Voro: “We need to beat Valladolid as a turning point for the coming games”

Expectations of an almost-safe Valladolid

“Them being almost safe is not an indication that the game will be easy. Valladolid are a team Valladolid are a team who work around their defensive organisation. They concede few goals; in the last 7 games they've conceded just 4 goals. They get into space quickly when they recover the ball. They are definitely a team who make the game very difficult. They lost late on to Atletico Madrid, drew against Sevilla... We're expecting a team who are organised defensively and who will look to get around the back. It's tough, because they concede few goals.

The aim for Matchday 34

“In the last three games we have conceded two goals per game, and if we want to be closer to winning we have to improve in that regard. Against Athletic and Granada some mistakes were made, which happens in football, but somehow we have to cut that out to be closer to winning and being more competitive. At first I avoided talking about goals, because for me, the most important thing, apart from recovering the morale of the players, was that the team always had a chance to win the game.

That was the objective for a team who needed the first stone laid to achieve other things. If I didn’t speak about clear objectives, about the Champions League or the Europa League, it was because I consider that a turning point is needed to be able to improve, score points and find the objective available for us.”

Objectives

“There are four games left and we need to win tomorrow [against Valladolid], more than anything because as a turning point for the next few games it is necessary to win. That would already bring us closer to the Europa League. We are going to work for the game knowing the importance of it and the opponents we are facing.”

Motivation

“We're focused on our own job. Our motivation is to win tomorrow. I understand that we're all looking to motivate the players to achieve the best performance, and that seems logical and normal to me. We are focused on our own task. After having improved in the last game, which we were close to winning, right now we need to win.

We have to keep improving. I'm sure that if we keep improving then we will be closer to victory. That's what concerns us.”

Fitness

“In terms of our fitness in general, I don’t share the opinion that we aren’t getting results because of that. The important thing for a team is that there is excitement about achieving something, making things go well and all that might be needed for improving performance. When you’re in that dynamic, tiredness is secondary. We take as read that there will be correct and adequate preparation, because the level of the professionals working here is good.

“We can see that fitness is important in these games in which it is hot and you accumulate a game every three days. We make changes to bring on fresh players.”

Parejo

“Parejo is able to play many games. He is important to the team and his involvement varies in games according to whether the team have more or less of the ball. Parejo is a player who offers a lot on the ball and has that pause that the team need. He is just as tired as those who are playing a lot of minutes -but that’s normal when you have a game every three days.”

Speculation about a permanent coach

I do not see that it is a problem for the squad. Footballers are used to it and know what happens when things are going well and when they aren’t. It is normal and natural. The players look focused and we have to make sure that they see that this is the way forward. We have to draw on the improvement that we have seen from the players. At the end of the season the players will take the decisions that suit them, the club will take the decisions that suit them. I’m not involved in that, because when the final game is over I will stop being the coach and return to my previous role.”