Bordalás: "Getting to a final with Valencia CF is something beautiful"

José Bordalás spoke of his delight at making it through to the Copa del Rey final in his post-match press conference, following the 2-1 aggregate win over Athletic Club

How did you experience the final whistle? Is it your happiest day as a coach?

It is a feeling of enormous satisfaction. It was amazing. We are all enjoying it. It was a very beautiful match. I'm very happy for the fans and I'm very pleased. The players have been celebrating in the dressing room, they have soaked me with water and they are still out there with the fans. It is a very happy day. I've earned promotion and I've almost reached the semi-finals, but reaching a Copa del Rey final with Valencia CF is incredible. I'm happy for the fans, who deserve it.

Have the team been missing this defensive solidity in several recent games?

Yes. Fortunately, in the most important moment, in a decisive game, the team had a perfect game defensively. The little that Athletic Club generated, we resolved in a remarkable way. These types of games are won like this. Athletic are a great team, who had eliminated FC Barcelona and Real Madrid, and we were worthy winners in the semi-final.

Is it a dream come true for you to reach a final with Valencia CF?

Yes. It has been achieved with this incredible set of fans. I never get tired of saying it, but we are in a press conference and we can still here all the people below. You always work to be able to enjoy these moments. Getting to a final with Valencia CF is something beautiful. I am very happy, because now they are going to prepare the trip to Seville that the Valencia CF fans deserve.

How is Gayà?

Now he is happy because we are in the final. He was celebrating with his teammates. He has suffered an injury and we will see how he is. Tomorrow we will know the extent of the injury. The season keeps going and we have to prepare for Saturday's game. This has to serve as encouragement and help the confidence of the team. I have not stopped telling the team that we could get the victory and we are in the final.

Was the key to the tie the first leg?

In the first leg, against a team that had just beaten Real Madrid and Barça, at a ground that is always difficult, the team pulled out all the stops, overcame Athletic's goal and could have won. It was decisive, but today was too. We had to win. Gonçalo Guedes scored a great goal and the team were very serious in defense. This will help us to face the remainder of the season with the utmost confidence. On Saturday we are up against a side in need of a win. We have shown that the fans give us a boost, and this victory will give us a lot of confidence.

If in 2019 you had been told that this year you were going to experience this, what would you have thought?

Football is amazing. When I have been here before I have always commented that this stadium is incredible, and you never know. Football has many twists and turns. It has always been a source of tremendous excitement to be able to manage Valencia CF. Getting through to the final will give us a lot of confidence, and it will unite us. Let's see if we continue to grow and bring more joy.

Who would you prefer to meet in the final? What has happened with Gabriel Paulista?

We will enjoy being in the final, and either of the two teams that make it to the final will have done well. Betis have an advantage because they won 1-2 at Vallecas, but in football you never know what might happen. Betis are having a great season, but anything can happen. Either team would be in high spirits and we will prepare the game with the utmost enthusiasm and humility to win.

Gabriel told me that he has not suffered an injury, but that he noticed that if he continued he could get hurt, and he asked for the change. We will run tests tomorrow, but we trust that he was smart and requested the substitution before the injury occurred. He is a very important player and he always gives his all.

The fans sang your name. I suppose you have no doubts about his future?

As professionals, it fills us with pride that the fans recognise your commitment. It is clear that it is not only about Bordalás. We are a coaching staff that work hard together. The other members don't come out to the press conference like me, but I have a great coaching staff that deserve to be in the final. It fills me with satisfaction that the fans recognise our work.

How was the reception on the bus? How did you experience the atmosphere at Mestalla?

It was amazing. The arrival was impressive. I was very surprised. I couldn't explain it. I have experienced similar moments, but not like this. When we got off the bus, the fans deserved for us all to stop. From the pitch, it was amazing. Everything was shaking. There were times when the players couldn't hear me. It gave us incredible energy to get the victory. Without them it would have been much more difficult.

You used three centre backs again today. Is that here to stay?

It is an option. We knew that Athletic, as happened in LaLiga, could hurt us with balls over the top for Williams to run on to. We couldn't take that risk and I decided to have three central defenders play to neutralise that. When you play with three central defenders you lose strength in midfield, but it was decisive in us not conceding. The team had a very good game. I don't know if it's here to stay, but it's true that we've kept a clean sheet in two games in a row.

The fans asked Hugo Duro and Bryan Gil to stay. Will you ask for that too?

We know that Hugo Duro is on loan and Valencia CF have an option to buy him. With Bryan Gil, that isn't the case. They are two players who are showing commitment, enthusiasm and identification with the cause. They are all committed and we will see what happens. We are going to focus on LaLiga, with this important boost, and when the final comes around, the team will give everything to bring joy to these fans.