GARCÍA PIMIENTA: "IT WILL BE A VERY TOUGH GAME, BUT WE ARE RARING TO GO"

Head Coach Xavi García Pimienta spoke at the pre-match press conference ahead of the home match against RCD Mallorca. The coach began by discussing Gudelj's physical condition: "We appreciate his commitment last week. We were short on players, and he made an effort to be there. Also, for the amazing performance he had. We looked after him throughout the week, as he barely trained and was very close to missing the Valladolid match. The commitment he showed was remarkable and it showed in his play. This week too, as he still has some small discomforts. He trained yesterday, and I expect him to do so again today. He has shown professionalism and a strong sense of belonging to Sevilla FC, and he is an example for everyone."

Regarding the upcoming match, he said, "We have a very tough game tomorrow against Mallorca, with two incentives. The first is being able to win two consecutive games this season, something we haven’t managed yet. If we succeed, we will also catch up to Mallorca in the standings and have the advantage in goal difference. It’s a challenge, and we will be playing in front of our fans, who haven’t seen us win at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán in quite some time. The atmosphere will be incredible, they will support us, and we must repay them with commitment and good play. Hopefully, it will be similar to our performance against Valladolid, where we were also effective. We would love to give them this victory."

On the progress toward their goal, he acknowledged, "Whether we like it or not, it’s a project with many new players and a new coaching staff. There’s a lot of excitement and a lot of work behind it. We are a club and a team that are highly ambitious. I am happy with what has been achieved so far, but we are entering the key period, the final stretch. There are still 14 games to go, and we must remain ambitious. Our intention is to aim for the maximum and earn the right to fight for bigger things, but it will depend on us in these games."

However, he emphasised not looking too far ahead: "In the end, there’s still so much to go... I wish we were much higher than we are, but we have 31 points, and this is where we stand. If we win tomorrow, which will be very demanding, we can achieve our first consecutive victories of the season. We have the incentive to level up with Mallorca in the league and have the goal difference in our favour. We must focus on that, because looking beyond that hasn't benefited us. The team is in a good position, and we haven’t won two games in a row yet. If we take that extra step, who knows what might happen."

"Taking that extra step, you never know what might happen this season"

On the possibility of Juanlu and Saúl playing together in the starting lineup, he said, "I’m very happy with Juanlu’s performance. He deserved it because he’s been playing great games as an interior midfielder. I always say he brings a lot of energy and attacking threat to the box. He’s always creating goal-scoring opportunities, and his effectiveness the other day with two goals and a shot off the post shows his potential in that position as well. I think they are two compatible players. Tomorrow we’ll see the lineup, and both could play together. I wouldn’t say that from memory, but I’m sure they’ve played together at some point. Whether one plays or the other doesn’t mean the other can't play."

Regarding Lukébakio’s comments about how settled he feels in Sevilla, he shared, "There have been many talks about offers, and that speaks to the potential of these players. Some have had the option to go to other clubs and have decided to stay because they believe in the project and the club, and because they think things are being done right. Now, we need to finish the last part of LaLiga well to fight for important things."

Finally, when asked about Isaac’s comments about his belief in the project, he replied, "I love hearing him say that. What matters here are the players, and if they feel comfortable and believe in the project, we are on the right track. If players have had offers that are financially superior to what they earn here and decide to stay, it’s because they believe they will be better from now until the end of the season. It’s much appreciated that players like Isaac, who has been very important in the last two seasons, feel comfortable with how things are being done. We’ve had many discussions with him. Even when he wasn’t scoring, I’ve always said I was happy with his work and what he contributes. Strikers are often valued only for their goals, but that’s not my approach. There are 14 games left, it’s crucial, and I’m sure he will continue to score because he’s been playing very well."