Iraola: “Last year we were not far from giving Barça a scare”

MADRID, 26 Oct. (EUROPA PRESS) –

Rayo Vallecano’s coach, Andoni Iraola, believes that they will have their options to beat FC Barcelona this Wednesday in Vallecas (7:00 p.m.) and recalled that last year, in the Copa del Rey, they were not far from “giving a scare” to Blaugrana team, also trained by Ronald Koeman.

“Barça seems to me to be a very, very good team with very, very good players, in the end they continue to dominate the game, with possession, they are following last year’s line where they won a lot of points away from home. This year they haven’t started so well but they only have three games, “summed up the Rayo coach.

“They have very good players on the offensive side, full-backs who arrive a lot, now they have recovered Aguero, Ansu Fati, and soon Dembélé. They win in offensive weapons that – likewise – they have not had until now. They come from losing a An important game, as it is always a classic, but we too have come from losing and we want to add again, “he recalled.

In this sense, Iraola said that the results always send. “It was an even game against Real Madrid, they had a good opportunity to get ahead and then to draw. I think that if they score one of these goals this whole story would be different because in the end we are very result-oriented. We have to try to be an uncomfortable and uncomfortable team. be effective. It is not enough for you just to make good sections. You do not have to make mistakes and you have to be very definitive when we have our options, “he said.

“Can you beat Barça? ‘Winnable’ in principle are all the games, they are the favorites, you see the statistics and antecedents and Rayo has not scored a point for 20 years and mine – when I have played against them as a player – And in the end you get very few points from them. You have to do things extraordinarily well to get some point but you always have the hope of doing them and taking advantage of our opportunity. That’s why we are going to go, “he snapped.

“They are very clear favorites but we have to trust in what we do. And reproduce what we have achieved in other games to be able to do it against Barça because they demand another level of you. They are very dominating, they force you to play for a long time without the ball and when to recover we have to have that quality so as not to lose him. We have to push them back, which is what we like, and that is what we have to focus on, “he said.

In this sense, Iraola recalled the tie lived last season, resolved for the Catalans by 1-2 in the round of 16. “Last year we were not far from giving them a scare but the feeling is that we have to play much better if we want to win,” he said.

“Last year I saw a lot of difference, now I see ourselves better, we have reduced that great distance in some way. Last year we already dreamed of being able to beat them although they were much better. Let’s see if tomorrow we are able to improve it,” he commented.

“THE ENVIRONMENT OF VALLECAS, ONE PASSED”

In addition, the Rayo coach assured that the fans will once again be fundamental against the Catalans. “The role of Vallecas, of the people, is fundamental. We are very grateful because in the last game against Elche it was amazing. That atmosphere that we have experienced other times and face you because the fans applaud you every play if you give everything. making strong at home and we will see if we are able to climb this step that a team like Barcelona requires of you, “he said.

Regarding his alternatives in attack, Iraola preferred not to give clues. “We have many options in attack, Falcao, Guardiola, Nteka, Andrés, or play with Trejo as a false nine. We have many options and obviously I am not going to advance the line-up but we will choose the attack players that we believe can do more damage to the player. Barça “, ended.