Baraja: "We have to be a team with energy and dynamism"

Valencia CF play UD Almeria on Sunday evening in LaLiga Santander, and before the game coach Rubén Baraja talked to the media in his pre-match press conference.

Nico González' fitness

He will be in the squad. He has worked well, he feels better after the discomfort he's had, and tomorrow we will decide if we use him.

The importance of the game

The points are important but they are not definitive. In a final, you generally get a trophy after the game, and that's not the case tomorrow. It's not that I don't consider it a very important game, however. The team are playing away from home and need to improve.

Assessing the situation

You have to look at things to cling onto positives in a difficult situation. The team have improved things and have been competitive. We've been more consistent and reliable at home, and it is fundamental that we take that step forward away from home too.

If we manage to win on the road and make the point against Rayo count for something, then that will be a step forward. Taking points away from home is fundamental. We are looking for that result that we need tomorrow.

The travelling support

We're always grateful that our fans away from home, even during a bank holiday, travel en masse and go to our games. That speaks of the passion that our fans have and we are delighted to go to an away ground and have our fans cheering and supporting us. It has to be an extra source of motivation, seeing how important the team is for the fans. It has to make us aware of the situation and repay them with hard work, sacrifice and dedication. Hopefully it will be a good result. We've prepared the game to win it and make the fans happy. We have to be a team with energy and dynamism.

The formation

It doesn't worry me too much. The most important thing is to make the formation work with attitude and predisposition. We want that system to give us results. The other day with a  4-3-3 we generated chances in the first half, and in the second with the change in the formation there was a good reaction. That happens because the team feel comfortable and believe in it.

The relegation zone

The fact that we are not where we had expected at the beginning of the season does not mean that we are not aware of where we are. There is no excuse that we are Valencia CF and we don't know how to compete in this type of match.

It's like youth and lack of experience: It's no excuse. We have to be demanding and get results, be ambitious, believe in ourselves and do things well -and above all not use any excuse.

Tomorrow we are playing against a direct rival who are going to make it very difficult for us because they are in the same situation as us. The time, whether we play on Monday or Friday... those excuses don't work for me. I hope we see a Valencia CF who are consistent, dynamic, have energy and push hard.

What he expects from the game

I think it will be a game in which we are able to interpret it well. We are focused on what interests us and where we are strong. Then we have to put the opponents in difficulty. Being ambitious, making them uncomfortable and not letting them have their best match is where we will start, then grow from there.

Almería are competitive at home, we have to try to change that and change the fact that we are not getting results away from home. A good result will give us confidence.

Knowing the results of rivals beforehand

I like to play at the beginning of the matchday, on Saturday, but this is not the time to look for excuses. We have to be prepared for the emotions that the matchday brings up, because we are aware of the situation we have and what we are going to look for tomorrow.

A lack of goals

I would be worried if we were not creating scoring situations, but I think the team are always creating chances, showing that we have the opportunity to score.

We try to get to the opposition goal as quickly as possible. Sometimes you have a lot of chances and you don't score, and sometimes you have one chance and you score.

The team are going to grow, we have insisted this week on making the most of moments and giving importance to finishing, as this earns you points.