QUIQUE: "WE WERE IN A DIFFICULT PLACE, BUT WE TURNED THINGS AROUND"

Our head coach, Quique Sánchez Flores, took stock at the end of the season in what was his last post-match address ahead of his departure from the club: "My time here has been short but it has felt like a marathon, filled with lots of emotions, a bit of a rollercoaster ride... We had a clear idea of what the team needed and then we had to see how the players would adapt to the adjustments. We had to be strong in every area; mentally, tactically, etc. We had to change the atmosphere in the dressing room.

"I have the feeling of having done my duty and I would like to think there is mutual respect between myself and the fans. We're all in this together and I've always taken on their support, and at times criticism, in order to make this team as good as it can be. Their voice guides us and helps us find solutions. I took the reins at this huge club, at a time where there were many different opinions being aired, so the fact I could confide in some great people here to achieve the outcome we wanted just proves that we have come a long way this season," he continued.

Sánchez Flores rounded things off by saying "I'm left with the experience of knowing that we were in a difficult place at the start, but the players and everyone in the dressing room did a great job of turning things around."