Baraja: "I am convinced we can get a good result against Girona FC"

Valencia CF coach Rúben Baraja talked in a press conference ahead of the team's latest game, which sees them travel to Montilivi to take on high-flying Girona FC in LaLiga.

Gayà

“We have tried to assess the situation as to whether he could be available, but he continues to have discomfort and will not be there.”

The match against Girona FC
It is no coincidence, given how much time they have been in that position. They are very difficult opponents and they will be a big challenge. Girona are a great team, they move the ball quickly and then they are successful in arriving into the area. We have to be forceful and defend well, without letting them feel comfortable. We are clear about the idea we have. We cannot have fear. They have great virtues and so do we. We are going to try to compete against a great team who are on a magnificent streak and we are confident about our possibilities. We have to interpret the game well. They are the team that score the most goals from crosses. We must play well and stick together. I am convinced that we can have a good game and have our moments to achieve a good result.”

Absences
“We have players who are coming back from injury like Alberto Marí, then Almeida and Gayà are still injured. In principle, the other players are available.”

Yarek
“Lately he has been playing as a centre back in the VCF Academy, but as a child he also played as a winger. We have known about him for a long time and he can play in both positions because he is a player with versatility. He is one of the options. Both he and Jesús Vázquez could play tomorrow.”

The transfer market
“I always like to answer you with the greatest sincerity and respect, but on December 1st I am not going to start talking about the transfer market. I am focused on the competition, trying to enjoy every moment and transmitting energy to the team for tomorrow's game. I am convinced that that is the focus. I am not aware that players are going to be sold, but in football anything can happen, there are buyout clauses and then you have no option. It can happen to us, but also to any team. I don't have the feeling that the club are thinking about getting rid of players."

The 'FIFA Virus'
“I imagine that those responsible for making decisions will be watching how things develop over the course of seasons, the accumulation of games and the intensity, the injuries that occur. I imagine they will be evaluating all this. They might look at whether to make a unique calendar or to do it in a different way, but I am not here to value that. It is evident that there is something that is leading us to play many games, injuries are accumulating and it is detrimental to the show.”

A meeting between Peter Lim and LayHoon
“I already made transfer market evaluations at the time. The squad is small, but despite that, the team are making a great effort and that must be applauded. In terms of the other situation, we are in continuous communication. I directly convey to them what I think and what is important, and then there are things that I cannot evaluate because it is not my job. The issue of the transfer market is very far away for me because we have 3/4 competitive games and I have to be focused on that. I don't worry about things that I can't control."

Almeida
“We have not hidden anything. He has an injury, with a recovery process that is complicated to explain because he trains when he does not feel pain. That pain is what makes him go backwards. He is an important player, who has different things from the rest of the squad, and we must be cautious with him.”

Yaremchuk
“Roman arrived on the last day of the transfer window, almost without training in preseason and it is not easy for him to adapt. He also went away with the national team and now he is starting to train with us much more often. We hope for an improvement. The other day he played some good minutes at Mestalla. The feeling is that he is going to do better, he is going to grow and he is going to contribute things for us. Hugo Duro is scoring goals and I have to choose. Roman is different from Hugo and he can offer us things, just like Alberto. Everything that means competition is going to make us grow as a team.”

Away games
“We have competed at difficult grounds at a good level. The feeling I have is that our motivation is high, because we are going to a great venue against a great team. We have to continue on our path.”

The team
“We know very well what our fundamental principles are, what we have to deal with each game, and that is what will lead us to be competitive. The more you win, the closer you are to losing a match. We are doing things well and we think that in this game we can do them well again. We have prepared all week so that the important things are clear and then we have to execute them."

Alberto Mari
“He is feeling much better, evolving well and is now at that moment of being able to participate in squads and getting minutes.”