Vincenzo Montella entrenador del Sevilla FC
First team

MONTELLA: "WE HAVE TO CONCENTRATE ON LA LIGA"

06/04/2018
The Italian coach emphasised the importance of tomorrow's clash with Vigo and suggested there will be some changes to Tuesday's starting eleven, though not in goal

Vincenzo Montella showed focus on domestic competition in the pre-match press conference for Saturday's trip to Galicia to face Celta Vigo, saying his side cannot afford to slip up: "The Vigo match is extremely important and I don't to hear about anything else". That being said, he said there would be changes to the starting eleven: "I don't like to make a lot of changes but there will be some because we have to make them. We'll see between today and tomorrow. I take charge of the players every day and I think they're okay. I like to lift players and that's what I've been doing throughout my career so I want to continue doing it". 

On the situation of choice of goalkeeper, he made it clear David Soria will start once again: "I speak a lot with my players and I spoke clearly to Sergio. Naturally he's not happy but I always need to do what's best for my team. He should keep working because nothing is set in stone. I think David Soria will keep playing though I'll get the team on the field today and then see". 

Asked about the qualification situation, he doesn't see the objective as too far off: "It's not difficult because the team and the Club are used to playing in Europe. We have to fight for it and we have two routes, winning the Copa del Rey or the Champions League or qualifying though the league. We're fighting and we will continue to do so until the end". He also spoke about the battle going on between two teams in the city: "We only think about us. All our opponents are the same and Betis are doing well. Sometimes we can make a joke but the truth is that we're used to it - more the Club than me - being ahead in the past years. That's the norm". 

"We have two routes into Europe and we'll fight until the endl"

Speaking about Sevilla FC's current situation, he recognises that what's happened in recent months needs to be rectified: "We have put a lot of our energy into the Copa del Rey against huge opponents such as Atlético and now also the Champions League. We have paid for it in La Liga and now we need to concentrate more on the competition. We need to make sure that we qualify for the Europa League. We have it all to play for and we are capable of comfortably finishing in fifth place, taking us through directly".

Asked if not qualifying for the Europa League would be deemed a failure, the coach doesn't want to jump to conclusions: "We've got it to play for and I am optimistic. I don't have to be a pessimist and in the circumstances we'd see it as that". He also spoke about ex-Sevillista Iago Aspas: "He is skillful player, he finds the net easily and he is dynamic. He will be a dangerous player for us tomorrow".