Iraola: “Barça are favorites but we will take advantage of the options”

Rayo have won everything at home: four out of four. A full of victories only available to PSG, Dortmund, Naples and Milan in the rest of the major European leagues. However, Iraola does not trust a Barça injured after the defeat in the Classical and a convulsive league start. The franjirrojo coach has multiple options for the front, although Tiger Falcao sharpens his claws against an opponent who has scored three goals and has not yet beaten.

– What do you think of Barça?

—A great team, with very good players. In the end they are following, at the level of dominance of play and possession, the line of last year, where they won many points away from home. This season they have not started so well, although they have only played three games. They have very good players on the offensive side, wingers who arrive and generate a lot … Now they have recovered Kun Agüero, Ansu Fati, Dembélé … Weapons that they had not had.

– Is Rayo facing one of the great opportunities to get a hand on Barça?

—They come from losing an important game like El Clásico and we from doing it against Betis. The match against Real Madrid was even, they had opportunities to get ahead on the scoreboard, even before the 0-2 they could draw. Surely if those goals had entered, the sensations would be different, because we are very successful. We have to think about our own thing, about being an uncomfortable and efficient team. In the end, it is not enough for you just to play well or do good sections. There are no mistakes to be made.

—Because of the Barça league start, does the dressing room have the feeling that the duel can be won?

—In principle, all games can be won, but obviously they are the favorites. You look at the statistics and you realize that you have to do things extraordinarily well to have options. Although you always have the hope of making them and taking advantage of them. That’s why we’re going …

– What options does Rayo have to win and how can casualties affect?

—We must trust our own and reproduce everything we have achieved in other games, although a rival like Barça demands another level from you. They are dominating and they force you to play a long time without the ball. When we recover it, despite the fatigue, we must have personality so as not to lose it and make them regress.

—El Rayo is the best place in Primera, what role will Vallecas play?

—Vallecas, the people, will be fundamental. It was amazing to experience that environment for the first time against Elche. People squeeze and applaud the player who gives everything. We want a strong team at home and we are getting it.

—Barça threw Rayo out of the Cup last year, what do you read about that?

“We could have scared them, but you have to do better.” Then they took many steps away from us and now we have reduced them. There was a time when we could dream of beating them, but the feeling is that they were far superior.

“Is it Falcao’s time?”

“We have many options in attack.” I am not going to advance the line-up, but we will choose the players who we believe can do the most damage to Barça.

—If you could stay with a Barça player for Rayo, who would it be?

-It’s complicated. We are not in a position to pay them what they demand of us … They are players of a very high level. When Messi was there, it was easy to say, but they have other great footballers.

—The Barça forward has changed a lot …

“I knew we were going to face first-rate players.” If tomorrow Ansu Fati, Depay and Agüero play and we want to face them, we have to make a little mistake because they will not forgive us …