First team

SAMPAOLI: “WE HAVE TO DEFEND WHAT WE HAVE ACHIEVED SO FAR”

18/03/2017

The Sevilla FC managed evaluated the elimination from the Champions League and looked ahead to Sunday's LaLiga fixture against Atlético Madrid

A defining game. That is how the Sevilla FC manager, Jorge Sampaoli, described this weekend's game against Atlético Madrid during his press conference on Saturday. After emilintation from the Champions League, there is room for nothing but his side rediscovering their confidence and a feel-good factor, and fighting tooth and nail to defend their position in third place.

"It is an important and defining game," he said," while that is also the case for the opposition who will turn up confident and ready. It will be a big game."

"If we play thinking about the elimination, we will suffer"

"[It was] a painful loss", admitted the Argentine of the result against Leicester. "Little details were lacking and stopped us from progressing in the competition, but it wasn't a footballing disaster.

"Now we play against Atlético, which would be a difficult game for any team. But we don't choose where we play, you have to get on with what is in front of you and we are playing against a team that wants to narrow the gap that we have created from them.

"It will be a final for them, just as it will for us. And, if we play thinking about what has happened, we will suffer. We have to defender the position that we are in. With a lot of sacrifice, we will do it."

The manager explained that physical work "is impossible, there is little to and we're operating on a lot of fatigue. Rather than physical work, all we can do is rest. Organisationally and strategically, this evening we are setting out on idea that allows us to play a game that is full of intensity. To prepare ourselves for what we will face is the most important thing."

"There is no time to be bitter or to enjoy, we have to take responsibility and correct our errors"

In the same way, Sampaoli rejected that the team can blame any state of mind: "No, each day after the defeat we got up and started to think about was to come. We do that even when we're winning. There is no time to be bitter or to enjoy, we have to take responsibilty and correct our errors. In football there is no past or present, only the future."

The 57-year-old spoke of Sunday's opponents, Atlético Madrid. "They are a team who have regained ground and a team that will fight to take our position and get as high up the table as possible."

He continued: "We face a team led by a successful compatriot of mine and against whom I hope we play well and with the confidence that the team has shown, all while knowing that it is a difficult place to go to. After being knocked out of the Champions League, to play there is a test."

The game in the Spanish Capital signifies the start of the home straight in this season's Liga, as Sampaoli looks to rekindle the spark in his players: "We hope the recuperation of a few of the players can happen as there are some who are not at the peak of their powers. If they find their form, we will rediscover the levels that got us to the position that we are in.

"What interests me the most is the evolution of the team and being extremely competitive"

Sampaoli insisted on going step by step without thinking about his side's position in the table nor that of the opposition because, in his opinion, everything "will depend on the next two games and on where we find ourselves then."

He added: "We are going to see what happens and the performance levels that the team have and the results that follow. What interests me the most, game by game, is that the team evolves and allows us to be extremely competetive against the best."

Going back to the Champions League defeat against Leicester, Sampaoli was asked about Samir Nasri. He said: “Now after being knocked out everyone has criticised him and it doesn’t seem fair to me. It was an adrenaline fuelled situation but analysing it now, his sending off seems exaggerated to me.”

Sampaoli denied that he thought at any minute to take Nasri off, because “it would be difficult to take off the best footballer that this team has. He gave us as much as we could hope for from him. And never would you image that there could be an ending as there was that night, which we regret because it was just when we had them on the back foot.”

“Everyone thinks that the time will experience a mental drop, but I don’t think that will be the case”

It was a tough night for the manager, as he affirmed in the press conference: “It was difficult to sleep because you dream about other things, about being one of the best eight teams in Europe, and that is set aside by little details.

“The frustration that day did not allow me to sleep, but everyone is back on it now. Everyone thinks that the team will experience a mental drop, but I don’t think that will be the case. Tomorrow we are going to have a very intense game against a team close to us in the table. Our only objective is to win.

“I can’t promise the fans anything because I give them everything that I can. The day that I leave my ability will be judged, but not my desire. The elimination was as painful as any loss, I am fond of the club and to lose while representing this shirt hurts me.

“But we have to have the ability to overcome this by pushing our players so that the play like they’re in a final tomorrow.”

“I am fond of the club and to lose while representing this shirt hurts me”

The manager confessed to be “detailling in an appropriate manner” the topic of the two missed penalties and denied that his future at the club depended on that of Monchi: “I don’t have to renew my contract with Sevilla because I have two years left on my current deal. I feel useful here, comfortable, respected, wanted… And that doesn’t happen in a lot of places.

“And if Monchi stays or not has no bearing on me staying or me going. In terms of the objectives that the club has for the future, I will be here to help.”