Bordalás: “We need to be at our best and not stop running to beat Deportivo Alavés”

José Bordalás talked to the media ahead of Valencia CF’s LaLiga Matchday 3 game against Deportivo Alavés.

Marcos André's first day of training, the big question is whether he will make it to the game against Deportivo Alavés. Do you think Valencia CF will be able to register him in LaLiga?

We are confident that it can happen. He has already been incorporated into the group, which is good news. He has trained with the team and his teammates. He comes in after working with his previous team, and in terms of fitness he is prepared to help Valencia CF.

I want to ask you about your first contact with the player, we have seen that he has trained with the team and has been with Guedes checking Mestalla.

I was able to speak with him before the start of training. I have welcomed him here and he has been introducing himself to all his teammates. It is early days, but he already fully integrated and we are giving him his first instructions, explaining what this team are like and what we expect from him. He comes here with great enthusiasm and great commitment, and it is very good news for the team.

You already have Marcos André, do you expect another player and so this is not the only signing that arrives this summer?

We are still within the transfer market deadline. The club are continuing to work with the roadmap that we had from the beginning. There are still days remaining and we continue to work to complete and balance the squad.

It is striking that from the beginning there was talk of the need to sign a midfielder. However, a center-back and a striker have arrived, there are talks about a defender, a winger… Have Valencia CF forgotten about signing a midfielder?

No, not yet. We haven't forgotten. We are still within the deadline, there is still time and we are working to balance the squad. Right now, I cannot talk about players who might come or go, but we are within the market deadline, and we continue working.

I want to ask you about the goalkeepers. There is a week left and you still has four goalkeepers. Do you count on the four goalkeepers?

We are working. There are possibilities for players to arrive and players to leave, and we are working to do the best for the team, with the aim that the squad is balanced. It’s turned out that we have four goalkeepers and as long as there is no different news, they are Valencia CF players; we do not rule out absolutely anyone.

You say you can’t talk about players coming or leaving. What kind of modifications would you make to get that ideal squad?

We are immersed in the market right now:  In the possible incorporations, in whether there may be players leaving, and we cannot give any clues because we are in contact with different options. If we talk about specific options, that would be giving clues away, and that would not be good for the club and its negotiations. More or less all of you know the needs that we have, and we have commented on them. We are working to complement the squad with alternatives to compete at a good level.

With the signings you have and those to come, what is your goal for this season? Is reaching Europe a goal?

Our goal is the next game, tomorrow against Deportivo Alavés. That is the idea and the way of working that I have always had as a coach. The players know this. We cannot set ourselves goals in the medium and long term, because football is about today. We have to think about the next match that we have imminently, coming up tomorrow against Deportivo Alavés. We have a difficult game ahead; they haven't scored any points yet and they really need to.

Are you worried that the strikers haven't scored a goal and that the team has only scored from the penalty spot so far?

I’m not worried. We have only played two games and it is not something that is significant. I repeat: These are highly contested games. We are calm and we have players of a high level who are going to help the team. For me, the most important thing is commitment and the desire to improve. The season has only just started, and we have to have confidence and tranquillity.

Any more signings and potential departures?

Definitely. We are working hard and there is room for one more player. I cannot assure you of anything in terms of departures. There are players I would like not to leave, you all know this, but as long as the market is open, anything can happen -not only at Valencia CF but at every team.

What did you say to Kang in? Have you said goodbye to him? Was this his last training session?

I cannot tell you anything. As of today, he is a Valencia CF player. It is a decision for the club and my obligation as a coach is to have him in my plans. Today he trained with us, and I cannot tell you more than that. As for what happens from now on, we will see.

How is Maxi Gómez? We have seen him train with a mask. Will he be able to play tomorrow?

He had to undergo surgery as it was a big cut. He stayed on for almost the entire game and showed the commitment he has to the team. I congratulated him for that, and we have to be happy. He has shown how much he is willing to suffer for Valencia CF. He trained with a mask today, he is ok, and we will see if he is 100%. Let's hope he is, because he has character, a lot of personality and is eager to help the team.

What does it mean to you that Valencia CF made this effort to sign Marcos André? Does this signing suppose an extra pressure after two years?

There is no pressure. I don't know what happened before because I was not there and I cannot comment in any way on that. In the time I have been at Valencia CF I can say that the club have been working to improve the squad. These are not easy steps to take: The player belonged to another club, Valencia CF made an important effort and he comes here with the desire to contribute. Both the sports management at the club and I think that he could be important for the present and future of the club, and his arrival is very good news.

What is your opinion on Carlos Soler's callup for the national team? Would you rather have him rest?

The truth is that I would prefer he rest, but I am very happy for the kid. I always put myself in the footballers' shoes. They are professionals, and whenever your national team calls you up it is a reason for great joy. He has achieved great success representing Valencia CF in an outstanding way. He is young, he wants to grow and improve and that is always important for his growth. We congratulate him and we are very happy for him.

How are the injured players feeling?

They are doing quite well. Almost all of them are training -if not for all of the sessions, a large part of them. Perhaps we cannot have all of them for tomorrow's game, but they are in the final stretch to be back the following matchday.

Tomorrow the team returns to the Mestalla in front of the fans, it is something very important. Valencia CF have closed its renewal campaign with a total of 33,000 season ticket holders. Is that a plus for the players?

We have to make Mestalla a difficult place to visit, as it has been historically. The number of season ticket renewals in these tough times is worth highlighting and being thankful for, as they are our twelfth man. They give us energy, cheering us on. I want to thank them and I am convinced that tomorrow they will get behind the team again. We are going to form a very nice partnership, we are going to have a beautiful game and the fans will recognise it as they have always done.

An assessment of the next rival, Deportivo Alavés

We have played few matchdays, and you still cannot perform a very extensive analysis of a team, because we are all in a period of starting out and growing. They have not scored any points, so it’s a deceptive game because someone may think that we are going to have an easy time, but on the contrary, they come here with a great need for a result. I know a large part of their squad and their coach. We must be at our best level. If we want to beat Deportivo Alavés we have to do a lot of things well and not stop running, giving absolutely everything. The team are mentally prepared and I am convinced that we are going to have a great game. We have four points, and if they beat us they would have three and us four. There would be no difference then, and there's no difference now.