Baraja: “The victory is important to continue believing and to give joy to the travelling fans”

Rubén Baraja gave a post-match press conference following Valencia CF’s 0-2 triumph over Elche at the Martinez Valero.

Assessing the match

"It was a very difficult game. We hadn't been able to win away from home or keep a clean sheet since I took over. This is the reward for the hard work the players have put in. We were looking for solidity at the back and to be successful with our chances. Winning is very difficult and even more at a ground like this. We have to be happy with the result, but we haven't done anything yet. Today we have gained hope and we have to carry this over to Thursday's game."

The fans

"It was amazing. It was very emotional. Arriving at an opposition team's stadium and feeling the love of your fans can bring you to tears. Being able to experience this as a coach is a privilege. We can only thank the fans for their efforts. We need them from here until the end of the season. We want them to spur us on and help us, and we want to pay them back with effort and hard work"

Playing with three at the back

"It is a formation that we have worked on. We have varied things. If you are solid, you are strong at the back and control your area, you can win the game because you will have chances. Today we achieved it and we defended well. In the end, the important thing is that the players interpret the ideas well. We're happy about this game but now it's time to think about the next one. We have to carry today's energy over to the next game."

Diakhaby's injury

"It looks like a small sprain. I don't know the extent of the injury. We'll see. I can't assess it now"

The confidence given by the win

"It represents hope. When you work hard and persist and the results do not arrive, there is always a point in which your hope is lost. We always send out a very firm message that we can get out of this, and today is an example of this. Keeping going like this is the way to go: We have to intense and be aware that we have a tough road ahead."

Should LaLiga change kickoff times to avoid such high heat?

"The schedule and the heat are the same for both games that we have in these two weekends. Paulista was dizzy from a knock that he received. The same thing happened with Nico. We need all the players on the pitch to have the maximum energy and attitude to compete. The heat affects everyone. In Elche or Cádiz right now it's very hot. This affects things, but you have to adapt."

Is having less possession the Baraja style?

"We need to pick up points and we have to find the way to do it. The team interpreted the game very well, they defended well and they went out quickly on the counter. The second goal came from that. What I always say is that if you're strong at the back, you'll always have a chance. Now we have to focus on the next game. There's no need to think about today's game anymore, it's time to keep up our energy and motivation for the next match. When the result goes your way, the players seem to feel better and it's a matter of emotions. When things go wrong it's not easy; emotions are the most difficult thing to manage in football. With hard work and growth, we can continue to maintain this competitive level."

Was the celebration excessive euphoria?

"It's a relegation battle and nobody here can look at this as something positive. Tomorrow we have to keep working and make demands of ourselves. It's time to make demands for the next game. The goal is for the team to be out of the relegation zone on Matchday 38."

Away form

"Worrying is useless because we can't do anything about what happened before anymore. I've been saying that since I arrived here. I can't assess want came before. In Getafe we were able to compete, in Barcelona we were close to being able to score. Against Atlético they were far the better side. They beat us in all facets. In Almería the game was defined decided by the opposition's effectiveness. This is football. The important thing is not to enter negative loops and look for ways to get through this. My job is to convince them that with hard work we can get out of this."

The importance of the win

"The game wasn't easy. Despite their situation, Elche put in some good crosses, but we remained firm. The victory is important for people to continue believing, to give joy to the travelling fans, and for giving confidence to the players. This has to help us to believe that we can achieve it. We can do it if we have the humility to recognise where we are, and we know that we won't get out of this from one game to another."

The possibility of buses for fans to go to Cadiz

"There are no words to describe our fans. If there's a chance that they can come, it would be a very good initiative. Feeling them by our side makes us feel good and makes us feel that they believe in us. It is very good for the players. I hope we have fans there in Cádiz. It's essential to have our supporters with us."