Marcelino congratulated Valencia as soon as he began his press conference to analyze the Mestalla match. He then analyzed the semi-final. “The tie has been very even as expected. In the first leg we were not at a good level and we paid for it in the end. Today we faced the game very well in the first half, we were much superior and had chances to get ahead but individual action, a great goal from Guedesdecided the match. He has been the most important player in the semifinal, ”said the Athletic coach.
“We went into the game very well, but the goal hurt us a lot. In the second half we tried, but in the final stretch we rushed and the rival was more efficient”, he added.
The team lacked more football in the second period to put Valencia in trouble. The Asturian has recognized it. “We generate much less than in the first one. In such close matches, defining the situations is what sentences. In the first half we deserved to go into the break with an advantage on the scoreboard, but we fell behind. It’s the difference. In the first leg with the 1-0 we didn’t know how to keep a clean sheet and Valencia was able to do it today”, he said.
“This is football, you have to decide. We were not accurate against the rival goal. In the second half we may have lacked reading of the game, freshness in some players and our best men did not have their night in the second half. We were able to find the goal in the shot from Iker or in the lack of Iñigo. In the first half we were superior but we didn’t know how to finish”, he added.
The one from Careñes considers that now the important thing is to get up to defeat Levante next Monday in San Mamés. “This is soccer, it’s a stick, but so they don’t give you two sticks, you get up from the first one. You have to beat Levante no matter what. We made an incredible Cup, we have lacked one more step, I don’t care about sticks. Competitive teams compete in all matches at the highest level. We couldn’t reach the final, Valencia scored one more goal. We have been superior but Valencia has scored a goal tonight”, he meant.
What have you told your players? “The first thing I told them is that if we had to be eliminated, let it be like that, generating danger and defending well. The rival generated very little for us, I told them that we are proud of them, that we have made an extraordinary Cup. It is a shame not to arrive to the final, but we have found a Valencia that has won legally”.