Bordalás: "The team are doing fine, they are prepared and tomorrow against Real Betis they will give a very good showing"

Valencia CF coach José Bordalás previewed Wednesday’s game against Real Betis in his pre-match press conference with journalists.

How does Maxi Gómez feel physically. after being substituted against Mallorca at halftime?

At halftime he had some discomfort and we made the decision to sub him, so as not to take risks. He's much better and we'll see if we can use him in Seville.

He has some discomfort. It is a strain, and if he doesn’t feature then it’s because he doesn’t feel good. We shouldn’t take risks.

How are Correia, Cheryshev and Lato?

Cheryshev had a knee ligament problem and after the game at the Camp Nou he was struggling. The injury is not a big one, but They have kept him from training with the squad and he is a doubt for tomorrow. Thierry and Lato are in the squad, and tomorrow we will have them available.
 

On Saturday you said that the team were going backwards. How do you explain you not wanting something and then it happening on the pitch?

Many times the coach cannot control everything when he is competing. We insisted on something that we had not worked on, and we paid dearly for it, but that is history and we are focused on tomorrow's game, which is difficult and important.

Your opponents have lost the fewest games in the 5 major European leagues. Do you think Valencia CF are ready to beat Betis?

I don't pay much attention to those statistics. They are a new season and we are facing a Betis side that compete in LaLiga and Europe and have a great squad. It will be difficult. We face the game with the utmost motivation. The team are ready to face the challenge.

Are you too protective in press conferences because there is a dressing room situation?

Take away the message that you want. The game against Mallorca is history. We are focused on the game against Betis. Sometimes these kinds of unexpected situations happen, like the one that happened against Mallorca. This is football and we made mistakes. We went into halftime with an adverse scoreline, but we reacted in the second half and salvaged a point. We have spoken so that it does not happen again. My message will always be that this is a long-distance race and there is a long way to go. I'm still very calm.

How are the team doing physically after the game against Mallorca?

The team finished off quite well against Mallorca. They are true that now we are facing teams with a squad of 24 players, any of whom can play, and they do not have the same injury problems as us, but we are not complaining. The team are doing fine, they are prepared and tomorrow they will give a very good showing.

You have gone 6 games without winning and the statistics are negative. What are the reasons for scoring so few points?

It's very clear. We have had problems at a defensive level. We have conceded many goals, which was not something that we expected. When you concede goals easily, the chances of victory are reduced. We are working to correct that.

What are you most concerned about correcting at the moment?

Above all, our consistency. In the last few games, we conceded 3 goals. Against Mallorca we conceded twice. We are going to face a team, in Betis, who have a lot of attacking strength. We have to correct it immediately. My obligation as a coach is to work and correct that aspect. If we improve that, the team will grow and get better results.

Are you in the same race as Gabriel Paulista after the statements he made?

We are all in the same race. Paulista has his opinion. He knows that we have to go step by step. Long-term goals are unfeasible in football. The team are going to give everything and the team will show us where we are going to end up. Our goal is to have a good game tomorrow and take the win.

In Guillamón's case, was him being rested because Betis seems more complicated than Mallorca?

I try to play those who I consider the best for each game. They are clear that when we repeat the starting XI, then changes are surprising. Especially when the result has not been good, but the intention is that Racic was working well and I considered that the match against Mallorca was right to use him at the beginning. My idea was for Guillamón to participate, but because of the scoreline it was necessary to make other changes, and other players came in to turn the game around. Guillamón is a great player and he's giving us a lot in that new position for him, to which he has adapted really well.

Valencia CF had more fouls than the opponents in the two games that you have won. Is there a lack of aggressiveness?

If we look at those numbers we might think so, but to win a game They are not necessary to commit fouls. You do what the games requires. There have been games with fewer fouls where we could have won.

After six games without winning, do you have to correct football and also morale?

Yes. The emotional side is fundamental. You always have to be prepared, both physically and mentally, regardless of the results. Spirit is always better after a win, but I do not see a bad atmosphere amongst the team. We need, and want, to get a good result in order to be much better.

What worries you about Betis?

They are a great team. They have a large squad, with gifted players, goals and experience. They are a team that dominate various facets of the game. They have very fast transitions. They are always tough. In their last game they scored three goals, and they are a very successful team. We know them well and we have worked to have a good game and get victory.

Did you like Paulista's statements saying that we must fight for Europe, or do they worry you?

We talk a lot. He is one of the captains. He is very ambitious, like me, and I share many things that he thinks and says, but our obligation is to go step by step. We cannot set ourselves a long-term goal when we have not managed to score the necessary points. Our goal is to get a win as soon as possible.

Do you see the team as ready to win any of the next four games?

Of course. We are a team that believe in work. After a run of adverse results, the team are closer to achieving it. We are optimistic.

You made a change in goal with Cillessen, but the numbers haven’t improved. Will there be another change?

We have several goalkeepers who are working really well. There is no debate. As a coach, everyone is prepared for when they are needed. Cillessen is playing, but there are three more goalkeepers and we talk to Ochotorena every day about aspects of improvement. You cannot blame the goalkeeper when goals are conceded. Giorgi dropped out of the XI, not because of the goals conceded, but because emotionally he was carrying great responsibility, he hasn’t mastered the language and we considered it right to switch him out. We are very happy with him and he has possibilities to play.