Gracia: "We want to assume the responsibility of improving defensively"

Valencia CF coach Javi Gracia spoke ahead of Saturday’s game against Celta Vigo, previewing the 9pm CEST kickoff.

Expectations for the game

“Celta are an attacking side at home and they look for victory through the characteristics of their players. They have great quality in attack. Spaces may possibly appear over the course of the game, but I don’t think that it’s going to be an open game from the start. After a win we are confident about our work; Celta drew away to Eibar, which is also a positive step at the start of the season. It’s another game, and the most important thing is our intention, which is to chase the win.”

Aspects to improve from the game against Levante UD

“The two games and opponents are different, as is the location as we are playing as the away team. Celta are opponents who are very dangerous at home. They have a lot of quality up front. With regards to our previous game, we need to improve in the defensive facet; not only in terms of the goals that we concede, but also the feeling we gave off. The result could have been completely different, and we want to assume the responsibility of improving defensively, with the knowledge that we are going to be up against a team with quality in attack. We need to have a complete game in order to take the points.”

The aim for the season

“The makeup of the squad is still to be finalised, and we will have to wait to see how the market concludes. The demand we have on ourselves and the objective that I set for myself isn't European football or the Champions League: It's about winning the league. It's about trying to be the best. That is what our ambition needs to be. Our objectives have to be ambitious and we have to try to achieve them. Then we will see where we end up in the competition, but for me the main objective is definitely to win the next game. I think that the opposition are very good, with a lot of quality players, but right now we can compete. I hope that at the end of the season we can have the same targets as them -or better.”

The situation with reinforcements

“On the eve of a match I am focused on tomorrow’s game, and the situation hasn’t changed. I said what I said and made my position clear, so from now on the best thing for us is to be focused on the work that I can do -which is to get the best performance from the squad that we have. We have some problems with injuries and situations that make our everyday work more difficult, but I am convinced that we are going to show what we can do in the next game.”

A meeting with club president Anil Murthy

“There was a normal meeting. The club continue working on options that could be workable and I continue to express the needs of the team. I focus on my daily work and leave that job in their hands, having seen that there is a real possibility of bringing in those players.”

“I would prefer there to be more time in the transfer market. I believe that none of the players I have are going to leave. There will be the option of bringing in players, but just bringing them in isn’t the solution; you need these players to help improve the squad that we have. If there are players who can improve us, then I agree. But if we are just training players for other teams, then we can do that ourselves. There are players who need minutes and this could be an opportunity for them. We are working to bring in good players.”

Maxi Gómez and Kondogbia

“I believe that those two players are not going to leave. That’s the idea that I have for them and I haven’t had the feeling that they are for sale. We all know how football is: If there is a big offer for either of them, then we are open to it, but I don’t think that they are two players who are on the market.”

“I trust that no players are going to leave, so I aspire to bring in players to make us stronger. The conversations with the club have reflected that, so at the moment I wouldn’t settle for the squad exactly as it is now.”