MADRID, 25 May. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The coach of FC Barcelona, Jonatan Giráldez, highlighted the “winning character” and “mentality” of his players after thrashing Real Madrid (4-0) in the second semi-final of the Copa de la Reina and thus forgetting the heavy defeat against to Olympique de Lyon in the final of the ‘Champions League’
“We are very happy with the team’s performance, it was not easy after the final three days ago and today the players have shown character, personality, that implies a bit of the team’s intention. I am very happy because the team at a level They have offered a great level of football,” Giráldez pointed out to the media.
“We expected a forward pressure like they have tried in the last two games against them. Their intention has always been this. The first leg in their field (in the Champions League) cost us because we did not expect it but from that day we learned what we had to do in attack to overcome them. Today has been the collective work, the interpretation of playing short and long”, added the culé coach.
“In the first half we deserved to score a few more goals, but after 3-0 the feeling of dominance was total and we knew that it would cost them a little more. The match was ten,” said the Barça coach, who was also asked about Sunday’s final against Sporting de Huelva.
“Being a final, the margin of error is very low, Granadilla generated more chances and in an isolated action they managed to score the goal that gave them the classification. For the times we have played against Sporting we hope to have the initiative of the game and above all be effective in front of goal”, he commented.
“Those goals will help us to face the game in a more serene way. Whatever the minutes pass and we don’t open the scoring can generate more despair. We will depend on the level we have that day but I am very calm for the players they have shown a lot of level Giráldez concluded, explaining that Jennifer Hermoso’s absence was due to a blow in training. “We’ll see now if she can get into the squad for Sunday.”
AITANA BONMATÍ: “I STAY WITH THE WINNING MENTALITY”
For her part, Aitana Bonmatí was very happy with the victory and underlined the “winning mentality” of her teammates: “I couldn’t keep one thing alone, I’ll keep the team’s response after a few complicated days, it’s been difficult emotional management. The team has come out with the mentality and aggressiveness of a winning team,” he said.
“I’m proud of the team’s response. The day of the final was very hard because we weren’t at the level, but the good thing about football is that it gives us chances early on and we didn’t have them at all. We had a goal in mind very early on. self-criticism to be better and today we have shown that we are the winning team that we have been for a few years”, he said.
“In the final? We will come out the same regardless of who the rival is. Playing against Madrid is always special, the Clásico is our eternal rival, it was a motivating game and to play a good game like the one we have played. The seasons are long and the finals usually cost more but being a final I have no doubt that the team is going to give everything it has left to win another title. We are going to empty ourselves to win another Cup for Barcelona”, Bonmatí concluded.