Kondogbia: "I'm not at 100%, but I'm available to the coach"

Returning to action for the first time since he was injured against Rayo Vallecano on April 6th, Geoffrey Kondogbia played 31 minutes against Real Valladolid on the final day of the LaLiga season. The midfielder acknowledges that he is not quite at 100% just yet, but in a press conference on Wednesday he underlined his excitement about the Copa del Rey final.

"Qualifying for the Champions League was very good for us. It also helps us with our confidence ahead of this game. We ended the season happy, and now we are confident about the final," said Kondogbia.

"We went through some tough moments in December, but I personally always believed in the team. I knew that we were going to achieve good things. The team, the coach and the coaching staff all believed, right until the end. If you have good players, things work out in the end."

Asked about whether Valencia CF would be using FC Barcelona's loss to Liverpool as a guide on Saturday, he reflected that:

"Whenever a team beat Barça, you have it there as an example. But we have to be ourselves. We have to play like we know how and look at where we can do damage to Barça. That's the most important thing."

Whilst Barça will not have Luis Suárez available, the CAR international believes that another player will be the man VCF have to contain.

"Suárez is a very important player, but Barça are the same without him. A player like Messi can do damage in so many ways. That's why we have to work hard and prepare well for this game. We're up against the LaLiga champions and it's going to be difficult."

On his recovery from injury, Kondogbia recalled the patient wait he has had before his comeback.

"The recovery process has gone really well. I was a little sad when I had the relapse, but in the end the doctors, the club and I have worked really well. We took things carefully, with the aim of getting back ahead of time, and it went well."

"I'm not at 100%, obviously, because I spent a month out, but the most important thing is that I am happy to be playing and enjoying myself on the pitch again. I'm available to the coach."