Baraja: "We'll have to play at a good level for every minute that the game lasts"

Valencia CF coach Rúben Baraja talked to the media ahead of the game against Sevilla, which takes place on LaLiga Matchday 25.

The game against Sevilla FC

"There are different things we have tried to correct this week. We will try to put out the team that we think is best. The opposition will make it difficult for us and they are clearly improving, having gone three games without losing. Sevilla are in an extraordinary situation due to the quality of their players. It will be hard for us".

Thierry Rendall

"He is on track with the timeframes for his injury. There is always room for improvement or delay, depending on how he feels. He is starting to run. He will go more by his feeling and progress".

Quique Sánchez Flores

"It's a coincidence and I would like to finally beat him. Last year we didn't have the opportunity to do that. He has had a great career and has won trophies.

He has arrived at Sevilla FC in a difficult situation and it is tougher, but his ability and that of his coaching staff will make it possible for them not to struggle at the end of the season.

He did things very well here. With him, we played in the Champions League two years in a row. He is a teacher from whom I have learned things. He has already been in several situations of adversity and his message last year was very positive because he knows the club and the passion for Valencia CF. I'm grateful for his words".

Mosquera

"He is in a process in which his performances in terms of consistency and performance are stabilising. He will have games in which he makes mistakes, as is logical, but his performance is stable in general and also his physical improvement, because of what this competition requires. He is in a clear process of improvement and we do not know what his ceiling is".

Gayà

"He is fine. He has had problems that have not allowed him to be at his top level, but he has progressed well from those problems. In football nowadays you have to overcome that type of discomfort".

Diakhaby

"He arrived from a demanding journey and was tired. He didn't have a good feeling in general. We had just won and we decided to repeat the starting eleven".

Javi Guerra

"Javi is a player who can play on either side because he has speed. He can also play inside, in a double pivot or in the hole. He fulfils his duties in several positions and if he does not play regularly it is my fault or my decision, and I will have to get him back to his best level. That is my goal. He understands that the team comes above any individual situation and that is positive for our growth. This is also a learning experience for him".

Young players

"Javi is a player who can play on either side because he has speed. He can also play inside, in a double pivot or in the hole. He fulfils his duties in several positions and if he does not play regularly it is my fault or my decision, and I will have to get him back to his best level. That is my goal. He understands that the team comes above any individual situation and that is positive for our growth. This is also a learning experience for him".

Rafa Mir

"It really hurts me on a personal level, the situation he is in. Rafa is a great person, a good guy and a professional. In football, these things happen and he has to overcome them and when he has played he has given everything. I don't think you should have any doubts about his abilities or characteristics. He is committed and what I take away is the personal side, that he is probably having a hard time".

Sevilla FC

"It's not, because we know about Sevilla FC's quality and I have zero doubts about the complexity of the match. We will have to play at a good level for every minute that the game lasts. In any action, without dominating the game, they have that quality in attack. 7-8 months ago, they were playing in the Champions League and last year they won the Europa League. We will have to face the game knowing its difficulty".

Strategy from crosses

"We will try to improve those details in which we faltered last time. Conceding in the final minutes and dropping points means losing the possibility of finishing the season better. The other day was not a game we should have won, but nor should we have lost. We have to improve this".

Final stretch of the season

"I'm focusing on tomorrow's game against Sevilla. This is what is working for us. Trying to do things well to take the game to where it interests us. The rest of the things that happen are consequences of a good result. You have to focus on the nearest goal and how to get it".

Diego López and Almeida

"Diego is doing well and feels good, but it will depend on what he is able to endure, and on the mask that he must wear. If his progress is good he could be ahead of schedule, which is something we think might happen because of how he is. André is going slowly, but well. The feeling is good and he has completed the week. We'll see what happens".

Baraja's life after 1 year in charge

"I'm happy, fulfilling a dream, coaching the team where when you prepare to be a coach you have the chance to do it, it's a privilege and I'm focused on that, on enjoying the moment, on focusing on my work, on giving the maximum and everything I have to contribute to the players in terms of knowledge, on a day-to-day basis, on the motivational message..."

The highlight of the year in charge

"Since we arrived in a very complex situation, the sporting evolution of the team and this improvement has been thanks to the support of our fans, of Mestalla being there with us and it gives me the feeling that we have a job that is in progress. Let's hope that this is good for the future of the Club".