That penalty play disrupts your plans and then you fit the second quickly. When you are not at your best level and the opponent is, so successful, and your moments of getting into the game such as the one against one of Soldier or the penalty then you do not hit them becomes very difficult. We were not at our best level, starting with the coach, who is the first in the defeats and the last in the victories, against an opponent of such quality and a player, Gerard Moreno, in a state of grace, something that makes me happy for the Eurocup ”.
Course of the game. “It was a shame not to take advantage of the specific moments that in these games allow you to shorten the differences or give you a mental boost. When not even that comes, you have to turn the page, congratulate your rival and move on “.
Penalties against. “We always respect the referees, those on the field and those of the VAR, and we will continue that way. Suffering four in two games against a team as powerful as Villarreal makes it even more difficult, so perhaps we value the draw in the first leg more. They are football things, circumstances. I remember that in August 2019 we went there with a starting 'eleven' in which only Soldado had played in First and ten players, and I came from Second. A year and a half later we are in the quarterfinals of the Europa League, with 36 points in the League and the possibility of achieving permanence, which is our real goal, in the midst of a historic moment that this team has earned to live. You have to learn, improve and turn the page. On Thursday we have one of the most important games in our history; in April, that means that we have been doing things well for a long time even though we are annoyed by the result and the defeat ”.
Match rhythm. “We have been performing beyond expectations for a long time thanks to these players. We always try. From there, zero emotional hangover and off to a historic date. If they had asked us at the beginning of the season, we would have signed it. We must not forget what we are. We are living one of the most beautiful moments in our history due to humility, respect and confidence in ourselves and for always being in the games beyond the circumstances ”.
Which players can you count on on Thursday against Manchester United? How is Kenedy? “We were scared because we had also previously asked him how he was doing and we wanted to manage the minutes. Many times it is not a question of medical discharge but of fine tuning. Like Darwin, who had more minutes than he should have and is not at his best. This is very complicated, you have to fit many pieces and there are already 47 games in April. I don't know if I will get footballers back for Thursday ”.
Will the team be at full capacity? “One thing is availability and another is to be 100%, especially in this type of game against the best teams in the world that are so difficult, of the highest level and demand. If you subtract operations, injuries, work dynamics … To be well we must go to the limit, and to compete against these teams at 120%. We always do it that way and we get it, even if there are days when it doesn't give us ”.