MADRID, 10 Feb. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The coach of Girona FC, Míchel Sánchez, admitted this Saturday his “reality” after leaving the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium beaten (4-0), during matchday 24 of LaLiga EA Sports, and that that score served him and his players well. to put our feet on the ground.”
“Today at no time have I had the feeling that we could win. You feel a little weaker, but this is our reality and it helps us put our feet on the ground and continue working so that the young people we have continue to grow. We have footballers of a very high level that are still in the growth phase and we are in a beautiful project,” commented Míchel in the press conference after the meeting.
“We have not been at the level that Real Madrid requires at a high level, but it is something that we already anticipated. We have tried to play one on one, but when Madrid is at its maximum performance, we do not arrive,” lamented the coach of the Girona team.
Furthermore, Míchel confirmed the merengue superiority. “I already said that we needed a bad version of Madrid and a great version of us. Neither of the two things have happened, but I think it has been more to Real Madrid's merit than our demerit,” he said.
“I have nothing to reproach, on the contrary, I think my players have given everything possible, but in duels they have been much superior. The game that Camavinga has played, the one that Vinícius has played, the one that Bellingham has played… Phew, we're really not at that level,” he said.
Despite everything, the rojiblanco coach looked for the positive side of the heavy defeat. “It helps us improve because, when you face someone with such a high level, it makes you see a little of your reality and everything we have done so far,” he argued in this regard.
“First we have to have humility to know where we are and our reality of coming to the Bernabéu to compete. Everyone said about competing in the League and we knew from within that no, that was not our goal, but we came to compete to try to make our best game and to see if it worked out well,” he said.
“Although we thought we were capable of fighting Real Madrid face to face, it hasn't given us a chance,” he reiterated. “The maximum responsibility is mine because I have asked the players to go to high pressure, to go to pressure situations after losing, leaving extreme situations to Juanpe, Eric, Yan, Miguel… So the maximum responsibility is me. “he insisted.
“I wanted to put them to the maximum of their abilities because we are in a privileged position, because we had nothing to lose today, because there was a lot to gain and because our image beyond the result, is to be a club that is growing and I believe that in that “Nobody can tell us anything. Obviously it hasn't been a comfortable game, but I don't think it can hurt us, it won't hurt us,” predicted Míchel.
“Winning each game has cost us a lot and we have the humility of knowing how to lose; and when the rival is much superior, then recognizing it, there is nothing to object to the victory of Real Madrid,” he stressed before analyzing his style of play, offensive despite to adversity.
“We could have stopped them by going much further back, but it is not my way of seeing things, nor is it the club's way, nor are we at a time to not do what we have done throughout the year. Today I have explained a lot to the players, but I think it was time to do it. So, criticism towards the players and more responsibility towards me”, repeated the Girona coach.
To recover from this defeat, Míchel gave his recipe. “There is no better way than to get to work with humility and knowing that our League is Athletic Bilbao, Real Sociedad, Betis, Valencia, etc. We cannot be in Real Madrid's League,” he remarked.
“We take points from Barça, but Barça is not from our League and Atlético de Madrid is not from our League. There are three transatlantic teams, Real Madrid has a very considerable advantage but their fight is with these teams, not with us. We are not the fourth candidate, and that is what I think and that is what I have always thought,” Míchel recalled.
“The team is going to work well, we have to put on our overalls from humility, which is what we have always done. And if we are capable of being humble and on a day-to-day basis continue working as we do now, I think we are candidates to be in Europe next year,” he predicted.
“It is not a painful defeat, I think it is a defeat of learning and putting ourselves in our place. The club and the team are having a fantastic, wonderful season and our level is not that of Real Madrid, and that's it. It is not a painful defeat, we are in a dream and we continue in it,” he added in the Santiago Bernabéu press room.
“I could have planned a game to win. Because you can win from here losing 1-0, playing a very defensive game, defending in a low block and putting three centre-backs. I could have done many things. But I think that our moment as club demands of us, or at least I had the feeling that today it required of us, to give our best version of everything we have done throughout the year,” he highlighted.
Finally, he assured that it was up to him and his pupils “to see if we were capable of coming here today and showing that where we were was possible on our own merits.” And well, they painted my face and that's it. And nothing happens,” Míchel concluded at his press conference.