MADRID, 22 Feb. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The player of the Spanish team Irene Paredes assured that they face the semifinal of the Nations League, this Friday in Seville against the Netherlands, without pressure and as an opportunity to be able to play in a new final and to be, if they access it, at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, which would be the first in history for the women's national team.
“Being in a Nations League semi-final and on the verge of an Olympic Games, the importance is '10'. We have a lot at stake. It is the first time that we can fight to be in the Games, before it was not even viable and now it is opens this opportunity that we want to achieve and we are going for it,” the plant said in a press conference.
An appointment, this Friday, with double prize and importance, but no pressure on its negative side. “I wouldn't call it pressure, I would call it an opportunity for people to come to the stadium and cheer and be an extra force. I take this opportunity to appeal to the fans, to come because we need them. We know what we are at stake, it is a goal and it is an opportunity to play some Games and another final, but no pressure,” he reiterated.
“We trust in the team. We are neither nervous nor confident. But we trust in what we know how to do and in what we have done so far and that there are things to improve. It will be a new game, for them it may be revenge, but we know that We are playing at home and if we are good, we will have a chance to win it,” Paredes assured.
Regarding her role as captain in the national team, she assured that there is no need to motivate her teammates. “We are all already very motivated, we all want to win to be in the Games and in the final of the Nations League. All of us here are qualified to play,” said the Legazpi player.
Of course, he commented that they are aware of the offensive potential of the Dutch team. “We all know the potential that the Netherlands has. The last game in the World Cup we suffered a lot from Lineth Beerensteyn, she beat us on the back quite a few times because she is very fast. We go very high to defend and there is that risk of having to run back. “We have corrected things and we will try not to let them catch our back. It is not their only danger, we will have to be very good in all the lines and aspects of each player,” she warned.
Of the 'Oranje' he highlighted that they like to play the ball. “But they have many opportunities to play differently, through good pressure and take advantage of the speed of those up front, but they have options to filter passes,” he added.
On the other hand, asked about the fact that La Cartuja de Sevilla is not going to be filled for the moment, she regretted the recent change of location. “It's not good that they changed the stadium fifteen days ago but we play at home, anyway. And there is time to appeal to the people and have the best atmosphere. We are all happy to be here tomorrow,” she said.
“The past is the past and we want to focus on the now, on the Nations League semifinals and the opportunity to qualify for the Games, and that's what we're doing,” he concluded.