Valencia CF's head coach, José Bordalás shared his thoughts in pre-match press conference ahead of the second leg of the Copa del Rey semi-finals which will take place at Mestalla this Wednesday March 2nd at 9:30 pm kick-off time (CET).

Will Gayà be ready in time for tomorrow?

He has trained normally. He’s ok. We have one session left and we will talk calmly with him to see how he feels. I haven't had time to talk to him. In principle he has trained normally and without any problem. It's good news.

What game do you expect tomorrow, with everything that has happened?

We are focused on having a great game. It is a very important moment for the club, the team and the fans. We are focused exclusively on that. There is an attempt to hinder us, as I have said before, and I am not going to go into that. Our goal is to play a very important game and bring joy to our fans. There will be a great atmosphere at Mestalla.

Do you think that the tie is 50-50, or do you think Valencia CF are favourites?

The away goals rule is no longer in place. The tie is 50-50. Athletic Club are a great team and have eliminated Barcelona and Real Madrid. I think we it is 50-50. We are playing at home in front of our fans, who will give us the boost and the energy that Mestalla provides. We are counting on this, and the players are motivated for the game.

You have kept a clean sheet with a back three. Is it a possibility for tomorrow's game?

It's a possibility. The formation is not the most important thing, but rather having balance. We have tried throughout the season, based on the team's history, to improve our defensive numbers. We are looking for balance. We want to win games and we will always look for balance. We are up against a great team who are very direct. We have to interpret the game well.

Who has tried to hinder you? Do you think they have succeeded?

I don’t think so. We believe in professionals. Referees are great professionals. We have great referees in our league. There have been all kinds of statements and I don't think the referees are going to let themselves be influenced. There have been statements that even talk about our way of playing. What is our way of playing? It makes me laugh. I'm sure that 99% don't even know how Valencia CF play.

After the game against FC Barcelona, ​​you said that you couldn't do any more. Do you think that you have enough to win tomorrow?

I am convinced that we do. We cannot think about anything. I already commented in the press conference that I was not happy with the result of that game, and I defined it in a certain way because I was angry. But we are not looking at the past, but rather at the present, and the present is tomorrow's game. Just as we had a great game at San Mamés, now we play at Mestalla, and I am convinced that the team are going to have a great game and we are going to rally the fans. I can see it in the faces of the squad and I sense a very good feeling.

Do you feel supported by your fans? Why do you think they have so much affection for you?

I see it that way. I am very grateful for their recognition and respect, that my commitment and dedication are valued. I cannot say why. You would have to ask the fans, but I do feel recognised and it is a source of great satisfaction. That makes me give more. I have a huge commitment to the club and to the fans, and I don't want to disappoint them.

You have said that you expected to fight for bigger things when you arrived at Valencia CF. Is that satisfied with matches like this?

It is a unique opportunity to get to a final to compete for a trophy. It is the opportunity we have. There will be no other and we will try to take advantage of it without hesitation.

Seeing that in the first leg Marcelino said that Valencia CF knew how to take the game to your terrain, do you expect a traditional approach from Marcelino or a different one?

It will be a very different match. In the first leg, there was talk of intensity and interruptions. In these games there are 22 players who give everything. There is little space and each player fights for each ball as if it were the last. It happens in many games when there is something really important at stake. This is football today. I expect a very competitive match and hopefully we interpret what we have worked on well and we can achieve the victory.

Could this be a turning point for the season?

We are only thinking about this match, and not about what is going to happen afterwards. We are optimistic and hope to win and get to the final. We aren’t stopping to think about what will happen next. We have to play with our hearts and with our heads. The game will be long and we must keep calm and manage the tempo. We cannot despair if there is a setback and must do what we have to do, as happened at San Mamés. They beat us, but the team were able to recover and could even have won.

Psychologically, how have you worked with the dressing room?

It is inevitable that the players experience the atmosphere. It is extremely difficult to isolate them from it. That is part of football. To be a great player, you have to be able to live with the pressure of important games. The players look calm, focused and I don't think they are going to suffer from the expectation generated by the game.

We have heard several players saying that the most important game of their career was the first leg. Are you afraid that the team are lacking experience?

Each match is another experience. I have spoken about a lack of experience in specific games because things happened. The team have had enough experiences this season to mature in record time. Football does not give you a respite or second chances. This is the most important game and we have to be able to handle it. There are Athletic players who have already experienced this situation, but so have we -and these players are helping the younger players. I think that the team are doing well and tomorrow, with the help of the fans and the atmosphere at Mestalla, we are going to have a great game.

How are you this week? Is this the most important match of your career?

I'm doing well. I have plenty of experience. I have experienced almost everything. You can never say that you have been through it all, because every week is a new experience. For me the most important game is always the next one. Obviously, this game has a huge impact, as it carries the possibility of getting to a final and fighting for a trophy.

What do you notice is different about this special game?

There is a healthy atmosphere. There are some very young players and I have noticed that they are attentive and responsible. It is important, because they know the responsibility that they have to the team and the fans. On the street, the fans have been giving me encouragement for weeks, saying that we are going to go for the final… It is logical and normal. Since I have arrived in Valencia I have realised that supporting the club is a feeling. Valencia CF fandom is lifelong. They experience it and suffer, and we want to give them tremendous joy.

How do you think people have tried to hinder the match?

I will not go into details. There have been statements of all kinds, insinuating that Valencia CF wasted time in the first leg and did things that are not allowed. If you try to distort reality it is an attempt to hinder the opposition.

How are Gabriel Paulista, Hugo Guillamón and José Luis Gayà?

Everyone has a huge desire to be available. It is not easy to face games of this level, to get to a final and win a trophy. They all want to be there. Gabriel Paulista is doing well. He surprised us by playing every minute of the Mallorca game. He felt very good and he has recovered well. Hugo, with the operation to his nose, has been very limited. The other day he played without the mask and felt good. Gaya wants to play, to help. Everyone is fine and we will see in tomorrow's session if he is ready to play from the start.

Mestalla is going to be a coliseum and some lions are coming. How have the gladiators prepared?

It doesn't differ much from what we usually do. The players are not oblivious to the fact that the match can take us to a final. It is still a football match against a great team like Athletic. They want to be in the final too. It will be an attractive and beautiful game. Details are going to be important. You have to insist on attention. It is more important to be attentive than to be smart, and tomorrow we have to be fully focused.

Is tomorrow's game an opportunity to remove the label that has been put on your teams?

We don't have to prove anything to anyone. We aren’t thinking about removing labels. I have been coaching for many years and I am very proud of my teams. My teams compete at a high level. My goal is for the fans and my club to be happy and to give their maximum performance. We interpret criticism as praise. When VCF lose, no one says anything, everyone wishes you luck and shakes your hand. When you win, they bring out their wildcard again to justify that they did not beat you, to try to affect things.