Diego Martínez: “We must play a perfect match to pass”

Diego Martínez is very clear about the message and the feeling that there is in the Granada dressing room 24 hours before the return of the round of 32 of the Europa League: “Euphoria, zero. Concentration, all. Difficulty, maximum ”. The rojiblanco coach tries to make his team aware of the difficulties it will encounter during the match and asks his players for “personality” to make the 2-0 achieved in Los Cármenes good.

He took Granada in the Second Division and is one step away from the last 16 of the Europa League: “It is a unique, historical moment to enjoy. Here is with me Machís, who exemplifies the exponential growth that the team has had. He has had it as a player and the team. That, for me as a coach, beyond the stage, makes me feel proud. That's what got us here. It is something that we have earned ”.

Emotions prior to the meeting: “The emotions are unique, special, not only because of the magnitude of the stadium and the great team in front of us due to prestige, history, titles… Napoli is a great team. But we have to channel emotions into illusion, to have the focus on each action of the game. Knowing that this is already a success, try to give our best level as we did in the first leg. We are going to need it and that is what we have to keep in mind, to give our best individual and collective level ”.

What game are you going to raise ?: “We want to play the game to win, but also to respond to what Naples offers us. The idea is to forget about the result of the first leg, go to win the game and from there, compete and respond to what each situation demands. We know that this is the continuation of a 180-minute match. “

What must your team give to pass ?: “It is going to be a very, very difficult game. They are going to demand a lot from us. We have to make a practically perfect match to be able to pass the tie. We must have our personality, be as close as possible to our best version, be the team that we have been for a long time to get here. Until tomorrow I don't know exactly the feelings each player is going to have. One imagines and can have ideas about what can happen, but lately not all the alternatives in the world can cover all the adverse circumstances that we are experiencing. Those who come out are going to do well, absolute belief in the team and above all being us, having personality ”.

You have confirmed the withdrawal of Milla. Can you also rule out Soldier and Yangel ?: “We will wait for the last sensations. I thank the players for recovering and taking risks, because they are taking risks. Tomorrow we are going to need the energy of everyone, those who are inside and those who are outside, and of all of Grenadianism. That people in their homes put on the shirt, that they encourage us, that they infect us and we are sure that we are much stronger with them ”.

What Naples awaits?: “I look forward to a high-quality Naples. Beyond the change of names, it is a very strong team, a great from Italy, even more so at home, and with experience in these competitions. It is a game of the highest level, of maximum demand and the illusion that we have is to be able to face it with a lot of personality and from you to you despite the great differences between one and the other ”.

Do you sit with one foot in eighths ?: “Nobody has euphoria and I have not said it at any time. Don't put words in my mouth that I haven't said. We have the same chances as before starting the tie, it is still totally open and we know how difficult it is going to be. We have to make a perfect match to be able to pass. Euphoria, zero. Concentration, all. Difficulty, maximum ”.

The worst defense in the League but one of the best in the Europa League: “We are the team that has conceded the most goals in the League. I do not change the 30 points we have for the goals conceded unless they have teams that are below us in the classification. We are a team that is going to win the games. It is true that both against Atlético and against Barcelona we have conceded ten goals, with which the statistics could be qualified. And five or six goals have come in situations of losing the game and they score us at the end for going bare-chested for a draw. Even so, we are a team that has had 15 of the 40 games that we have with a clean sheet. We transmit good feelings on a defensive level. It is our reality, we always try to improve and we have to analyze things a little more in depth, recognizing that it is a negative data ”.