First team

BERIZZO SAYS "REGAINING PHYSICAL STRENGTH" IS CRUCIAL TO WINNING IN THE WANDA

22/09/2017

The coach said the team has to continue growing and that "our ceiling, though we will find it, needs to be pushed to the top"

Eduardo Berizzo faces his toughest league test with Sevilla FC - as he himself admitted - in playing away against a direct rival, in the newly opened Wanda Metropolitano. "A match full of great footballers, with two very strong teams," said the coach, who told the press that fighting for important objectives has to involve the "regaining of that physical strength - also one of our qualities. We're a very intense side who maintain a rhythm from beginning to end. We play on that morning against an opponent who will also have to make good use of the ball, one who builds attacks very well and is able to find their strikers with more options... It's a team who is very quick in attack, with two strikers, we have to guard against that danger. Play safely at all times but with a dynamism in attack that can cause problems for a defense that is very strong when it faces you head on."

He continued: "We're facing a great team, a difficult match that is always hard-fought. A lot of strength is needed; it's a match where all aspects of the game are truly important. We have to make sure it's all tight, we have to play a complete match and go from there."

"My idea is to always win, against a strong opponent or a supposedly weaker one"

A direct rival? Berizzo was clear: "Yes, I agree, the positions the two teams occupy suggest that, and make us rivals. The two sides are fighting for the Champions League and that, ignoring the history between us, makes us two teams who want the same thing, it makes us direct rivals. My idea is to always win, against a strong opponent or a supposedly weaker one."

Neither Escudero nor Kjaer will be available for the clash this Saturday. The coach seemed calm about this: "The absences are absences, but we can rely on the replacements... They're two very good players, but we trust the starting eleven, whatever centre-back we use tomorrow will be safe. The replacement for Sergio is Carole, that's what he's there for. I care more about those playing than about those who aren't."

"Without losing our competitiveness we need to keep moving closer to our best possible game”

Asked about the form of the side and their potential to improve, he admitted "we can improve, of course, you can always improve, the team can develop, flow and work better. The wins help and I think the potential for growth is big and our ceiling, though we will find it, should be pushed to the top. If there is something that sets this team apart it's competitiveness, Sevilla is a side who competes and wins, it's a team recognised for that competitiveness it has picked up in the last years; and without losing that, we have to keep moving closer to our best possible game."

He also said he would not understand a sanction against the Sánchez-Pizjuán for its reception of Vitolo this past Wednesday: "the behaviour was totally fine, I didn't hear anything that could be seen as offensive, yes there was anger and whistling... I would be surprised because I thought the fans behaved well, they've shown their anger through whistles rather than insults... That's what I heard from my position, I don't know if there was something else - I hope not."