Quique Setién spoke this Monday in the preview of Barça-Athletic de Liga that takes place this Tuesday, the night of San Juan. He did it at a telematic press conference with the morbidity that his appearance came hours after Madrid's victory in San Sebastián that leaves the Whites as leaders of LaLiga. These were his opinions.
They receive Athletic. Do you have the feeling that patience is going to be important?
Yes. Obviously, we all know Athletic. They are a tough, difficult team, they defend well. The games we have played against them have not been easy. Normally, we carry the weight of the game, but they always manage their options in different ways and it is certainly not easy to harm them. It will take a lot of precision and patience can be a virtue that will give us control and can make us avoid its cons more easily. We anticipate that things may happen, but then it is different. It happened to us in the Cup, that when we were better they took us out of the Cup for a goal. It is a difficult team, which will commit us a lot
Madrid won one of the most complicated games they had left. Is the margin of error running out?
We'll see. In principle, it is now true that goalaverage puts us below, but we still have the same points. Now the margin of error is smaller, but also for them. What we can say for us is valid for them. They cannot have any errors and we have seen many Leagues that have been resolved in recent games. Things remain the same but there are eight games left and we still have the same idea. Winning every game and being there for everyone. You have to wait until the end to see what happens. The goal is to get to the end with options.
After losing the leadership, is LaLiga more difficult because of the problems they have with football or because of the refereeing decisions?
It is true that we have a soccer problem but I am very happy with some of the things we are doing. We have won two games and tied one. We have scored six goals and we have not drawn any and in the field of third place we have done many things well, but I do not agree that we have soccer problems because we are well. I would like to have a little more effectiveness and fine-tune a little but they are football circumstances.
What sensation did the refereeing performance leave you in Anoeta? Was Piqué right in the end or did you change your mind?
We'll see. There are things that we cannot control and that do not depend on us. We are worth winning the matches. Regarding yesterday's game, everyone has seen how it has been and everyone will make the assessments that are appropriate. And I, Piqué, not now but always, has always seemed a very intelligent person.
Is the VAR interesting, upgradeable? Why do you say that Piqué is intelligent?
I do not speculate. I hear a series of words and the frustration of having lost two points pushes you to say that LaLiga is going to be difficult. In moments of frustration one may not tune well, but simply. Regarding the VAR, it is a tool that can undoubtedly make us better. But you have to use it because it gives us a clearer view of reality when you have to make quick decisions. The good thing is to be able to see them with different angles and with vision. It is understandable that we think that why some actions are reviewed and others not, in some parties yes and others no. And one may think that it is not being used well.
How's Frenkie de Jong, might he not reappear in LaLiga?
Hopefully not so. He has a small lesion in the calf area and it depends on the evolution. But surely you can play a few games.
What do you think of having such a veteran squad, can it influence this short stretch with so many games?
We'll see. You may think that by running you can play better. I think the opposite, that sometimes you have to stop to think to play better. At the end of the game in Seville, we had them in as much of the game as they were. I am not at all concerned with the average age we are but with what we do in the field. And the normal thing is that when one is older, one thinks better and decides better. It is not a question of route, but to refine more in some situations. And that has more to do with thinking better but with running more.
At home 43 of 45 points have been added and half of the points have been lost outside. For what is this?
It is difficult to explain. I don't know why it is because our approaches are the same. Perhaps here the rivals come with more fear, weaken more; Or maybe we are not at the same level of confidence as at home. But we face games the same way.
Do you see Madrid's calendar much easier?
Nor do I think there is a big difference with Madrid. He also has to go to San Mamés, play against tough, tough teams. Each party is different, a world. Yesterday Madrid won as they could have tied, as we did in Seville. In every game there are alternatives and it is difficult to control all the rivals all the time. The rival can always hurt you. Soccer is difficult. You have a tendency to think that winning in San Sebastián is easy but the truth is that it is not. Soccer, as we have seen on countless occasions, is uncertain.
Jorge Cuenca has been summoned. Is it because they have some kind of concern with the other plants?
Since they give us the option of taking 23 players, it is difficult for Cuenca to play but we cannot incorporate players who have not passed the tests. It is to add, like the call of Dani. We will see tomorrow, because one of us will be left out. But they train with us every day and there they are.
How is the team emotionally?
We have trained very well. There is a bit of residual fatigue but we are going to try to maintain the illusion and expectations because we are convinced that we can win the championship and that we are going to be there and that we are going to try to improve soccer aspects that we have to control.
You said before that everyone will go through moments of difficulty. How would you respond to those who say that you came promising fresh air and that you have become pragmatic?
Obviously, there are things that I can agree with or not. In general, I am quite satisfied with the possibilities we have to improve things. In the time that we have, we are improving many of the things that we have proposed. The recovery in the rival field has improved, possession, arrivals. There are many things that we are improving that perhaps still does not give us to overwhelm the rivals, and that depends on the effectiveness. I know that everything depends on winning and losing and that nothing matters if you don't score. The other day he had a Luis who, if he enters, everything would have changed. So sometimes I don't pay much attention to the things I read either. I look at what the team does and I am satisfied. And about pragmatism … I still think the same. I did not say that the youth squads were going to play or not. Those of the first team are maintaining a high level that if he saw that the youth squads would do better, he would surely have more minutes. But that is a perception that I have to have.
Can this referee noise harm Barça?
We are going to focus on the things that we can control. We will try to do things well on the pitch, and there is no more. This is what remains. One is sometimes happier, others less. Sometimes they help you, sometimes they benefit you. What seems clear is that this does not change, there is always controversy and there will always be these problems that are inherent in football.
How is Dembélé, when will he be ready?
I already said in the last press conference that he is working, taking the protocols that he has to carry in the hands of the physios and I hope that he goes as God commands and that we can go seeing him. But to train with the group, you have to be waiting because it is a process.
Umtiti has played just a quarter of an hour in three games. Is it to be a starter?
If we decided that he has to play, he would play. It is getting better and better and this is strictly my subject. They are soccer issues. It is true that he is better but he was injured for a while and has not been at the level of others. Now he is much better and he has his options to play like everyone else.
Can you surprise with Riqui at eleven?
Everything is possible. We try to foresee the future and think about the present. It is true that we have four players with four warnings and that the absence of two players like Sergi Roberto and De Jong could condition us if you lose Nelson or Busquets, but we would find the solution by trying to have the least possible impact on the team's performance.
How important is De Jong's discharge?
He is a complete player because he gives us things with the ball, but he is also physical and covers a lot of space. He is young, he has dynamism, enthusiasm and quality. It is learning many things that we have been trying to improve on. It is true that it is a sensitive low and that it could help us a lot. At the moment we are supplying it well. We are partially upset that it is not there, but these are things you have to adapt to. I still have confidence in the people who are going to play in his position.