Pre-match press conference of Eduardo Berizzo
First team

BERIZZO: "WE WILL NOT RELY ON THE AWAY RESULT" AND WE WILL COME OUT "TO DOMINATE THE BALL"

21/08/2017
The coach also showed his desire to sign a left-back and a striker

As if it were 0-0. Eduardo Berizzo insisted that there will be no room for complacency this Monday in the pre-match press conference for the Champions League second-leg playoff against Basaksehir . He indicated the gameplan would be “the same as in the first-leg; impose ourselves on the game, play our football, go out to dominate the ball… We won´t rely on the away result, it´s good to have but it shouldn´t change our gameplan”.

The Argentinian coach also suggested the starting eleven would be “more like the one which played against Basaksehir. The rotations we made against Espanyol owed to two circumstances - resting players for tomorrow´s match and getting squad players into shape . Giving minutes to players like Corchia, Kjaer, Navas, Nolito, Sarabia, Ganso...” the idea, he said, was “to level up the match-fitness of the squad… Even so, I believe we could have won the match, the way the match went, bar a counter-attack that we generated ourselves, it was ours to win. We had chances to win”.

"It´s the most important match of the season, because it dictates what is to come"

He added, expanding on the same idea: “Looking ahead, towards what we can achieve going forward, the accumulation of games is going to mean everyone will have to be ready. My idea is that everybody feels like a first-team player, then we will fit each one of their performances into the team… I need, and very much believe in a squad of 25 players where every player feels important and needed. Of course, there will be players who play often, but it would be best if everyone achieved that mentality”.

Asked if he would also rotate goalkeepers, Berizzo confirmed he would: “I´m happy with the level of both keepers, we have two fantastic goalkeepers and when we need either one of them, they will be ready”.

Eduardo Berizzo, also talked about preparation for the clash with Basaksehir: “having seen the first-leg, we´ve erradicated the word "relaxation"… It´s the most important game of the season because it dictates what is to come… The fans will have to be with the team, something which helps us forward always, sometimes this can rescue the team. I appreciate that a lot… It´s a chance to put ourselves in a competition everyone strives to be in, everyone, not just at a footballing level but also at the club and city level, we can taste the anticipation and we will carry that responsibility during the match”.

"There is a need for a left-back. And a striker would work well with qualities we have"

On another topic, questioned about possible reinforcements who could arrive before the shutting of the transfer window, Berizzo admitted he wanted to sign a left-back and, if possible, a striker: “We have the desire to add someone else. There is the need for a left-back. And a striker would work well with qualities we have… We have two strikers who play with the ball at their feet; maybe a powerful striker, who can break past markers … Opportunities always rear their head at the end of the market and why not take advantage of them”.

The striker… Could it be Jovetic? “Listen, I read about the Jovetic transfer, I know him, he is a high-level footballer, but there are also other alternatives that we´re considering and I hope we are able to bring players of that level in. Jovetic is an option.