Bordalás: “I am convinced that we will have our chances to win against FC Barcelona”

José Bordalás gave his pre-match press conference ahead of Sunday’s 4:15pm CET kickoff against FC Barcelona, on Matchday 25 of the LaLiga season.

Would you say that FC Barcelona are the best or the worst opponents to face to reverse the dynamic and get back to winning ways?

They are a great side, obviously. This season is showing us that any opponent presents difficulties. Barça have a great team, and we face them with the utmost interest. We want to have a great game and I am convinced that we will have our chances of winning.

How are Thierry Correia and Gabriel Paulista doing?

Unfortunately, last Thursday in a seemingly innocuous move, Thierry was caught in the middle of a clash between two teammates. He had the bad luck that one of them fell on him and he sprained his knee. Gabriel has trained normally in several sessions and it is possible that he will be with the team tomorrow.

Could this be a key game in the sense that if you don’t win, the team can be cut adrift from the fight for the European places?

The matchdays are going by and we must not miss our opportunities, but we have to look forward and we have to think that winning a match like tomorrow's would give us a lot of confidence and three important points.

To what extent could the second leg of the Copa del Rey semifinals against Athletic Club influence the lineup?

Right now, we are thinking about tomorrow's match. There are still days remaining before the second leg of the Copa del Rey semifinals. It is tremendously important for the team, for the entity, for the fans, and for everyone, but we are focused on the match tomorrow. We need to be at one hundred percent if we want to get the victory, and that's where we are focusing. We have made a parenthesis in our plans. It is important to focus on the league.

There has been an exchange of statements with representatives of Athletic Club. Does all of this favour or harm things?

We are focused on the day-to-day work at the club. We are no strangers to this type of statement, but it strikes me that there is an attempt to affect the tie and divert attention, which happened, for example, after the first leg with Athletic Club. If there was a team affected in that game it was Valencia CF, but we are focused on day-to-day work. I give all my support to my club, to Ricardo Arias and all the people who represent us and who feel that Valencia CF belongs to them. We are not going to let anybody trample on us in any way, when everything that is being said is totally false.

Tomorrow FC Barcelona will have many players missing. Is it a golden opportunity to win?

I don't know if they are weakened, as we all have players out throughout the season. Barça have a great squad. Piqué is out and we'll see if Araújo can play. Obviously, they have amply proven that they have enough to compete at a high level. It's a great opportunity, as always, but we don't focus on the players missing for the opposition, but rather on performing at our best. We have never moaned about having players out, perhaps we have been the team with the most injury problems in the league. We have to have a great game and we need the support of the fans. We are very responsible for us having a great game against FC Barcelona.

Why are the team criticised so many times? Aren't you fed up with that thinking by some opponents?

I defend the interests of Valencia CF. Criticism is a card that some use to justify themselves. We watch every game and I don't know any team, not even Athletic Club, that hurry when they are winning. I don't know anyone who does that, if anyone knows, let me know. When Athletic Club beat FC Barcelona, ​​they didn’t take risks after scoring the decisive goal for getting into the next round. We don't have a different way of playing than other teams. We have our hallmarks, but what you talk about is something that is intended to detract from the work of our professionals. We are a young team in an important process, and absolutely nothing is going to divert our attention. We will continue to grow to bring joy to our fans.

It is great news that Gabriel Paulista is back. However, do you not want to be prudent and not take risks, in order to avoid any possible relapse?

It is a joy for everyone to be able to have Gabriel Paulista on the squad list, but we have to be smart and cautious in the sense that it is possible that he will not be starting. Everything requires time, and even more so after four months. He is going to give us a lot; he is eager, recovered and excited. The most important thing is that we are going to have him there and that we are going to have him on the pitch soon, defending Valencia CF as always.

The Committee have concluded that not awarding a penalty at San Mamés in favour of Hugo Duro was a serious error. What do you think about this?

We are not going to insist about it. We think about the present. We believe in the good intentions and professionalism of the referees. If they have recognised the mistake, then it is a credit to them, but we have to think about the present and I am sure that the referees will do really well. They are professionals and they are people too. They can make mistakes. What we cannot accept is that others turn the tables, and that the approach is that you are the executioner when you are the victim. We feel supported by our fans and our club and we are going to be united to try to reach the final. Games are won on the pitch.

Do you think that the additions in the winter transfer market for FC Barcelona could change their approach with respect to the first match?

They have a different coach, with a different interpretation and with new players who have arrived. They have reinforced really well; they have great potential and are a team that have grown. They have put in good numbers from the beginning of the year until now and are a team with great potential. We have also changed and I think we are at a better level than when we visited the Camp Nou. We have the confidence to have a great game. The players seem psyched up and very switched on, wanting to reverse the dynamic.

Tomorrow, playing at Mestalla, do you think the match is 50% or are FC Barcelona slight favourites?

Games are always 50-50. We will see. We have great respect for the opposition, but we have to have a winning and ambitious mentality. We are playing at home with our fans in attendance, and that will give us a boost and confidence. We are excited and I am convinced that tomorrow the team are going to have a great game