CASTRO: "RAKITIC IS BACK HOME AND WE'RE VERY HAPPY"

03/09/2020

The Chairman, who was asked about the shareholders issue, emphasised the club's ambition "with its feet on the ground"

José Castro was very happy as the club confirmed the return of Ivan Rakitic: "We're very happy with Ivan's return. He's an exceptional player, an athlete and an exceptional person. And another Sevillista, he feels that way. Being a Sevillista and such a good player, he will perform a lot more. He's back home and with his people, we're enormously happy. He will give the best he has to make our club even better". He also assessed the 2019/20 season: "We can only talk about extraordinary results. We've been able to reach the Champions League and tied on points with third. We hope and want to keep making an even more competitive squad to keep reaching more important landmarks".

He was also asked about the shareholders issue: "The only thing I can say is that José Maria del Nido has requested an EGM, but he is our partner. We have an eight-year pact for the stability of the club, and we want that, stability, it's what has brought good things to the club. What's important is Sevilla FC, we've got it in our hearts. Words aren't important, but acts are. I don't think we've done anything badly in the nine months that we've had this pact. That atmosphere that exists between employees, the camaraderie, the demands that we've all seen... All this shows how good we are working. The internal workings are spectacular, you can see it from outside, so I think every Sevillista should be proud of the work that is being done. I can't understand this move, because he's our partner and we had an eight-year pact that began nine months ago. What have we done wrong? We are talking about what we have mapped out, a journey with facts. It's an extraordinary time for the club, we're a benchmark in Europe. We've done more with less, we're eighth in the UEFA coefficient table. Everyone in Spain, Europe and the world talks about the management of Sevilla, it's praised, so I don't understand the reaction. I hope that he will reconsider and see everything that we are doing, which is great for the club".

"It's an extraordinary time for the club and we're a benchmark in Europe"

The Chairman again spoke about last season and the chance to win another trophy: "We've got top marks. In such a long season, with a pandemic that the club managed so well and with so many difficulties, by achieving what we've achieved, we've got top marks. We've had many matches without defeat since the return. However, I'd like to talk about the fact we have a chance to win another title for the history of Sevilla FC. Only the two best teams in Europe this season have the chance to win, so we're satisfied and happy".

He also spoke about a potential title challenge: "We've got our feet on the ground. We know where we've come from, although we have excessive ambition in the sporting sense. We aspire to keep growing and continue being in the Champions League places, to keep having a bigger budget. If those above us have a drop some day, I'm sure we'll be there to try and take advantage. We have to keep dreaming, we Sevillistas deserve to win the league and, although I don't know when, I'm sure it will come".