First team

THE CHAIRMAN BACKS SERGIO RICO: "IT'S THE MOMENT TO BE WITH HIM, TO HELP HIM, TO SUPPORT HIM..."

01/02/2018

Castro asked for affection for the home-grown goalkeeper and was disappointed Batshauyi couldn't come

Chairman José Castro took the opportunity to give a vote of confidence to Sergio Rico at the presentation of Layún, Roque Mesa and Sandro this Thursday afternoon: "It's clear that there are players in good form and bad form. Sergio Rico hasn't been good in the last two matches but it's clear he's one of our own, a Sevillista, from the academy, having played over 150 matches which have included extraordinary ones like the other day in the Wanda. I think it's the moment to be with him, to help him, to support him... The fans need to be with him despite what might be mistakes - that might also be fouls - but we have to be with him, giving him maximum affection... If we need to show affection to all of our players, we have to do so especially with him because he was grown here and because he apologised to Sevilla... I wish they could see him after the match because he, just as much as any Sevillista, feels for his mistake and has had the bravery to admit it... We have to support him because he is a Sevillista and an asset to the club".

But there were more familiar names, like Vincenzo Montella, who before the Leganés game said: "any player, if he has the choice, would come to Sevilla because they have the chance to play in Europe". Asked if the quote of the Italian was a poor reflection for the club, José Castro naturally sided with the manager: "Montella is a bit of a great, we're talking about an international footballer, about a coach who is just about old enough to not have anybody telling him what he has to say. He has complete liberty to say what he wants and I think he's understood what Sevilla truly means even in the just over 15 days he's been here".

Finally, asked about the failed attempts to sign Batshuayi, he addmitted: "He was a player who had picked Sevilla as the club to come to. He had different offers and he himself was upset to not come here and he told us that directly. He wanted to be here but wasn't able to owing to matters at his club".