First team

SAMPAOLI: "IN DORTMUND WE FOUND OUT THAT WE CAN PLAY WITHOUT ANXIETY AND DOMINATE"

14/10/2022

"The most important thing is for our players to figure how to get the most out of situations that previously made them uncomfortable in matches so that they can enjoy their football," he said

Sevilla FC coach Jorge Sampaoli held a press conference on Friday ahead of Saturday's match in LaLiga against RCD Mallorca. The Argentinian coach began by stressing that "I believe that progress will always be linked to the player's level of commitment. The most important thing is that they discover how to get the most out of situations that previously made them uncomfortable in matches so that they can enjoy themselves. We have to make the players enjoy their football."

"Not everyone progresses at the same rate. Some players evolve quickly, some take longer and others don't. I didn't just come into a ready-made team. We aren't able to build a squad from the ground up, we have to try to find ways to get these players to adapt to new ideas as quickly as possible. The big changes that a coach can make after their arrival have to make progress otherwise we will only see ourselves heading backwards."

Now we want to generate wholesale improvements that allow us to regather a decent vein of form. Every game is more difficult than the last because it is easier to go backwards than to keep making progress. That's why we have to be true to ourselves and try to anticipate what might cause us to slip up. We are trying to avoid all the pitfalls that pose a danger to us."

"We are exposed to inconsistency and we have to simplify things so that we don't go backwards and find ourselves starting from scratch"

"It is the reality of what I have just said. You can't expect a massive transformation in four days, but we have to try to make gradual changes in order to get out of our rough patch. In three days of training, I can't take responsibility for that. I'm trying to transmit an idea of structural security so that it can be sustained over time and generate consistency. We are exposed to inconsistency and we have to simplify things so that we don't go backwards and start from scratch again. Reality is reality and we live and work in it".

On Marcão, who had to be taken off in Dortmund: "Marcão has normal discomfort due to his lack of match fitness and from playing two full games. I think he's ready for the match. We'll see how well he can perform and whether he'll be able to play the full 90 minutes. He has given us an extra layer of security that the team didn't have without him. It's important that he's playing whenever he can, of course".

"If we put ourselves under an obligation to win it's going to be problematic. We have to play a good game collectively and from there we have to achieve our objectives in terms of results. We can't have the objective of winning as soon as the game starts, we'll fall into the same trap as we have in the past, we wanted to win in any way we could but it wasn't to be."

"We have to collectively work for a good result. We have to collectively work for good development. We are not talking about any Dortmund player, only about ourselves. The problem is us. The diagnosis has to lead us in the short term to correct our errors," he continued."

"We are not talking about any Dortmund player, only about ourselves. The problem is us"

On the comparison of Nasri from his previous spell with Isco: "I got to know Nasri over time and he was a leader and the team revolved around him. We have to see if Isco can do the same, it would be great. He has the tools in his locker and understands the game very well. It would help us a lot if his leadership could generate the team chemistry to get better performances out our squad."

"The most important thing in football is the players. This group, trying to get organised and understand what's going on whilst showing desire to get out of their current run of form, It's going to happen sooner or later. I don't believe in quick fixes or miracles, but rather in creating a well-developed and serious project, which will allow us to create a serious, forceful and strong Sevilla.... That every fan who goes to the stadium knows what they are going to see, regardless of the result."

"The mental and footballing aspects are all on the same track. Having a clear idea of how to play to take advantage of any situation is important. Mallorca, for example, are very structured and can do us a lot of damage if we don't generate a footballing structure of dominance and understanding each other."

"With Athletic we had moments where we were being dominated but in Dortmund we did better. There we took a step towards knowing that we can play without anxiety and generate dominance. We had a chance of winning because they didn't bother us the whole game. That's already an emotional breakthrough to have everyone fit and be competitive against whoever we play."

"This group, trying to get organised and understand what's going on whilst showing desire to get out of their current run of form, will turn the corner soon"

About the rival, RCD Mallorca, he said: "They can play with a striker similar to Muriqi or another with a different style. Muriqi generates attacks after winning duels that start their quick transitions. But every team always has someone who makes their opponents uncomfortable. Regardless of who plays, we have to think about how we work, it's a very important match."

"Fernando had an illness that was bothering him. Today he trained separately but from Sunday he will be with the team. He's visibly recovered and will be with us soon," Sampaoli said of the Brazilian midfielder's state of health."