Baraja: “The fans were essential to us winning the game”

Valencia CF coach Rubén Baraja talked in a post-match press conference about the impressive 3-0 win over Atletico Madrid.

A perfect match

The first half was very good, but we knew that to have a chance in the game and win, we had to perform at a great level and make them uncomfortable, so that they didn't pick up the pace and couldn't get into the game. Things helped, such as the goal at the beginning that gives you confidence, and the team grew. With the score at 2-0 the first half was very complete in every sense. We did very well.

In the second half, the risk was that they would score a goal at the beginning and give us doubts, but we started very well and the third goal gave us more peace of mind. The players performed very well individually and collectively, but it is a day to be happy with how we competed and left everything out there. The players who came off were those who were about to leave on a stretcher or go off with discomfort, and that speaks volumes about the effort, the intensity and the toughness of the match, which gave us three very important and positive points for us to continue with our work.

A first win against Atletico Madrid in nine years

It is a day to enjoy for all Valencia CF fans, because of how the game went, because of how difficult this victory was to get, us seeing our fans happy and enjoying what we work for. We want them to be happy and to understand how important they are to us. The people in the Grada de Animacion stand, who we haven't had with us in the last few games, carried us along. Mestalla was what we expect from the fans: They always give us their all. That was essential to us winning the game and now we have to enjoy the moment, always with balance and calm, and now we need to think about the next game.

Balance

It is positive that we scored 3 goals and it is very valuable to do so against Atletico Madrid whilst keeping a clean sheet. There have been moments when they pegged us back little and they had possession, but we defended well and we remained firm in what the game asked for -and that is what gave us the possibility of winning.

Continuity

We have to look at the situation with balance. We had a great match in which we did many things well to win it and make Atletico Madrid feel uncomfortable, stopping them from running, making sure that they had no spaces, not making mistakes from set pieces... and the team put all of those good things together. But each game is a world unto itself. Today you can win 3-0 against Atletico Madrid, but if you don't compete properly the next time you can lose.

We have to compete in every game, not only at Mestalla but away from home, and know how to do it in the circumstances we have. Now we have to enjoy the moment and think about the next game, which will be just as tough as today.

Sergi Canós

The idea was to try to speed up how regularly we play him because he needs minutes, and we were already at the moment of making a change when he felt a strain. Until we have the medical results back, we cannot assess his condition.

He was very good in the game. In the first half he was very incisive with one-on-ones, he interpreted the spaces well, and he was also good on the collective defensive work. It was interesting in terms of what we think he can offer us. It's a pity if now he has to stop due to a possible injury. But I'm happy for him, because he had been working for a while to play from the start. Let's see if the injury is not too bad.

His happiest day as a coach

I hope there are happier days ahead in my coaching career. I'm happy with the atmosphere we saw, because on the bench you suffer so much that you see that the result is there and you can win, and any action can put your rival back in the game, and you suffer.

The fans

They have been through the good times and the bad times. They are the main asset of the club, they are the driving force behind it, and I am happy that they are happy and enjoying the moment.

We have to live in the moment and from there we will see how far the team can go. My ambition is for the team to be consistent in the competition and to think that if we do well we will achieve the goal we have set for ourselves.

Hugo Duro and Javi Guerra

For any striker, scoring a goal is essential. In the case of Hugo, when you do well, your confidence goes up. We think that he has potential and his first half was very complete in every sense -with the reward of his two goals.

Javi Guerra gave us the chance to make it 3-0, which gives you the margin to have more of an advantage to win and manage the spaces. We had chances to make it 4-0. I'm happy with his work. He has a great present and we hope that he has a great future ahead, through hard work, humility, and continuing to insist on doing the things that can make him improve.

Work during the international break

These two weeks we have worked according to the options we had, with people who have just arrived and who have to adapt to the ideas. We tried to work out the details and everything turned out as we had hoped. If football were so simple, we would win every game. Things that we had talked about were executed and the team interpreted them very well. We carried out the game plan with great determination.