Marcelino: "A win at the Wanda would be a big step forward"

Valencia CF have their last midweek LaLiga match of the season this Wednesday, as they travel to the Spanish capital to take on Atletico Madrid. The day before the 7:30pm CEST kickoff, coach Marcelino chatted to the media in his press conference at the Ciudad Deportiva.

The importance of the game

“We don’t believe that it’s decisive, but it will be a huge result in our favour if we win. Now that we’ve beaten Betis, this game isn’t going to be decisive, but with so few games left we are going to try with everything we have to win at the Wanda Metropolitano. That would be a big step forward, but not decisive.”

The strengths of both sides

“Atletico Madrid are a great side, and they have everything: Great players, a playing style that has been successful for many years, a lot of experience, the capacity to provide individual ability for the collective benefit, a great coach… they are an example for us to look at. In what ways are we better? In terms of a LaLiga title, we aren’t yet at the level to compete with Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid or FC Barcelona, but over a single game we have the intention of being the better side and winning.

“The last few games against them have been very even. We hope to be very competitive and get a win that would put us in an optimal position, and in the worst case scenario, get a draw.”

Little at stake for Atletico

“We’re still waiting to see whether Atletico Madrid have anything at stake or not. We all know that with Atletico under Simeone, the concept of not playing for anything doesn’t exist -even in a friendly. They are playing for second place, and Simeone has already said that as long as it isn’t mathematically impossible, they will fight to be champions. They’ve only drawn two games at the Wanda and lost one, conceding seven goals -3 in one game- and they are the worst opponents that we could have right now.

“It’s a very important and difficult game, but we are excited about the chance to take points and win, because there is a lot on the line for us. We have a positive dynamic going on, we’re a solid team and we’re difficult to beat. We’ve had only one defeat in the last 22 games, and we want to continue that run.

The absence of Cheryshev

“We are sad, because we’ve lost a player who has had a very good season and was playing an important part in this final stretch of the season. We’re sad for him, and we knew how motivated he was. It’s bad news because he’s going to miss a very attractive end to the season.”

“With Cheryshev missing, logically Gonçalo Guedes will play more minutes in his habitual position.”

The possibility of Kang In returning as cover

“He won’t be here for this game. The club are making the moves they deem opportune so that, if at some point he has to come back, he will. We will analyse the situation after each game and, based on that, we will decide.”