Gracia: "We are going to try to be brave and aggressive, both with and without the ball"

Just over 24 hours out from Valencia  CF's game against FC Barcelona, coach  Javi Gracia spoke to the media about the LaLiga matchday's big match.

The mentality at the Camp Nou

“We are going to try to be brave and aggressive, both with and without the ball. Against FC Barcelona it’s difficult to have possession, and we will have to do a good job defensively. That means being aggressive with and without the ball. We have to know what we have to do at every moment of the game. Our mentality must be to be aggressive in both aspects of play.”

The team’s motivation

“Before every game the only situation we contemplate is a victory, and that is the motivation with which we work. Afterwards the evaluation can be different depending on how the game is going. I see the team as very excited, motivated and responsible about the need to pick up points.”

Working to improve

“In order to enjoy, you have to suffer first. That applies not just to our team, but to life in general. There is a time for everything. Without wishing to create controversy, I agree that there are many things that we have to improve. We try to work on these things, because I am the person who has the most responsibility for improving them. I trust that our work will lead us to play better. However, our reality is also that we have to compete and suffer a lot to achieve results. I think it will be a constant factor for us and for many LaLiga teams, because you can see how even everything is.”

Getting better at building play

“Creating play is a job for the whole team, not just the midfielders. It is a phase of the game that we have to improve and we are working towards that. We want to do so to improve in different scenarios, under different pressure, and I am confident that we will do better day after day.”

A packed fixture list

We have many games in a short amount of time. I think that it’s four games in eleven days. The most important thing is to come into each game in the best shape possible.  With the intense games that we have been playing, we have to make sure that the players who participate most recover well. Those who don’t play as many minutes have extra work to compensate and, in the sessions we have together, we try to make the most of our time to prepare for the games. Today is the day in which we have been able to focus most on Saturday's game against FC Barcelona. It’s been a different kind of session, with other tools like video study and talks, so that we can work on what cannot be done on the pitch with theory that is made as clear as possible to be well prepared.”

Returns for Gayà and Maxi Gómez

“Both Gayà and Maxi Gómez are available and we will choose the best options for the match. Gayà is very important because of what he contributes both on and off the field. He is one of our points of reference and I hope he will continue to be so for many years to come. We hope that with his return to the team, he will help us improve. During his absence Lato has done a very good job and we value him very much too.”

FC Barcelona

“I can see Barcelona getting a little better every day. They are competing better and better, with the players performing at a better level, and that is why they are on a good dynamic of results. They are in a phase of growth, with some important changes.

Match against Terrassa FC

“We try to improve on a day-to-day basis. In the Copa del Rey game this week we performed at a very improvable level. Everything I say about that game is going to sound like an excuse, and I don't want to talk about the conditions surrounding it. With four games in eleven days we have to share the minutes around, and get the best of everyone. In that case, we got through the tie and have fresher players for the match against FC Barcelona. I can't be satisfied with the game we played in Terrassa, despite the fact we went through. We know that there are many things that we have to improve. To be fair, there were players who hadn't had minutes this season, and who had to perform at their best in a match under those circumstances.”