Quique Setién appeared at a telematic press conference prior to Barça's return to LaLiga. The Catalan team plays this Saturday against Mallorca (22:00) and the coach analyzed the current situation of the team a few hours after returning to competition.
He has already commented a little on how the team is doing. But what kind of party do you imagine?
I want to send a message of solidarity to the families of the victims first. All coaches have that point of uncertainty that will lead us to this first game. We can guess, but we don't know how we are going to respond to this situation. If we are going to be the Barça that we saw before this happened or if we are going to be different. And we also don't know if we will meet Mallorca before or a new Mallorca. The reality, which is what I know, is that we are doing well, with great motivation. That can be felt in training. For enthusiasm, for desire and, I hope, for that pause and intelligence, we show it to be better than the rival and take the game forward.
How is Messi?
In principle, perfectly. He has trained perfectly and is very good. I don't see that there is a problem.
Do you have Semedo?
If he plays or not, it will not be for this reason of little care that he has had. It is a situation that, in principle, football is not going to affect me.
How has the Semedo matter been internally managed, has it provided explanations?
Evidently, he was tremendously concerned. It has been an oversight that has led him to that situation. He was not aware of what the situation was like. You have made a mistake. He has apologized to everyone, to me, but it is just a mistake.
How is Umtiti, is she going to be discharged?
As I have already said, he was the only player without training with the group because in the first training he had a muscle problem. He has tried to get in shape and is quite well but he lacks a little more rhythm than the other teammates.
How about playing against Naples on neutral ground?
Man. They are assumptions. It is the last thing that has come out and we will see if it is carried out. It would hurt us to have to play against Naples on a neutral field but if the circumstances are like this, we will accept it because there is no other option. At LaLiga, we depend on ourselves. Although I suppose that neither of the two teams that fight for it is going to have it easy. The options are better for us. And then in the Champions League, we have many options to be there with the exception that we have the best player in the world and it can be a weight that tips the balance in our favor.
Suarez has been unemployed for five months. Will it be a starter?
Surely yes. What perhaps is that it is not for the whole party and we will not take the risk. He could also start from the bench, but in good condition, he is.
Will it be easier to finish LaLiga now or before the break?
I could not tell. I think the break has been good for us. It has given us reflection, analysis. We have been able to remember things, clarify them … But that has also happened to the rest of the teams. Even teams that have been in delicate situations have been able to isolate themselves from the situation they were in. But they are all hypotheses. We'll see what happens. If we improve or remain the same.
Would you like people to be patient with the team?
It is not a question of asking, because we are all in the same situation. Patience is fine, but the point is to have applied ourselves and that we have integrated in soccer players those things that we considered important. For us it is an unknown to play behind closed doors. We have seen things in a rehearsal match. And also, a match between us, with two similar ideas. Nothing similar to what we are going to find tomorrow.
It has been speculated with a possible barter of Arthut. Do you have him for next season?
It is true that we have talked about something, but not too much. The circumstances that are latent in the world of soccer are different and will affect the market. The reality is that I have all the footballers that are now on the squad and I need them all. I hope they give me the best of themselves. I do not enter into speculations because they are far from me.
How are you physically?
He had an ankle problem but he solved it because he has returned and is like the rest of the footballers. It is obvious that he is a great footballer, like the rest of the squad.
Cruyff said that, when the championship is decided, it was better to play before the rival. What theory is yours?
If you give me a choice, I prefer to play before. If you win you do your homework; if not, you can wait. I prefer to play before Madrid.
Can the next four games be decisive?
It may be, but these are situations that we will see on the go. Sometimes nothing happens that you expect to happen. What you have to do is win in Mallorca and keep that advantage. And if Madrid wins, then this will reach the last league game.
Does your responsibility increase having to make five changes?
You don't know, because it can be a problem. You have to measure well. With five changes there may be a problem if you make the changes earlier … It is something that can be beneficial in a moment but also harmful. It is a new situation and we will see how it decants.
Before the break, he surely analyzed what Barça was not doing well. The exit of the ball was slow, there was Messidependencia …, what should improve soccer?
It is true that not only the ball output must be improved. There are other aspects that we have also tried to touch and that footballers improve in offensive and defensive aspects. In the time we have had, we have reviewed things that I hope will be good for us.
Now is he a 100% Barça de Setién?
I wish the messages from the coaches came. The information we give them must be processed. Sometimes things cannot be achieved. This is a process of improvement, capabilities.
Do you think Messi will play every game or will he rest?
We will see what is happening on the fly. Fortunately, Messi and these players who have been playing for so many years know how to measure and measure themselves. If you see a risk, you will be the first to say you need to rest. I'm going to trust what the footballers say. I have warned them to control the inconvenience because if they are injured two weeks they lose six games. And if you rest one, you have no problem in the following. There are soccer players who the longer they are on the field, the better.
To what extent do you plan to use the subsidiary for the committed schedule?
There are seven or eight players training every day and they will be at least until the subsidiary can start training in a group. We will take into account the promotion phase as well. They may have their opportunities.