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Mercado on A Balón Parado
First team

MERCADO: “IF WE PLAY WITH THE SAME ATTITUDE OF THAT SECOND HALF, WE CAN BEAT ANYONE”

23/11/2017
Entradilla
"With the celebration of Pizarro's goal, you could see the affection we have for Eduardo"
Cuerpo Superior

Gabriel Mercado was the star of "A Balón Parado" this Thursday night. The Sevilla vice-captain, first of all, addressed Berizzo's health and the support shown by the whole squad: "I think the gaffer is doing very well, he's strong. We've had a chat and we've told him that the most important thing is his health. He shouldn't worry if there are moments when he can't be here because of an operation or treatment; we'll play with the same intensity he asks of us, with the same enthusiasm. He doesn't need to worry about that, we'll give our all". 

“The gaffer asked us to take pride in ourselves”

The full-back also confirmed that the players "found out a few days before the Liverpool game. The unity of the dressing-room and the affection we have to the coaching staff was clear to see in the celebration of Pizarro's goal".

On that line, Mercado evaluated the reaction of the team in the second half: "At half-time, Berizzo - above all - touched on the mental side of things, we had to turn it up a notch and start again. Eduardo told us isolated things we had to correct but above all asked us to take the game to Liverpool and fight until the end. We showed what we had talked about in the changing room, the boss told us to use our pride, to give our best effort to turn the situation around. They saw that after the break, a different team had come out".  

Cuerpo Inferior

The Argentine wanted to emphasise the boost in confidence the Liverpool result has given: "Although we drew, the draw left us with more positives than even a win, given the fashion of it".

Moreover, he praised the spectacular atmosphere in Nervión: "When we heard the anthem in the tunnel, I wanted to get out there earlier, it always happens to me. The atmosphere there is spectacular and it's not that different from Argentine football because - in this city - you see a lot of passion from the stands too. I know Argentines from other teams miss it but that doesn't happen here".