The Club

JOSÉ CASTRO: "WE HAVE IMPROVED A SQUAD THAT HAS FACED MANY SETBACKS AND YET IS STILL SECOND"

31/01/2022

Castro: "Sevilla doesn't have targets. The club always aims for the maximum and then we will see where we get to"

Sevilla FC president, José Castro, made an appearance on Onda Cero's Monday lunchtime talk show, 'Más de uno Sevilla', hosted by Carlos Hidalgo and José Manuel Jiménez, where he discussed all the current hot topics around the club. Sevilla's main man started by addressing the outcome of the last derby: "I respect the decision of the committees, but I don't want to get into anything about the derby anymore, it's been and gone. I know you have to ask, but I want you to understand me, we need to turn the page and the committees have made their decisions. We have already congratulated Betis on the win and we now have to look towards the league and the Europa League."

"It's been a complicated last couple of weeks, but that doesn't mean our relationships should be damaged. We are leaders and we represent a large social mass. Our relationship should be amicable because this is in the interest of the city and of the fans. As club directors, it is our obligation to reduce tension. The derby on its own is enough tension, it doesn't need another catalyst. We must calm the tension, not raise it. The outcome has relieved me because it is reassurance to our team that we did nothing out of the ordinary," Castro said on his final point about the derby.

"The Martial signing is a statement of intent. The money is there, there is no doubt about that"

In regards to the sporting side of things, Castro was thorough stating that "me saying that we want to win it all, it's nothing out of the ordinary. It's in our DNA and it's our ambition. Hopefully we win LaLiga. What's true is that we have built a great squad to be in second and we have improved with two important additions that have pleased the manager, who demanded more players to be able to advance and we are extremely excited. The pressure is on the rest. Hopefully with five games to go we can still say we are in with a shout."

"The Martial signing is a statement of intent. Investing and making the effort in sporting terms in order to have all our strengths put into this squad is important, just like Tecatito, who is amazing and is going to give us a lot of options on the wing where we have been weak and had serious injuries. The money is out on the pitch, there is no doubt about that," he added.

"In the last two years we haven't sold, even when we have had offers that would knock you off your feet"

Continuing with talk on the transfer window, the president alluded to the effort made to keep the current squad intact and pointed out Diego Carlos: "I wouldn't say we are a selling club because in the last two years we haven't sold, even though we have had offers that would knock you off your feet. However, when a player does depart, we usually reinvest in players that will put in performances and keep our head above the water, economically speaking."

"The transfer market has not only been the two reinforcements but also being able to keep Diego Carlos here. He is an extraordinary professional, he is the player who has played the most minutes of anyone and has not stopped playing with or without dizzying offers. Our defence is the best in La Liga and we have the fewest goals conceded. Breaking up this part of the team which has given us so much would have been risky" he closed.

"We are in prime position of being able to dream big"

Regarding the squad, the president insisted "The important thing, in addition to having a good squad, is that we have had many challenges. Long-term injuries, covid etc. If we are able to finish second, a position which when the coach took control of the team would have made us do a double take, is what we are hearing on the street. I would stick with that, that's what we are aiming for and hoping for in the next few months and what the whole world says. We are in prime position of being able to dream big."

The President was asked about the dream of playing the final of the UEFA Europa League at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán: "Dreaming is everything. Trying to achieve everything, the best. There are some very powerful clubs ahead and they will show us where we are capable of reaching but Sevilla doesn't have goals. We always think about the best and then see where it takes us."

"He has taken longer than we were thinking but Navas will be with the group in the next few days"

In his final part, José Castro touched on an important topic for Sevilla fans, the recovery of the Sevilla team captain: "Navas is already running and in the next few days, he will be in the group again. He has taken longer than we were thinking but he is already up to speed to join up with the group."