Baraja: “Mestalla will be a pressure cooker”

How the players prepare for the game

With great hunger and a feeling that they need to get a positive result. The team are doing well and must be convinced of what we must do, and carry out the gameplan. Mestalla knows that every point is important and tomorrow's points are worth the same as those against Granada or Celta. I am convinced of things. We need our fans to push us and I am convinced that that is going to happen. Mestalla is going to be a pressure cooker.

The importance of Mestalla

If I were a fan, I would want to see the team putting pressure on the opposition and looking for victory, giving 100%. Tomorrow, in front of our fans and with what we are going to offer, we are going to make it difficult for Barça. We have to know where we come from and what the objective is. We must be able to maintain the serenity and tranquillity that we were able to convey last year. Above all, we have to support and push these players, who are the ones who have to excite us. We love them, most of them are from here and they are young players who need us.

His approach to the game

If you want to compete against Barça, with that individual quality that can make the difference from a single move, you must have a complete and intense game, keeping the contest alive until the last minute. You have to have clarity in the final metres. Barça's game ends up sinking you because they have the ball a lot. We must do many things well to compete -and sometimes even that is not enough. What motivates me most about this challenge is seeing my players with the energy that the game requires.

Barça are always dangerous, both individually and collectively. They have speed and are great at one-on-ones. They are very complete, but we also have something to offer tomorrow.

Replacements for Gayà

I'm not going to give many clues, as you have to surprise your opponents. I'm sure that whoever plays in his place will do it well. Looking at whether he went away with Spain while carrying a knock... these are situations that can happen. I have to get the most out of his replacement and give him confidence.

Jesús Vázquez

Jesús is doing better as part of his recovery process and the other day in the Copa del Rey he completed the whole 90 minutes. We have a lot of confidence in him and his situation is that he has not been 100% fit.

Dropping points late on

We must maintain consistency in our effort, solidarity as a team, and help each other and focus on the final part of the game. Above all, we have to improve the management of those final minutes, since many games are decided at the end. It is something that is happening and it has prevented us from having more points. We are working on it and we are going to improve it.

Xavi Hernández

We are growing as a team and we have to be very clear about our objective. It involves being brave, aggressive and giving everything so that the points come along on that path. I can't compare Xavi's demands to ours. I am trying to build something for the future.

Potential signings in January

Assembly. I was paying attention. We have to assess the situation. It does not depend on us. It is an economic issue. I try to adapt to situations.

Reinforcements

We are a little short and even more so if we have injuries and suspensions. You try to explain that it is good that there is competition. I convey my opinion and the answer is that financially it can't be done. So I focus on getting a good level of performance out of these players.

It tires me out having to defend players so much, players who are giving everything. They have generated an expectation and now we are in a moment of certain difficulty. They are doing their best and that is what is valuable to me. I would 'kill' for my team.

No risk of relegation

You have to make an overall assessment of the season. It is a process of seeing how it evolves. We are focused on getting the most out of the squad and trying to get things right.

Gayà, Almeida and Amallah

Almeida continues with his process. Gayà is not fully fit and it seems like a risk to have him participate tomorrow. Amallah will be in the squad.

Turning the team’s form around

When these moments occur, we have to be able to take it calmly and with perspective, think about where we come from and our objective and, above all, in my case as the leader of this situation,  try to maintain serenity. One of the things that we were able to transmit to them last year was that calmness. In the end, if you do things well, it leads you to achieve your goal, and now is a time for that, to encourage them, to push them. These players are the same ones who competed two months ago and who are our players. We love them, the majority are from here, they are young people, they need support and, logically, they are doing their best.

Is David Silva a Valencia CF legend?

Look at his resume. How lucky we were to have him play for Valencia CF. I admire him a lot for his adaptation to what we needed, be it on the wing, in attack or in the middle in the final part of his career. The only pity is that we were able to enjoy him for so little time.