Julen Lopetegui spoke after the disputed draw against Barcelona (1-1) for the microphones of Movistar.
“We fought a lot, we showed character and ambition. Too bad that strategy goal but in the second half we improved, we forced Barcelona to play with more doubts. The expulsion conditioned us to take a step back but except for Dembélé’s shot at the post, I don’t remember another occasion. Koundé knows that he has been wrong, he makes little mistakes but today he has. It is a matter of sediment and age, it will surely not happen again. They ended up playing on the right Valentino and Juanlu, they helped us a lot and we must congratulate them. The notes are in June, in December that is only valid to continue working “.
The coach followed the assessment of the match at a press conference.
What is your assessment?
The assessment is positive, Barça is a great team with a great generation of young people that is difficult to find in the market. The expulsion of Koundé came when we were better, in the second half we had adjusted and I had the feeling that we were above them. With 10 it was another scenario, we did a great job. Many things happened to us and it is to congratulate the team for the effort.
Have you seen Rafa Mir very alone upstairs? Does another goal from a set piece hurt?
You can ask positive questions, it is like seeing the speck of dust in a beautiful painting. We don’t like to conceal goals but Araújo is very good at set pieces. In the second half we stole higher and we got more to the opposite field. It was not a Rafa theme, but a collective one, but in the first half I don’t remember any Barcelona occasion.
Have you talked to Koundé?
A bad day at the office happens to anyone. He is a very intelligent guy, very young and as a young man he is wrong, he fell into the rival trap but he will surely learn from this.
How do you rate this end of the year?
I think people are not aware of what it is like to play with a base of 14 footballers many games. The team made a titanic effort, it is to congratulate them and the boys from the subsidiary. We ended up playing on the right wing with Juanlu and Valentino, they did very well.